Tom Lehrer died, aged 97, in late July. Lehrer had written 37 (well, a few more) songs in the 1950s and 1960s, and on the basis of this is still (rightly in my opinion) regarded as one of the pre-eminent satirists of the 20th century. Interviewed in 2014 Weird Al Yankovic said "I wouldn’t call... Continue Reading →
The 37 or so songs of American satirist Tom Lehrer (1928- ) should all be part of the vocabulary of, well, everyone. They are dirty (Smut, I’m a market they can’t glut), sick (I hold your hand in mind and “Be Prepared” - “don’t solicit for your sister, that’s not nice; unless you get a... Continue Reading →
Whoop! Online and in the dead tree format version. Like Francis Beckett, I grew up listening to the satirical songs of Tom Lehrer compulsively. In 1992, while on an exchange scholarship at the University of California, Santa Cruz, I nervously approached him in the dining hall at Cowell College. “Mr Lehrer,” I said, “I’ve listened... Continue Reading →
Tom Lehrer celebrated his 90th birthday today - he's definitely old and grey. Born in New York, Lehrer began studying classical piano aged seven. However, popular music caught his eye, and he began writing show tunes . A prodigy, he started at Harvard aged 15. There he began to write comic songs, including a spoof... Continue Reading →
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