Latest news with #SongsbyTomLehrer
Boston Globe
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Tom Lehrer, math whiz who found international fame as a musical satirist, dies at 97
And the Black folks hate the white folks, To hate all but the right folks Is an old established rule. Liberals uneasy at having to show so much tolerance during what he lampooned as 'National Everyone-smile-at-one-another-hood Week' didn't get a free pass, either. He told them to take heart, though: 'It's only for a week, so have no fear/Be grateful that it doesn't last all year!' Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Mr. Lehrer, a youthful math prodigy who rose to unlikely international acclaim in the 1950s and '60s with witty songs he began composing and performing as a Harvard student, was 97 when he died Saturday in his Cambridge home. Advertisement He was as sharp as ever intellectually this year, his friends said, adding that even in recent months, batting snippets of song lyrics back and forth was a staple of dinner conversations at Mr. Lehrer's home. 'His main quality as a friend was being loving and endlessly affectionate, though at the same time he was fanatically unsentimental,' said the writer and editor Advertisement As a clever lyricist, Mr. Lehrer had such an unerring ear that for years reporters and critics invoked his name when writing about musical satire. Particularly in the political realm, 'a Tom Lehrer song' was the yardstick against which success was measured. Social or political, no topic was off-limits as he gleefully satirized the Army (' In early 1953, while a graduate student at Harvard University, he recorded an album of what he called 'some allegedly humorous songs' he had written. The initial 400 copies of 'Songs by Tom Lehrer' were mostly intended for relatives and friends, but Mr. Lehrer 'underestimated the national incidence of delayed adolescence,' he joked a few years later, in the annual report of his Harvard class. Over the years, reissues of the album and a few others he released sold hundreds of thousands of copies. Mr. Lehrer took time away from graduate studies to tour nationally and internationally, until largely stepping back from performing in 1960. Occasional concerts followed — along with TV appearances, mostly in other countries. In a Harvard class report, Mr. Lehrer quipped that he landed 'only a few brief non-primetime appearances in the United States, where standards are presumably higher.' In 1965, he released ' Advertisement A few years later, he contributed educational songs to 'The Electric Company,' a children's TV show. In 1980, 'Tomfoolery' — a musical revue of his songs — opened in London and later was produced in the United States and other countries. A book, 'Too Many Songs by Tom Lehrer,' was published in 1981. Earlier in his career, Mr. Lehrer taught math at Harvard, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Wellesley College. 'As unsentimental as he was, he loved the unaffected sincerity and enthusiasm of students,' Kummer said. 'As cynical as he appeared, he completely admired people who weren't cynical but were fresh and raring to show the world their ambition and talent.' For Mr. Lehrer, teaching filled a need that the applause of strangers sitting out beyond the stage lights never satisfied. 'There's bliss and there's delight,' he told The Boston Globe in 1983. 'I'm more interested in delight. Bliss is one state. Humor and mathematics are full of delight. That's where my interest is.' In his later career, Mr. Lehrer lived in Cambridge and spent the winter months teaching courses at the University of California Santa Cruz, in American musical comedy and the nature of mathematics. Income from his music allowed him to teach part time. 'Aside from writing an occasional song and traveling a bit,' he wrote in 1977, 'I spend most of the rest of the year puttering, interrupted now and then by frittering.' Thomas Andrew Lehrer was born in New York City on April 9, 1928. Advertisement Studying piano as a child, he set aside classical pieces to focus on musical theater. 'I would do the absolute minimum amount of practicing I would need for my lesson, and then spend hours picking out popular songs,' he told the Globe in 1984. He was 15 upon arriving at Harvard as a freshman in 1943 as part of the class of '47. While writing amusing songs such as 'Fight Fiercely, Harvard,' which poked fun at his college, Mr. Lehrer finished a bachelor's degree in mathematics early, in 1946, and completed a master's the next year, at age 19. He then began years of mathematics doctoral studies at Harvard and wrote that he eventually left 'a thesis shy of a Ph.D.' Stints with the Atomic Energy Commission in New Mexico and at a Cambridge research firm were followed by two years in the Army, working in Washington, D.C., in the mid-1950s. By the late 1950s, his music was attracting considerable attention. With songs that parodied folk music (' But Mr. Lehrer had tired of touring by the early 1960s, despite the chance to travel to other continents. While 'the actual performing part wasn't unpleasant,' he said, being on the road had run its course. 'As I used to tell people, 'Once you've been to Detroit, there's no need to go to Cincinnati,' ' he told the Globe in 1984. Advertisement With longtime friends, Mr. Lehrer 'was incredibly delightful to be with, as anyone who loves his work will be unsurprised to hear,' Kummer said. Fans also wouldn't be shocked to know that 'he revered lyricists,' Kummer added. As a songwriter, Mr. Lehrer was particularly deft with openings, such in as ' First you get down on your knees Fiddle with your rosaries Bow your head with great respect And genuflect, genuflect, genuflect! Do whatever steps you want if You have cleared them with the pontiff Nearly five years ago, Mr. Lehrer wrote on his website that he had relinquished the rights to his songs, and that all his lyrics 'whether published or unpublished, copyrighted or uncopyrighted, may be downloaded and used in any manner whatsoever, without requiring any further permission from me or any payment to me or to anyone else.' Such generosity struck many as in keeping with his character. He had always been self-deprecating about so much in his life, including the decades-long success he enjoyed for recording only a few dozen tunes. 'It's very flattering that people remember the songs and have kept them alive all these years,' he told the Globe in 1984, 'but it's a little unreal.' Bryan Marquard can be reached at
RTÉ News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
Tom Lehrer, satirical songwriter and mathematician, dies aged 96
Tom Lehrer, the American satirical songwriter and mathematician whose darkly comic songs skewered politics, culture, and human folly in the 1950s and 1960s, has died at the age of 96. Born Thomas Andrew Lehrer on April 9, 1928, in New York City, he began studying classical piano at an early age and displayed a talent for music and mathematics. Lehrer began writing humorous songs as a student and gained a cult following with self-produced recordings. In 1953, he released Songs by Tom Lehrer, a collection of satirical tunes that he sold by mail order. Tom Lehrer's song about World War III still holds up over sixty years later. — History Calendar (@historycalendar) July 27, 2025 The record included songs such as The Old Dope Peddler and Be Prepared, showcasing his witty lyrics and distinctive piano style. His 1960 album, More of Tom Lehrer, expanded his audience. Lehrer's compositions often tackled controversial topics such as nuclear proliferation, racism, and political hypocrisy, delivered in a jaunty, upbeat musical style. His reputation as a leading voice in musical satire was cemented with his work on the television show That Was the Week That Was in 1965. Many of the songs he wrote for the show were compiled into the album That Was the Year That Was, including The Vatican Rag, Pollution, and Wernher von Braun. His song The Elements, which sets the names of the chemical elements to the tune of Gilbert and Sullivan's Major-General's Song, became a favorite among science enthusiasts. Despite his popularity, Lehrer gradually withdrew from performing. By the early 1970s, he had largely retired from show business and returned to teaching mathematics, particularly at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Lehrer remained out of the public eye for much of the rest of his life. In later years, he allowed many of his works to enter the public domain. In 2020, he released his lyrics and recordings into the public domain, stating he had no interest in continuing to control their distribution. Renowned composer Randy Newman, known for his work on the Toy Story movies, has acknowledged Tom Lehrer's influence on his music. His impact also extended to younger generations; actor Daniel Radcliffe described Lehrer as a personal hero and famously performed The Elements during an appearance on The Graham Norton Show.
Edmonton Journal
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Edmonton Journal
Tom Lehrer, song satirist and mathematician, dies at 97
Article content Lehrer's body of work was actually quite small, amounting to about three dozen songs. Article content 'When I got a funny idea for a song, I wrote it. And if I didn't, I didn't,' Lehrer told The Associated Press in 2000 during a rare interview. 'I wasn't like a real writer who would sit down and put a piece of paper in the typewriter. And when I quit writing, I just quit. … It wasn't like I had writer's block.' Article content He'd gotten into performing accidentally when he began to compose songs in the early 1950s to amuse his friends. Soon he was performing them at coffeehouses around Cambridge, while he remained at Harvard to teach and obtain a master's degree in math. Article content He cut his first record in 1953, Songs by Tom Lehrer, which included I Wanna Go Back to Dixie, lampooning the attitudes of the Old South, and the Fight Fiercely, Harvard, suggesting how a prissy Harvard blueblood might sing a football fight song. Article content Article content After a two-year stint in the Army, Lehrer began to perform concerts of his material in venues around the world. In 1959, he released another LP called More of Tom Lehrer and a live recording called An Evening Wasted with Tom Lehrer, nominated for a Grammy for best comedy performance (musical) in 1960. Article content But around the same time, he largely quit touring and returned to teaching math, though he did some writing and performing on the side. Article content Lehrer said he was never comfortable appearing in public. Article content 'I enjoyed it up to a point,' he told The AP in 2000. 'But to me, going out and performing the concert every night when it was all available on record would be like a novelist going out and reading his novel every night.' Article content He did produce a political satire song each week for the 1964 television show That Was the Week That Was, a groundbreaking topical comedy show that anticipated Saturday Night Live a decade later. Article content Article content He released the songs the following year in an album titled That Was the Year That Was. The material included Who's Next? that ponders which government will be the next to get the nuclear bomb … perhaps Alabama? (He didn't need to tell his listeners that it was a bastion of segregation at the time.) Pollution takes a look at the then-new concept that perhaps rivers and lakes should be cleaned up. Article content He also wrote songs for the 1970s educational children's show The Electric told AP in 2000 that hearing from people who had benefited from them gave him far more satisfaction than praise for any of his satirical works. Article content His songs were revived in the 1980 musical revue Tomfoolery and he made a rare public appearance in London in 1998 at a celebration honoring that musical's producer, Cameron Mackintosh. Article content Lehrer was born in 1928, in New York City, the son of a successful necktie designer. He recalled an idyllic childhood on Manhattan's Upper West Side that included attending Broadway shows with his family and walking through Central Park day or night. Article content After skipping two grades in school, he entered Harvard at 15 and, after receiving his master's degree, he spent several years unsuccessfully pursuing a doctorate. Article content 'I spent many, many years satisfying all the requirements, as many years as possible, and I started on the thesis,' he once said. 'But I just wanted to be a grad student, it's a wonderful life. That's what I wanted to be, and unfortunately, you can't be a Phd and a grad student at the same time.' Article content He began to teach part-time at Santa Cruz in the 1970s, mainly to escape the harsh New England winters. From time to time, he acknowledged, a student would enrol in one of his classes based on knowledge of his songs. Article content 'But it's a real math class,' he said at the time. 'I don't do any funny theorems. So those people go away pretty quickly.'
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.
Sydney Morning Herald
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
Legendary Cold War satirist Tom Lehrer dies aged 97
'Tom Lehrer is the most brilliant song satirist ever recorded,' musicologist Barry Hansen once said. Hansen co-produced the 2000 boxed set of Lehrer's songs, The Remains of Tom Lehrer, and had featured Lehrer's music for decades on his syndicated Dr. Demento radio show. Lehrer's body of work was actually quite small, amounting to about three dozen songs. 'When I got a funny idea for a song, I wrote it. And if I didn't, I didn't,' Lehrer told the Associated Press in 2000 during a rare interview. 'I wasn't like a real writer who would sit down and put a piece of paper in the typewriter. And when I quit writing, I just quit ... It wasn't like I had writer's block.' He'd gotten into performing accidentally when he began to compose songs in the early 1950s to amuse his friends. Soon he was performing them at coffeehouses around Cambridge, Massachusetts, while he remained at Harvard to teach and obtain a master's degree in maths. He cut his first record in 1953, Songs by Tom Lehrer, which included I Wanna Go Back to Dixie, lampooning the attitudes of the Old South, and the Fight Fiercely, Harvard, suggesting how a prissy Harvard blueblood might sing a football fight song. After a two-year stint in the army, Lehrer began to perform concerts of his material in venues around the world. In 1959, he released another LP called More of Tom Lehrer and a live recording called An Evening Wasted with Tom Lehrer, nominated for a Grammy for best comedy performance (musical) in 1960. But around the same time, he largely quit touring and returned to teaching maths, though he did some writing and performing on the side. Lehrer said he was never comfortable appearing in public. 'I enjoyed it up to a point,' he told the AP in 2000. 'But to me, going out and performing the concert every night when it was all available on record would be like a novelist going out and reading his novel every night.' He did produce a political satire song each week for the 1964 television show That Was the Week That Was, a groundbreaking topical comedy show that anticipated Saturday Night Live a decade later. He released the songs the following year in an album titled That Was the Year That Was. The material included Who's Next?, which ponders which government will be the next to get the nuclear bomb ... perhaps Alabama? (He didn't need to tell his listeners that it was a bastion of segregation at the time.) Pollution takes a look at the then-new concept that perhaps rivers and lakes should be cleaned up. He also wrote songs for the 1970s educational children's show The Electric Company. He told AP in 2000 that hearing from people who had benefited from them gave him far more satisfaction than praise for any of his satirical works. His songs were revived in the 1980 musical revue Tomfoolery, and he made a rare public appearance in London in 1998 at a celebration honouring that musical's producer, Cameron Mackintosh. Lehrer was born in 1928, in New York, the son of a successful necktie designer. He recalled an idyllic childhood on Manhattan's Upper West Side that included attending Broadway shows with his family and walking through Central Park day or night. After skipping two grades in school, he entered Harvard at 15 and, after receiving his master's degree, spent several years unsuccessfully pursuing a doctorate. 'I spent many, many years satisfying all the requirements, as many years as possible, and I started on the thesis,' he once said. 'But I just wanted to be a grad student, it's a wonderful life. That's what I wanted to be, and unfortunately, you can't be a PhD and a grad student at the same time.' He began to teach part-time at Santa Cruz in the 1970s, mainly to escape the harsh New England winters. From time to time, he acknowledged, a student would enrol in one of his classes based on knowledge of his songs.
