Songwriter: David Bowie

Producer: Mike Vernon

I was walking down the high street
When I heard footsteps behind me
And there was a little old man (Hello!)
In scarlet and gray, chuckling away

Well, he trotted back to my house
And he sat beside the telly (Ahh!)
With his tiny hands on his tummy
Chuckling away, laughing all day

"I ought to report you to the Gnome Office."
"Gnome Office? Ahahahah!"

Ha, ha, ha, hee, hee, hee
I'm a laughing gnome and you can't catch me
Ha, ha, ha, hee, hee, hee
I'm a laughing gnome and you can't catch me
Said the laughing gnome

Well, I gave him roasted toadstools
And a glass of dandelion wine. (*burp* Pardon...)
Then I put him on a train to Eastbourne
Carried his bag, and gave him a fag

"Have you got a light, boy?"
"Here, where do you come from?"
"Gnome-man's land, heehee!"
"Oh, really?"

In the morning, when I woke up
He was sitting on the edge of my bed
With his brother, whose name was Fred
He'd brought him along to sing me a song

"Alright, let's hear it... 'ere, what's that clicking noise?"
"That's Fred, he's a metro-gnome, haha!"

Ha, ha, ha, hee, hee, hee
I'm a laughing gnome and you can't catch me
Ha, ha, ha, hee, hee, hee
I'm a laughing gnome and you can't catch me

"Oh now, I'm a gnome, anyway, haha!"
"Haven't you got a home to go to?"
"No, we are gnome-ads, hehe!"
"Didn't they teach you to get your hair cut at school?
You look like a rolling gnome."
"Nah, not at the London school of Eco-gnome-ics."

Now they're staying up me chimney
And we're living on caviar and honey (Hurray!)
'Cause they're earning me lots of money
Writing comedy prose for radio shows

"It's the, errrr... it's the gnome-service, yes, of course!"

Ha, ha, ha, hee, hee, hee
I'm a laughing gnome and you...
Ha, ha, ha, hee, hee, hee
(Oh, dear me...)
I'm a laughing gnome and you can't catch me
(One more time!)
Ha, ha, ha, hee, hee, hee
I'm a laughing gnome and you can't catch me

David Bowie

David Bowie (1947 – 2016) was a British musician, and one of the most iconic rock stars with a widely diverse career where he frequently changed his appearance and musical style, resulting in an acclaimed discography comparable to other stalwarts such as The Beatles and Bob Dylan. Born David Robert Jones, Bowie quickly renamed himself to prevent confusion with The Monkees singer Davy Jones. Enduring many early missteps, he rose to prominence when his most famous song, “Space Oddity,” was played during the coverage of the Apollo 11 moon landing.

Despite this early breakthrough, Bowie remained a cult figure for several years. Even the release of Hunky Dory, his first great album, went largely unnoticed. Bowie only lodged himself firmly in the public consciousness when he announced his bisexuality and created Ziggy Stardust in early 1972. A Martian who combined the debauchery of Iggy Pop with the artistry of Lou Reed, Ziggy was the main character in Bowie’s breakthrough album, and his public persona for eighteen months.

Bowie used his new-found popularity to move to America, and dabble with new musical directions and cocaine. Diamond Dogs and Young Americans continue to divide critics, but Station To Station found Bowie at a new creative peak, despite escalating drug use and related health issues.