roast·ed toad·stools

I have been asked why I called this blog The Laughing Gastronome.

In 1967 David Bowie wrote a song called The Laughing Gnome. Now, this song is a bit different than his usual work, but for some reason I find it hilarious! So what better way to pay tribute to something that has amused me than by naming my food blog as a pun on the title of a song that is full of puns itself. I mean, it isn't so strange, he does feed the [gastro]gnome roasted toadstools, dandelion wine, caviar and honey . . .
The Laughing Gnome
David Bowie
1967


I was walking down the high street
When I heard footsteps behind me
And there was a little old man (hello)
In scarlet and grey, shuffling away (laughter)
Well he trotted back to my house
And he sat beside the telly (oaah..)
With his tiny hands on his tummy
Chuckling away, laughing all day (laughter)

Oh, I ought to report you to the gnome office
(gnome office)
Yes
(hahahahaha)

Ha ha ha, hee hee hee
I'm a laughing gnome and you don'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
(haven't you got a light boy? )
Here, where do you come from?
(gnome-mans land, hahihihi)
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 bought him along to sing me a song

Right, lets hear it
Here, whats that clicking noise?
(thats fred, he's a metrognome, haha)

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

(own up, I'm a gnome, ain't I right, haha)
Haven't you got an 'ome to go to?
(no, were gnomads)
Didn't they teach you to get your hair cut at school? you look like a rolling gnome.
(no, not at the london school of ecognomics)

Now they're staying up the chimney
And were living on caviar and honey (hooray!)
Cause they're earning me lots of money
Writing comedy prose for radio shows
Its the-er (what? )
Its the gnome service of course

Ha ha ha, hee hee hee
I'm a laughing gnome and you don't catch me
Ha ha ha, oh, dear me

(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)

(one more time, yeah)