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Spectator
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Spectator
The subversive genius of Tom Lehrer
The greatest living American until this week has died at the age of 97. I refer to Tom Lehrer, the finest satirist of the 20th century. He's the one who observed that satire became obsolete when Henry Kissinger was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. He was the genius who put the entire periodic table of the elements to the tune of 'I Am the Very Model of A Modern Major-General' (Gilbert and Sullivan was his childhood obsession). He was a mathematician who could be as funny about maths and science as about poisoning pigeons in the park (yes he did) or contemporary pieties ('National Brotherhood Week'). If you haven't yet registered his subversive lyrics, check out his 1967 concert in Copenhagen where the dapper Mr Lehrer gives a summary of his lifetime mission – 'to extend adolescence beyond all previous limits'. But it wasn't just adolescent subversiveness that made him compelling – though venereal disease ('I Got It from Agnes'), masochism ('The Masochism Tango') and necrophilia ('I'll Hold Your Hand in Mine') were grist to his mill. It was his appalling capacity to get right to the nub of unspeakable subjects in jaunty tunes and hilarious lyrics. They included the atom bomb, pollution and US foreign policy, about which he was all the more devastating in that he made people laugh. Need I say that he was Jewish, secular Jewish, the apotheosis of a whole popular tradition of black humour? As he announced in that concert: although the Danes all speak English, they may not all speak American, so if anything in his lyrics escaped his audience he recommended they call the US embassy 'where I'm sure they'll have some useful suggestions for you'. He was a dangerous man because he was so funny, so light, so rebarbative, and he hit all his targets with the unerring accuracy of little drones, though there are no little drones that make you laugh even thinking about them. If you want to recapture the angst of the western world at the prospect of nuclear annihilation, look up 'We Will All Go Together When We Go'. It was preceded, like all his songs, by a little chat with the audience in which he recalled the observation: ''Life is like a sewer: what you get out of it depends on what you put into it.' It always seems to me that this is precisely the sort of dynamic, positive thinking that we so desperately need in these trying times of crisis and universal brouhaha, and so with this in mind I have here a modern positive dynamic uplifting song. In the tradition of the great old revival hymns, this one might more accurately be termed a survival hymn.' And then he launched into it: …And we will all go together when we go. What a comforting fact that is to know. Universal bereavement, An inspiring achievement, Yes, we all will go together when we go. …We will all go together when we go. All suffuse with an incandescent glow. No one will have the endurance To collect on his insurance, Lloyd's of London will be loaded when they go. …And we will all go together when we go. Ev'ry hottenhot and ev'ry eskimo. When the air becomes uranious, And we will all go simultaneous. Yes we all will go together When we all go together, Yes we all will go together when we go. You won't thank me for putting that your way, because once you've heard it, you can't get it out of your head. What's striking about that particular lyric is that although the nuclear threat is as acute as in Lehrer's day (he did a song about proliferation too: 'We'll try to stay serene and calm, when Alabama gets the bomb') the thing critics would pounce on is that reference to Hottentots, which just goes to show why we're now incapable of satire. Indeed, in an interview with the New York Times in 2000, Lehrer observed: 'When I was in college, there were certain words you couldn't say in front of a girl. Now you can say them, but you can't say 'girl'.' He didn't spare any institution, and invariably the targets rose to the bait. That was the case with 'The Vatican Rag', his critique of the liturgical changes of the Second Vatican Council, though few traditionalists could have captured the crassness of the changes with the brevity of Lehrer: 'Two, four, six, eight… time to transubstantiate!' There were demonstrations led by Catholic clergy against that one. It's still useful to have at the back of your mind when there's some new attempt to make liturgy relevant to the times. His output was considerable – 50 recorded songs, but over an astonishingly brief period in the 1950s and 1960s, roughly 1953-1965, though at the time of his interview in 2000 he was still on top of current affairs – his lyrics on partial-birth abortion, for his own amusement, were called 'Bye-bye, Baby'. One reason he turned away from satire was the increasing earnestness of the young – all those protestors against Vietnam who were incapable of jokes and talked to themselves – but also because the world changed. He recalled: 'The liberal consensus, which was the audience for this in my day, has splintered and fragmented in such a way that it's hard to find an issue that would be comparable to, say, lynching. Everybody knows that lynching is bad. Everybody knows that pollution is bad. But that's already been done. But affirmative action vs quotas, feminism vs pornography, Israel vs the Arabs? I don't know which side I'm on any more. And you can't write a funny song that uses 'on the other hand'.' And that's the awful truth: the shattering of the liberal consensus and the grim humourless activism which is now combined with the political correctness that would cancel his lyrics means that we shan't have another Tom Lehrer because we don't deserve one. He was radical to the end: in 2020 he abandoned any claim to copyright for any of his work. As he said on his website: 'In short, I no longer retain any rights to any of my songs. So help yourselves, and don't send me any money.' How many radicals say that, ever? He does leave a legacy. As he said once, as a younger man: 'If, after hearing my songs, just one human being is inspired to say something nasty to a friend, or perhaps to strike a loved one, it will all have been worth the while.'
Time of India
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Tom Lehrer, the genius who made satire sing, passes away at 97
(Picture Courtesy: Facebook) Tom Lehrer, the sharp-witted satirist and math prodigy whose songs showcased American life with urbane, often humor, has died at the age of 97. His death was confirmed by longtime friend David Herder to The New York Times, with no cause disclosed. Reportedly, Tom Lehrer passed away at his home in Cambridge, Massachusetts, leaving behind a body of work that spanned only seven years but made a mark far beyond. A Harvard graduate at 15, he first entertained classmates with comic tunes before recording Songs by Tom Lehrer, a self-funded album that circulated across campuses and sparked a national following. Travis Kelce Posts Picture With Taylor Swift, His Screen Lock Picture Has Left Fans Gushing A short, brilliant, and fearless flame Though Tom Lehrer officially composed just 37 songs, the legacy he carved was unforgettable. From 'National Brotherhood Week' to 'We Will All Go Together When We Go,' his tracks poked fun at hypocrisy, racism, war, and institutional absurdities, all while keeping a breezy, clever tone. Songs like 'New Math' and 'Lobachevsky' highlighted his love for numbers, blending his intellectual composition with lyrical flair. Legacy beyond the spotlight Despite his impact, Tom Lehrer walked away from performance and fame early. He was focusing on teaching math at Harvard and MIT, and musical theater at UC Santa Cruz. He often joked that the state of the world had outpaced his satire. 'Political satire became obsolete when Henry Kissinger won the Nobel Peace Prize,' he once quipped, as reported by Hindustan Times. Tom Lehrer never married, and in later years, reflected that what once seemed funny now felt frightening. Still, his legacy endured, from The Elements being performed by Daniel Radcliffe to his samples appearing in modern hip-hop. Meanwhile, Tom Lehrer's early performances usually dealt with dark comedy and also non-topical subjects. One such example is the song "Poisoning Pigeons in the Park". With his demise. the music industry has indeed lost a gem.
News18
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Tom Lehrer, Celebrated Musical Satirist And Math Whiz, Dies At 97
Renowned musical satirist and mathematician Tom Lehrer has died at 97. Lehrer passed away at his home in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Renowned musical satirist and mathematician Tom Lehrer has died at the age of 97. News of his passing was confirmed by his friend David Herder, who told the New York Times that Lehrer passed away at his home in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on Saturday. The cause of death has not been disclosed. Lehrer, whose sharp wit and musical talent gained him a cult following in the 1950s and 1960s, became a cultural icon almost by accident. A math prodigy, he started writing songs to entertain classmates at Harvard University, where he enrolled at the age of 15. Although his career in performance was brief, Lehrer left a lasting mark with just 37 songs composed over about seven years. 'There's never been anyone like him," Broadway producer Sir Cameron Mackintosh told BuzzFeed in 2014. 'Of all famous songwriters, he's probably the only one that … is an amateur in that he never wanted to be professional. And yet the work he did is of the highest quality of any great songwriter." Lehrer was born Thomas Andrew Lehrer on April 9, 1928, in New York City. Immersed in the world of musical theatre from a young age, he soon merged his passion for math and music in unconventional ways. His early work included 'The Elements," a cleverly composed recitation of the periodic table set to the tune of Gilbert and Sullivan's 'Major-General's Song." His debut album, 'Songs by Tom Lehrer," recorded while still a graduate student, became an underground hit. Distributed initially among Harvard peers, the record gained popularity across the country through word-of-mouth. After a stint in the U.S. Army from 1955 to 1957, Lehrer returned to recording, releasing a series of albums that cemented his reputation as a fearless satirist. His work took on topics that were often considered taboo at the time—racism, venereal disease, nuclear war, and hypocrisy. Songs like 'I Wanna Go Back to Dixie," 'National Brotherhood Week," 'Be Prepared," and 'We Will All Go Together When We Go" skewered the social norms of the era. In a 1982 interview with People magazine, Lehrer explained his gradual retreat from the music scene. 'I often feel like a resident of Pompeii who has been asked for some humorous comments on lava," he said, adding that issues such as abortion and feminism had become too complex to lampoon. 'Political satire became obsolete when Henry Kissinger was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize," he famously quipped in response to the 1973 decision. Lehrer's influence extended far beyond his performing years. His songs were staples on the Dr. Demento radio show, and his material was rediscovered by new generations. In 2010, Daniel Radcliffe performed 'The Elements" on television, while rapper 2 Chainz sampled 'The Old Dope Peddler" in 2012. Despite his growing popularity, Lehrer remained a private and reluctant performer. He eventually chose academia over the stage, teaching mathematics at Harvard, MIT, and musical theatre at the University of California, Santa Cruz. He noted that both disciplines, math and songwriting, involved structuring pieces to form a cohesive and logical whole. Some of Lehrer's songs even delved into his mathematical passions, such as 'New Math," a humorous critique of contemporary teaching methods, and 'Lobachevsky," an ode to a 19th-century Russian mathematician. In 1959, Time magazine grouped him with countercultural figures like Lenny Bruce and Mort Sahl, calling them 'sicknicks" with 'a personal and highly disturbing hostility toward all the world." Lehrer leaned into this label, once writing in liner notes: 'If, after hearing my songs, just one human being is inspired to say something nasty to a friend, or perhaps to strike a loved one, it will all have been worth the while." Though he never married, Lehrer's songs and wry perspective on life remain enduring. First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Los Angeles Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Tom Lehrer, musical satirist, dies at 97
Tom Lehrer, an acerbic songwriter and Harvard-trained mathematician who rose to fame in the 1950s and '60s by pillorying the sensibilities of the day, has died at age 97. Lehrer died at his home in Cambridge, Mass., on Saturday. His death was confirmed by friends on Facebook. No cause of death was given. The bespectacled Lehrer began performing on college campuses and clubs across the country in the 1950s, playing the piano and singing darkly comedic numbers that he penned on topics such as racial conflict, the Catholic Church and militarism, earning him the sobriquet of 'musical nerd god.' In 'National Brotherhood Week,' which lampooned the brief interlude of imposed tolerance celebrated annually from the 1930s through the early 2000s he wrote: Oh, the white folks hate the black folksand the black folks hate the white folks,to hate all but the right folks is an old established rule …But during National Brotherhood Week (National Brotherhood Week),Lena Horne and Sheriff Clark are dancing cheek to fun to eulogizeThe people you despise,As long as you don't let 'em into your school. Lehrer's songs also took aim at then-taboo subjects such as sexuality, pornography and addiction. In 1953, his self-released album 'Songs of Tom Lehrer' became an underground hit. Produced for $40 and promoted by word of mouth, the cover image was of Lehrer in hell playing piano as the devil. It eventually sold an estimated 500,000 copies and sparked demand for concert performances around the world. During the mid-1960s, Lehrer contributed several songs to the satirical NBC news show 'That Was the Week That Was,' hosted by David Frost. The show inspired Lehrer's third album, 'That Was the Year That Was.' Released in 1965, it reached the 18th spot on American music charts. On the occasion of his 90th birthday in 2018, Los Angeles Times columnist Michael Hiltzik wrote that Lehrer's lyrics were written 'with the facility of William S. Gilbert and tunes that evoked the felicity of Sir Arthur Sullivan. Lehrer's work bounced the absurdities and paranoias of that period back at us, in rhymed couplets and a bouncy piano beat.' Thomas Andrew Lehrer was born in New York City on April 9, 1928, to a middle-class family. His father James Lehrer was a successful necktie manufacturer. As a child he took piano lessons but preferred Broadway show tunes — with a particular affection for the works of Gilbert and Sullivan — to the classics. After entering Harvard University at age 15, his penchant for sardonic humor surfaced in his parody song 'Fight Fiercely Harvard,' which challenged the football team's reputation for toughness and earned him a measure of renown on campus. For a time he followed a dual track, music and academia, though he never completed the PhD thesis he began while pursuing doctoral studies at Harvard and Columbia University. After a two-year break between 1955 and 1957 when he served in the Army, Lehrer once again performed concerts across the U.S., Canada and Europe. In a 1959 Time article, the magazine described Lehrer and fellow comedians Lenny Bruce and Mort Sahl as the symbols of a new 'sick' comedy. 'What the sickniks dispense is partly social criticism liberally laced with cyanide, partly a Charles Addams kind of jolly ghoulishness, and partly a personal and highly disturbing hostility toward all the world.' Lehrer's work opened the door for generations of musical satirists including Randy Newman and 'Weird Al' Yankovic and exerted an influence on everything from the musical skits of 'Saturday Night Live' to the mockumentary 'This Is Spinal Tap.' 'He set the bar for me — and provided an example of how a nerdy kid with a weird sense of humor could find his way in the world,' Yankovic once said of Lehrer. 'Done right, social criticism set to a catchy tune always makes politics easier to digest,' Lizz Winstead, co-creator of 'The Daily Show,' told Buzzfeed in an article examining Lehrer's influence on modern satirical comedy. But Lehrer was first and foremost an academic, over the course of his career teaching math and musical theater at Harvard, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and UC Santa Cruz and working for a time at the Atomic Energy Commission. He viewed entertainment largely as a sideline, and by the late 1960s had grown weary of life in the public eye. After several pauses to focus on his academic pursuits, he stepped off the stage in 1967 following a concert in Copenhagen. In 1971, he wrote songs for the PBS children's series 'The Electric Company.' His last turn in the spotlight was a year later. After performing at a presidential campaign rally for the Democratic nominee, South Dakota Sen. George S. McGovern, he gave up performing for good. Lehrer explained his retreat from the stage by saying that 'political satire became obsolete when Henry Kissinger was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.' In an interview with the New York Times, he elaborated: 'The Vietnam War is what changed it. Everybody got earnest. My purpose was to make people laugh and not applaud. If the audience applauds, they're just showing they agree with me.' But audiences were not through with Lehrer. After nearly a decade in self-imposed exile, Lehrer became a hit once again in the early 1980s when Cameron Mackintosh, the British theatrical producer, created 'Tomfoolery,' a revue of Lehrer's songs that opened in London's West End before going to to play New York, Washington, Dublin and other cities. Despite the public acclaim, Lehrer maintained a fiercely private life. He never married nor did he have children. In 2020, Lehrer announced through his website that he was making all of the lyrics he wrote available to download for free without further permission, whether or not they were published or retained a copyright. Two years later he went further in relinquishing his rights, saying: 'In short, I no longer retain any rights to any of my songs. So help yourselves, and don't send me any money.'
