Latest news with #songwriter
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
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.' Get notified when the biggest stories in Hollywood, culture and entertainment go live. Sign up for L.A. Times entertainment alerts. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. 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Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Matty Healy Calls Himself a ‘Poet' at Glastonbury More Than a Year After Taylor Swift Dropped ‘TTPD'
Matty Healy used The 1975's set at Glastonbury 2025 to share a speech that many connected to Taylor Swift. On Friday, June 27, The 1975 took the stage at Worthy Farm in the band's first and only performance of the year. In a video shared on X by Variety, the band's frontman, 36, could be seen holding up a pint of what appeared to be Guinness as he addressed the audience. 'I want to be sincere for a second with everybody,' Healy began. 'What this moment is making me realize is that… I probably am the best — I'm probably the best songwriter of my generation.' 'The best — what do we say? A poet, ladies and gentlemen, is what I am,' he continued. 'Generational wordsmith, and I just wanted to remind you in the next couple of minutes, these lyrics is poetry. I bleed for you.' According to NME — who reported that Healy's speech came before the band performed their 2013 single 'Chocolate' — the musician later said, 'I was only joking about being a poet.' Many have speculated that Healy served as inspiration for several songs on Swift's 2024 album, The Tortured Poets Department, including 'But Daddy I Love Him,' 'Down Bad' and 'The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived' — just to name a few. The pair, who were first linked in 2014, sparked dating rumors again in May 2023 when they were photographed holding hands in New York City — just months after Swift, 35, made a surprise appearance at The 1975's concert in London. They reportedly split up in June 2023. Though neither Swift or Healy have confirmed the rumors, in April 2024, Healy was asked about the album — which dropped that same month — and appeared unfazed as he told TMZ, 'I haven't really listened to that much of it, but I'm sure it's good.' That October, however, he touched on becoming a 'way more well-known public figure for loads of different reasons' during an appearance on the Doomscroll podcast, noting that he was no longer interested in using past relationships for inspiration for his music. 'A lot of artists, they become very interested in their lore, or they become interested in the things that have happened outside of their art that people know about, and they want to address that,' Healy said at the time, per Page Six. 'And fair enough, do you know what I mean?' 'I think that that's an obvious thing to draw from,' he added, 'and I'm just not interested in it.' Swift has since moved on with NFL player Travis Kelce, while Healy is engaged to model Gabbriette Bechtel. Solve the daily Crossword
The Independent
7 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
The endometriosis symptoms women should look out for
British singer and songwriter Ella Henderson announced she received an official diagnosis of endometriosis in January, describing it as a validating and empowering experience after years of struggling with physical pain and mental health. Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory condition affecting one in 10 women and those assigned female at birth in the UK, where tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside the uterus, often leading to significant pain. Key symptoms include painful periods, painful intercourse, bowel issues, and can also involve chest pain during menstruation, difficulty conceiving, and ovarian cysts. Diagnosis can be challenging as the condition may not always show on standard imaging, with experts advising individuals to consult their GP and keep a detailed symptom diary if they suspect they have the condition. Treatment options for endometriosis vary from hormonal therapies, such as the combined pill or progesterone-only pill, to surgical procedures like laparoscopy, which can both diagnose and excise the affected tissue.
Irish Times
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
The Music Quiz: The Cranberries song Yeats' Grave quotes from which of the great man's poems?
Wilco's Jeff Tweedy's forthcoming album namechecks which legendary New York songwriter on the tune [Blank] Was My Babysitter? Carole King Lou Reed Fiona Apple Neil Diamond Scottish rockers Travis took their name from...? Travis Bickle (Robert De Niro) of Taxi Driver Rough Trade Records founder Geoff Travis Travis Henderson (Harry Dean Stanton) of Paris, Texas Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker What is the number in the title of the third album by US band Dandy Warhols, [Blank] Tales of Urban Bohemia? Twelve Thirteen Fourteen Fifteen What was the original name of Kilkenny alt-metal band Kerbdog? Riot Rocket Ricochet Rollercoaster Which Gary Numan song did Foo Fighters cover on the 1996 compilation album, Songs in the Key of X: Music from and Inspired by the X-Files? Cars Are 'Friends' Electric? This Wreckage Down in the Park Garbage's 1996 song Stupid Girl features a musical arrangement pivoting on a drum sample from The Clash's...? Tommy Gun Train in Vain Straight to Hell Lost in the Supermarket On The Help Album, a 1995 charity compilation, Suede covers which Elvis Costello song? Pump It Up Shipbuilding High Fidelity Accidents Will Happen Which country inspired the name of post-Britpop outfit Kula Shaker? Japan Indonesia China India Which number completes the title of Mundy's 2002 album, [Blank] Star Hotel? 4 5 24 25 Yeats' Grave, The Cranberries' 1994 song on their second studio album (No Need to Argue), quotes lines from which of WB's poems? Adam's Curse No Second Troy September 1913 The Second Coming
Yahoo
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Why Ozzy Osbourne was this songwriter's favourite artist to work with
Jim Vallance, a Canadian songwriter and producer, says Ozzy Osbourne was his 'favourite artist that he ever worked with.' Vallance, who co-wrote two songs with the superstar, says the day of Osbourne's death 'is a sad day.'
