• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

Satirist Tom Lehrer Dies at 97

Ed Nielson

Ed Nielson

My personal favorites were "The Elements" , "Masochism Tango" and "We Will All Go Together When We Go", but any of his songs were always welcome. He was ahead of his time in satirical music.

At the end of 2022 -- perhaps sensing that his time on earth was drawing near to the end -- Lehrer placed all of his songs into the public domain -- complete with online disclaimer -- and created a site with free downloads of his entire catalog. That site is still online at tomlehrersongs.com ... for how much longer, no one knows.

RIP, Thomas Andrew Lehrer, and thanks for all the laughs.
 
Last edited:
In the very early days of freeform FM radio, particularly on college stations, Tom Lehrer tunes would be in the mix among all the cutting edge Prog Rock tunes. Later on other comedy/satirical groups such as Firesign Theatre and Conception Corporation would also get airplay on those same stations.

Lehrer was quite the sophisticated wit who could do satire that intelligent audiences could enjoy. Those tunes still being a smile to my face all these decades later.

RIP Tom, and perhaps all those pigeons in the afterlife will forgive you.
 
Mediafrog+ said:
In the very early days of freeform FM radio, particularly on college stations, Tom Lehrer tunes would be in the mix among all the cutting edge Prog Rock tunes. Later on other comedy/satirical groups such as Firesign Theatre and Conception Corporation would also get airplay on those same stations.

Lehrer was quite the sophisticated wit who could do satire that intelligent audiences could enjoy. Those tunes still being a smile to my face all these decades later.

RIP Tom, and perhaps all those pigeons in the afterlife will forgive you.
Click to expand...
"It just takes a smidgen....."!!;)
Tom was one-of-a kind......one of my favs was "Oedipus Rex"...."he sure knew who a boy's best friend is...."!:)
RIP....
 
I LOVED Tom Lehrer. If Dr. Demento was playing a song or better yet, featuring a set of his music, it was a damn good night.

I'll never forget the euphoria I had at 16 when I found my copy of this album
 

Attachments

  • R-606382-1445366371-1212.jpg
    R-606382-1445366371-1212.jpg
    155.3 KB · Views: 2
Kemosabe said:
Although the word genius is used excessively nowadays, the term certainly applies to Mr. Lehrer.
Click to expand...
His material was head and shoulders above the rest. His rhyming skills would put today's artists to shame. The New York Times article mentions his influence on the likes of Randy Newman and (of course!) "Weird Al" Yankovic.

Just heard Pat St. John (SiriusXM 60's Gold) play "Poisoning Pigeons In The Park" this afternoon.
 


Back
Top Bottom