Tom Lehrer

I didn't realize how biting the appropriation of Lehrer's music could be until I saw the film "Stop The Church", where the tune "The Vatican Rag" was used to cut ups of powerful religious figures in ceremony.

As for his status in the States, I think it's been pretty low-key since the 70s, and got lower ever decade thereafter, my 8th grade science teacher notwithstanding.

I've actually never heard of him, which is saying something.

http://www.sfweekly.com/issues/2000-04-19/feature.html is an article containing a recent interview with him. He's a Math Prof at the University of Santa Cruz in California.

I know when they released the box set, he said that he discourages accompanying pictures of himself when they release his stuff, because he likes that people aren't able to recognize him.

Love Lehrer. First met a load of his songs in a Edinburgh fringe show '99, some oxbridge hoorays dressed up to the nines giving it the full barbershop treatment. I was giggling for days. Can anybody recomend a good recording or two?

"We'll murder them all amid laughter and merriment

Except for the few we take home to experiment."

Revive for the youtube era !

Kogan in the Voice:

http://www.villagevoice.com/music/0037,kogan,18125,22.html

night 2 of listening to too much of him. so fucking amazing

i've never quibbled
if it was ribald
i have devoured where others merely nibbled

who needs a hobby
like tennis
or philately?
I'VE got a hobby:
rereading lady chatterly!

While married to Gus, she met Gropius
And soon she was swinging with Walter
Gus died and her teardrops were copious
She cried all the way to the altar

To the shores of Tripoli
But not to Mississipoli

Good article:
http://www.buzzfeed.com/bensmith/tom-lehrer

we've gained notoriety
and caused much anxiety
in the audubon society with our little games
they call it impiety
and lack of propriety
and quite a variety of unpleasant names

but it's not against any religion
to want to dispose of a pigeon!

that is a great and pleasantly exhaustive article!

Just came here to post that.

“If you’re out behind the woodshed doing what you’d like to do, just be sure that your companion is a Boy Scout too”

“Things I once thought were funny are scary now,” he told People magazine in 1982. “I often feel like a resident of Pompeii who has been asked for some humorous comments on lava.”

I have a copy of the first Songs 10" I found in a College Park thrift store in the 90's for a dollar and it's getting played tonight.

When 2 Chainz, a rapper, asked to sample “The Old Dope Peddler” in one of his tracks, Mr Lehrer was keen to help. “I grant you motherfuckers permission to do this,” he supposedly answered. “Please give my regards to Mr Chainz, or may I call him 2?”

https://www.economist.com/blogs/prospero/2017/10/wit

oh good, still alive

<3

oh good, still alive

Phew!

I just referenced "The Old Dope Peddler" the other day. A giant talent, I first met his work on The Electric Company in the 70s. Was it Nixon that caused him to stop writing songs? I can only imagine what he thinks now.

My oldster parents had all his records and I memorized them all before I understood any of the jokes.

For a long time he occasionally emerged to do something, usually for children's television but I think "Hannukah in Santa Monica" was for Prairie Home Companion.

Was it Nixon that caused him to stop writing songs?

'Political satire became obsolete when Henry Kissinger was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.' - TL

I've loved this guy my whole life, I think my parents must have had his LPs.

so much love for that 2 Chainz story

turned 90 on Saturday!

we really may all go together eh

Not dead, still a genius.

Forever a hero:

Pretty extraordinary - Tom Lehrer, aged 92, has decided to put all his lyrics and sheet music into the public domain, before he passes away. https://t.co/WVctS3MUlf

— Brian Edwards (@brianftang) October 20, 2020

wow didn't realize he was still alive.

Was just listening to Revisited last night. I've been meaning to buy the sheet music and try to play some of his songs, so this gives me no more excuse for procrastination.

King shit

And having posted about the above two years back, he did in fact do this

https://tomlehrersongs.com/

And yes, he's still with us. 94 years and counting.

The main link there lists the songs individually with lyrics and music, but if you want to just go for the actual recordings, help yourself:

https://tomlehrersongs.com/albums/

The three discs of the Rhino box appear at the end of the list.

ty ^

ooh thanks!