Is Laughing Gnome the best thing David Bowie has ever done?

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i think so.

― frenchbloke (frenchbloke), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 10:05 (twenty-two years ago)

TS: Bowies "Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf" vs Weird Al's "Peter and the Wolf" vs Sting's "Peter and the Wolf"...

― Lord Custos Epsilon (Lord Custos Epsilon), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 10:48 (twenty-two years ago)

I agree.'Love You 'Til Tuesday',close 2nd.

― Paul R (paul R), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 11:01 (twenty-two years ago)

He missed a great career as a light entertainer and comedian - but fortunately Stella Street fills in this gap in oeuvre.

― Bob Six (bobbysix), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 12:11 (twenty-two years ago)

Yes.

― Brian Turner (btwfmu), Thursday, 10 July 2003 12:17 (twenty-two years ago)

TS: Bowies "Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf" vs Weird Al's "Peter and the Wolf" vs Sting's "Peter and the Wolf"...

Bowie. The man was born to narrate children's stories. Or maybe run a daycare center. And even children know that Sting is a bore and that Weird Al isn't esp. funny.

As far as the Gnome goes ... well, it's no "The Little Drummer Boy."

Which reminds me: is there a better song written by one famous guy but completely identified with another famous guy than "Lust For Life"?

― brian nemtusak (sanlazaro), Friday, 11 July 2003 21:01 (twenty-two years ago)

i prefer the gospel according to tony day.

― di smith (lucylurex), Saturday, 12 July 2003 01:03 (twenty-two years ago)

Let's not forget "When I'm Five". But all these are a long way behind Laughing Gnome, the greatest records David Bowie ever made.

― colin s barrow (colin s barrow), Saturday, 12 July 2003 02:02 (twenty-two years ago)

What is this, 1992 NME?

― N. (nickdastoor), Saturday, 12 July 2003 14:58 (twenty-two years ago)

1992 nme? does this mean the nme actually get something right? surely not?

― frenchbloke (frenchbloke), Saturday, 12 July 2003 15:07 (twenty-two years ago)

They ran a campaign to get David Bowie to play Laughing Gnome on his forthcoming greatest hits tour.

― N. (nickdastoor), Saturday, 12 July 2003 15:15 (twenty-two years ago)

bet he didn't tho

― frenchbloke (frenchbloke), Saturday, 12 July 2003 16:19 (twenty-two years ago)

His earliest stuff has always been some of my favorite stuff he did, and in a nonironic way too. but not for it's light entertainment and comedy, more for it's emotionfullness. (or the combination of these)

― A Nairn (moretap), Saturday, 12 July 2003 16:27 (twenty-two years ago)

eleven months pass...

i prefer the gospel according to tony day.

YOUR MIND ... BLOW IT, BLOW IT!

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Saturday, 19 June 2004 15:17 (twenty-one years ago)

six months pass...

What album is Laughing Gnome on? Why did David Bowie make it? I love it and that but it confuses me!

― dog latin (dog latin), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 10:36 (twenty-one years ago)

It was never released on a 'regular' Bowie album, but can be found on numerous compilations compiling his early songs. (look here for a list of 'em. If you can find it, Images is the one to get.)

― willem (willem), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 10:44 (twenty-one years ago)

Thanks. Is there a story behind Laughing Gnome though? Was it used in anything other than a silly song?

― dog latin (dog latin), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 10:54 (twenty-one years ago)

He recycled the bassoon intro as the melody line on 'Speed of Life'.

― Jonathan Z. (Joanthan Z.), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 11:07 (twenty-one years ago)

Bowie did eventually perform a drum n'bass version of The Laughing Gnome at the Reading Festival in 1997. Honestly.

The voice of the gnome was producer Gus Dudgeon, by the way.

― Philip Alderman (Phil A), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 11:16 (twenty-one years ago)

i really like "when i live my dream"

― Amateur(ist) (Amateur(ist)), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 11:46 (twenty-one years ago)

i have shamefully never heard bowie's anthony newley stuff...what else is good, people?

― Owen Hatherley (owen), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 11:53 (twenty-one years ago)

I seem to remember Mark & Lard teasing him about this track
when he came on the Graveyard Shift..wasn't it in New York?

― Masked Gazza, Wednesday, 5 January 2005 11:54 (twenty-one years ago)

xpost Try "Oh Blimey, It's Christmas"

― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 11:54 (twenty-one years ago)

The Laughing Gnome is silly but at least half of his Newley-esque stuff is great. The London Boys is certainly up there with the best things he's ever done. And yes, When I Live My Dream is excellent - is it about a creepy stalker who's completely lost touch with reality? It's even better if it is. Let Me Sleep Beside You is another gem.

― Jonathan Z. (Joanthan Z.), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 12:19 (twenty-one years ago)

I heartily second "The London Boys", and "Let Me Sleep Beside You". "In the Heat of the Morning" is ace, too. Then there's the quaint "Please Mr. Gravedigger"...
The songs he did with the Lower Third and the Mannish Boys are a fun listen, too.

One of his many aborted projects is an album called Toy which was to appear in the wake of ...hours. Toy was meant to consist of new recordings of some of these old songs, Bowie was apparently inspired by playing these songs live again. The album never materialised but some of the songs appeared as "b-sides" on cd-singles from the Heathen-album.

― willem (willem), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 12:52 (twenty-one years ago)

No, silly: the best thing he's done is "Never Let Me Down"

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 20:41 (twenty-one years ago)

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