Songs about Gnomes & Their Curious Inspiration

With the recent passing of musical legend, David Bowie, an old song of his popped into my head the other day: “The Laughing Gnome.” To my knowledge, Bowie was never an avid gnome collector so why would he write a song about a gnome?

bowie

In fact, I’ve often wondered why musical artists name their bands and songs after gnomes, especially when they have little to do with our beloved little friends.

Bowie’s song tells the story of walking down the street, hearing footsteps, and turning around to find a “little old man” who chuckles away all day long singing “I’m a laughing gnome and you don’t catch me!” The song was released as a single in 1967 and features a sped-up voice and several puns on the word “gnome.” It’s radically different from much of his other work and has been described as a fun children’s song, a mod anthem, and an embarrassment.

Another gnome song from an unexpected band is “The Gnome” by Pink Floyd. The song appears on their album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, and tells the story of a gnome named Grimble Grumble. This little guy wore a scarlet tunic with a blue-green hood, and he had a big adventure in the great outdoors, followed by a bit of wining and dining. Sounds pretty fun, right? As far as I know, the British psychedelic rock band wasn’t into collecting gnomes either, but the song’s inspiration reportedly came random creativity and J.R.R. Tolkien’s books.

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However, David Bowie and Pink Floyd haven’t been the only musical artists to oddly embrace gnomes…even if only for a short time. For example, the album of one Australian band simply named “Gnome” was described in a review as “other-worldly, blissful, euphoric, natural, and tranquil.”

It seems that many artists identify with what gnomes represent and are drawn to express those qualities through music. It also just goes to show that you don’t have to be a gnome expert to enjoy and celebrate gnomes’ clever, fun-loving, and mischievous nature!

So allow me to introduce you to few gnome-related songs and bands to listen to and decide for yourself. No matter what type of music you’re into, you’re sure to find a gnome song you enjoy, or at least get a chuckle out of.

  • David Bowie’s “The Laughing Gnome,” – AudioLyrics
  • Pink Floyd’s “The Gnome” – AudioLyrics
  • David the Gnome Theme Song – Video
  • The Alpaca Gnomes (band from Connecticut) – Video
  • Gnome (band from Cleveland, Ohio) – Video
  • The Gnome Addicts (band from Toronto) – Video
  • UnGnomes (band from Chicago) – Audio

Do you know of any other gnome bands or gnome songs? I’d love to check ’em out, so please share with me!

***This article will appear in the next issue of the International Gnome Club newsletter. Find out what else is going on in the world of gnome news, by joining our club!***

Breaking News! Gnome Fest in Tuscon TOMORROW! Hop on a freaking plane!

We had a nice quiet weekend in the countryside planned and welp, that just got thrown out the window!

Why, you ask?

Because we just remembered that Metro Gnome Music’s 3rd annual Gnome Fest is taking place TOMORROW!

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We have issued a gnome-wide alert to cancel manicures, find pet sitters, and disappoint distant relatives. It’ll all be worth it, because this year’s Gnome Fest is set to be even better than last year.

Read My 2013 Post About Gnome FestLet’s All Go to Tuscon on Saturday!

The festivities are taking place tomorrow October 18th at 4044 E. Speedway in Tuscon – between the hours of 11:30am and 6:00pm.

Once again, this crew will be trying to break the Guinness Book World Record for the Largest Gathering of People Dressed as Garden Gnomes. The current record is 468.

Let’s blow that lame number to smithereens, people!

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But alas this is a music shop, so the fest is also all about the music.

According to a Metro Gnome press release, Amosphere, led by 2005 Grammy Award finalist AmoChip, female-fronted trio Copper & Congress, multi-format ensemble group Genevieve & The LP’s, the 90’s alternative/grunge rock band Lollapaloozers, and the self-described “opposite of robots”: Sorry About The Garden.

There’s gonna be some weird freaking contests, including prizes for the fastest Twinkie eater and quickest Brompton Bike folder. What am I looking forward to the most? That’d be the Gnome Wobble Contest.

Stumped by those three words strung together in a sentence? Watch this wobble instructional video and boost your pop culture quotient. It’s at 3pm, and gnomes have no patience for tardiness.

Haven’t we always been telling you how much gnomes and animals get along? Metro Gnome Music will be selling gnome hats for $5 and $2 of each one will go to the Humane Society of Southern Arizona. Woof! Meooooooowwwwww!

Love eating out of a motorized vehicle? There’ll be plenty of food trucks, like You Sly Dog and Gigi’s Mexican & Peruvian Fusion to satisfy your obscure cravings.

We’ll see you at the fest!

xoxo,
Kamikaze, your last-minute party guide gnome

Meet Shirley Gnome: A Raunchy Canadian Comedy Performer with an Awesome Name

Anyone who has the last name “Gnome” is A-OK in my book.

I randomly encountered someone who can only be described as my dream girl. Her name is Shirley Gnome and she’s completely and wonderfully inappropriate.

sg

To get what I’m talking about, watch her music video for “Old Man.”

Shirley Gnome is a “self-styled white trash burlesque and comedy performer. Singing her special brand of dirty, crass, and absurd ‘cuntry’ music, Shirley belts out original tunes about the embarrassing, hilarious, and titillating adventures that happen when bodies collide.”

I have yet to hear her sing much about real gnomes, but honestly, I’m a little nervous about what she’d sing anyway.

She’s become pretty popular around Vancouver and scored $20 grand for winning the People Champ of Comedy Competition in 2012 Grand Prize Winner. She’s also been nominated for a 2014 Canadian Comedy Award for Best Variety Act. Right on, m’lady!

sg2

Photo credit: Alex Waterhouse

“If you fancy a wild evening of sexually fueled country rock, then get yourself along to see Shirley Gnome,” proclaimed an Edinburgh Fringe review.

Anyway, I love discovering gnome musicians of all sorts and thought I’d enlighten you about my new obsession today.

Tootaloo gnomies!

xoxo,
Lennon the Gnome

Let’s Learn a Lil’ Bit About A Band Called Broken Gnome…

It’s common knowledge that gnomes are amazing musicians. Take for example, GnomeThe UnGnomes, The Gnome Addicts, Mr. Gnome and of course our very own Amish Meth Lab.

Well we have a newcomer on the gnome band scene, and they call themselves Broken Gnome.

brokengnome

Photo by Jesse Meisenhelter

In an interview with The Mac Weeklyband members, Will, Dan, Jonas, and Thomas gave us a few insights about their band.

Why are you guys called “The Gnome Home”?

JKY: We’re in a band…

DV: Called Broken Gnome. And we live in a house together.

About their style of music…

JKY: We play Gnome Rock.

WK: It’s Us Rock. Friend Rock.

TL: Will, you’re wearing some really great pants today.

And about their gnome home…

DV: We’re gonna record hopefully as Gnome.

WK: We want to plug GnomeFest. There’s a Facebook page, it’s a public event.

JKY: We did it last year. It’s a music festival—we had nine bands, I think—and we grilled and drank beers and everyone had a good time. There were mosh pits. We’re doing it again this year—it’s on May 10th, a Saturday, starting at 2 or 3.

Hold up, wait a minute. We interrupt this scheduled interview reiteration to do a quick Google search of GnomeFest. 

Searching…

Searching…

Google fail!

We can’t find anything about this alleged gnome event. We did, however, find a May 24th Broadwell Football Club sponsored event called Gnome-Fest. So alright guys, where’s this fest of YOURS happening?

Musically yours in spirit and such,
Starr the Gnome, of Amish Meth Lab

New Zealand Pop Star Paints Gnomes for Charity!

Lorde’s painted gnome goes up for auction

By Jessica McAllen

New Zealand Herald

3:17 PM Friday Dec 13, 2013
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“Lorde has a new talent to add to her resume – gnome painting.

On her recent visit home the singing sensation took the time to paint a gnome royal blue to raise money for her local community garden centre in Devonport.

lordegnomeIt is being auctioned to raise $1600 for the cost of the centre’s new kitchen facility.

Volunteer, Charlotte Smith, says the centre desperately needed money and had to think beyond the sausage sizzles and baking sales they had relied on so far.

It was her idea to ask Devonport celebrities to contribute something to the community. As well as Lorde, other gnome artists include: Pippa Wetzell, Tim Finn, Paul Ego, Bob Campbell, Jacko Gill, Mike Cohen and Roger Giles.

“I’ve been blown away that they all wanted to do it. Everybody got really creative, these are very busy people that gave up their time to do quite a random challenge.”

LordeShe was inspired by the Chelsea Flower Show which lifted its ban on garden gnomes this year and a similar initiative was held where celebrities decorated gnomes to raise money for charity.

The kitchen centre is being used by a school holiday programme, where their tomatoes, lettuce, beetroot and strawberries are put to use.

Community cooking lessons also take place in the kitchen.

Ms Smith has been involved with the garden for five years and says it’s an important place for the community to come together.

“You come here for two hours and get totally absorbed in the garden, it’s very therapeutic.”

To donate to Lorde’s gnome visit the auction on Trade Me here.”