Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Latest Breaking News

DavidDvorkin

(20,344 posts) Sun Jul 27, 2025, 03:59 PM Jul 27

36

Tom Lehrer, Musical Satirist Whose Influence Peaked in the '50s and '60s, Dies at 97

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

Tom Lehrer, a mathematician and satirist whose musical influence peaked in the 1950s and ’60s with his topical songs, died on Saturday. He was 97.

Lehrer died at his home in Cambridge, Massachusetts, his friend, David Herder, told The New York Times.

Read more: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/music-news/tom-lehrer-dead-musical-satirist-1236330485/

29 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Tom Lehrer, Musical Satirist Whose Influence Peaked in the '50s and '60s, Dies at 97 (Original Post) DavidDvorkin Jul 27 OP

I can sing the "Vatican Rag" by heart crimycarny Jul 27 #1

me too - some what? 60 years later rurallib Jul 27 #7

Wow! He was legendary. bif Jul 27 #2

Pure genius Botany Jul 27 #3

I grew up listening to Lehrer. nocoincidences Jul 27 #4

HERE's one! elleng Jul 27 #5

Well, it's Sunday and I'm free. Girard442 Jul 27 #8

Classic! mwmisses4289 Jul 27 #12

My fav: EX500rider Jul 27 #6

I preferred this one Warpy Jul 27 #10

So much of his material is just as relevant today synni Jul 27 #9

Yes! In many ways, that's what's most impressive about his work. TheRickles Jul 28 #26

OMG I just said on DU like 2 weeks ago how glad I am I can still refer to him in the present tense AZJonnie Jul 27 #11

My two favorites mwmisses4289 Jul 27 #13

Mine too! crimycarny Jul 28 #27

Tom Clouds Passing Jul 27 #14

RIP... 2naSalit Jul 27 #15

What a great, funny, smart talent Wild blueberry Jul 27 #16

I had no Idea he was still around sky_masterson Jul 27 #17

Inventor of the Jell-O shot! Hassin Bin Sober Jul 27 #18

Pollution, pollution Marthe48 Jul 27 #19

Nooooo! This one bothers me so much. AllyCat Jul 27 #20

What a great man! Festivito Jul 27 #21

I've been singing this fun one every Christmas for over half a century. steventh Jul 27 #22

Interesting brief interview a year ago. steventh Jul 27 #23

Haven't seen confirmation elsewhere, but saw it mentioned that with his death all his music is now in public domain. ificandream Jul 28 #24

Almost right CloudWatcher Jul 28 #25

RIP. I know Vatican Rag, and Nat'l Brotherhood week, and a line that goes... electric_blue68 Jul 28 #28

RIP, Tom. I know Nat'l Brotherhood Wk, and Vatican Rag, plus the line... electric_blue68 Jul 28 #29

crimycarny

(1,916 posts)

1. I can sing the "Vatican Rag" by heart

Reply to DavidDvorkin (Original post)

Sun Jul 27, 2025, 04:04 PM

Jul 27

My dad loved Tom Lehrer and would play his albums over and over.

rurallib

(64,133 posts)

7. me too - some what? 60 years later

Reply to crimycarny (Reply #1)

Sun Jul 27, 2025, 05:07 PM

Jul 27

that little song helped me question the catholic church

bif

(26,224 posts)

2. Wow! He was legendary.

Reply to DavidDvorkin (Original post)

Sun Jul 27, 2025, 04:13 PM

Jul 27

I had no idea he was still alive.

Botany

(75,304 posts)

3. Pure genius

Reply to DavidDvorkin (Original post)

Sun Jul 27, 2025, 04:13 PM

Jul 27

I heard his album as young boy and it warped me for life but in a good way.

Thanx Tom

nocoincidences

(2,419 posts)

4. I grew up listening to Lehrer.

Reply to DavidDvorkin (Original post)

Sun Jul 27, 2025, 04:34 PM

Jul 27

I suspect he is a big part of my appreciation of good satire. RIP.

elleng

(140,743 posts)

5. HERE's one!

Reply to DavidDvorkin (Original post)

Sun Jul 27, 2025, 04:43 PM

Jul 27

Girard442

(6,755 posts)

8. Well, it's Sunday and I'm free.

Reply to elleng (Reply #5)

Sun Jul 27, 2025, 05:16 PM

Jul 27

mwmisses4289

(2,205 posts)

12. Classic!

Reply to elleng (Reply #5)

Sun Jul 27, 2025, 06:11 PM

Jul 27

EX500rider

(11,970 posts)

6. My fav:

Reply to DavidDvorkin (Original post)

Sun Jul 27, 2025, 04:57 PM

Jul 27

Warpy

(113,909 posts)

10. I preferred this one

Reply to EX500rider (Reply #6)

Sun Jul 27, 2025, 05:57 PM

Jul 27

&list=RDTIoBrob3bjI&start_radio=1

And for those who don't remember, Lehrer put all his songs into the public domain a few years ago, one of his last generous acts, and there were so many..

synni

(545 posts)

9. So much of his material is just as relevant today

Reply to DavidDvorkin (Original post)

Sun Jul 27, 2025, 05:22 PM

Jul 27

RIP, sir. You're a national treasure.

TheRickles

(2,953 posts)

26. Yes! In many ways, that's what's most impressive about his work.

Reply to synni (Reply #9)

Mon Jul 28, 2025, 08:26 AM

Jul 28

Not to mention the music, the lyrics, the performances, the humor, etc.

AZJonnie

(1,497 posts)

11. OMG I just said on DU like 2 weeks ago how glad I am I can still refer to him in the present tense

Reply to DavidDvorkin (Original post)

Sun Jul 27, 2025, 06:08 PM

Jul 27

My dad played his stuff all the time when I was a kid, used to borrow the records from him. I can still ALMOST sing all of the Element Song ever after all these years.

Pass gently, Mr Lehrer and thanks for all the laughs and pointed social commentary, you were greatness!

?si=6pwIl1W7N9zUufjx

mwmisses4289

(2,205 posts)

13. My two favorites

Reply to DavidDvorkin (Original post)

Sun Jul 27, 2025, 06:24 PM

Jul 27

As a recovering catholic, this one always made me laugh:

https://m.

&pp=ygUKdG9tIGxlaHJlcg%3D%3D

And the other cheeky one:

https://m.

&pp=ygUKdG9tIGxlaHJlcg%3D%3D

crimycarny

(1,916 posts)

27. Mine too!

Reply to mwmisses4289 (Reply #13)

Mon Jul 28, 2025, 12:40 PM

Jul 28

My dad and I used to sing those two when in the car.

I also like "the elements" (singing the elements of the periodic table)--but that one I couldn't sing, lol.

Clouds Passing

(5,784 posts)

14. Tom

Reply to DavidDvorkin (Original post)

Sun Jul 27, 2025, 06:48 PM

Jul 27

2naSalit

(97,785 posts)

15. RIP...

Reply to DavidDvorkin (Original post)

Sun Jul 27, 2025, 07:30 PM

Jul 27

Loved his satire.

Wild blueberry

(7,881 posts)

16. What a great, funny, smart talent

Reply to DavidDvorkin (Original post)

Sun Jul 27, 2025, 07:49 PM

Jul 27

Thank you, Tom Lehrer. Rest in peace.

sky_masterson

(589 posts)

17. I had no Idea he was still around

Reply to DavidDvorkin (Original post)

Sun Jul 27, 2025, 09:02 PM

Jul 27

Love his music.

Hassin Bin Sober

(27,256 posts)

18. Inventor of the Jell-O shot!

Reply to DavidDvorkin (Original post)

Sun Jul 27, 2025, 09:45 PM

Jul 27

RIP, Sir.

Marthe48

(21,797 posts)

19. Pollution, pollution

Reply to DavidDvorkin (Original post)

Sun Jul 27, 2025, 09:55 PM

Jul 27

They got smog, sewage and mud
Turn on the tap
And get hot and cold running crud

My brother got one of his albums and we wore it out!

R.I.P.

AllyCat

(18,211 posts)

20. Nooooo! This one bothers me so much.

Reply to DavidDvorkin (Original post)

Sun Jul 27, 2025, 10:27 PM

Jul 27

I hope he and my dad are playing it up in the afterlife.

Festivito

(13,787 posts)

21. What a great man!

Reply to DavidDvorkin (Original post)

Sun Jul 27, 2025, 10:35 PM

Jul 27

steventh

(2,171 posts)

22. I've been singing this fun one every Christmas for over half a century.

Reply to DavidDvorkin (Original post)

Sun Jul 27, 2025, 10:57 PM

Jul 27

steventh

(2,171 posts)

23. Interesting brief interview a year ago.

Reply to DavidDvorkin (Original post)

Sun Jul 27, 2025, 11:00 PM

Jul 27

Tom Lehrer: Bob Claster Interview "Silly Songs With Lehrer"

ificandream

(11,360 posts)

24. Haven't seen confirmation elsewhere, but saw it mentioned that with his death all his music is now in public domain.

Reply to DavidDvorkin (Original post)

Mon Jul 28, 2025, 12:39 AM

Jul 28

That wouldn't surprise me.

CloudWatcher

(2,127 posts)

25. Almost right

Reply to ificandream (Reply #24)

Mon Jul 28, 2025, 01:36 AM

Jul 28

They've been in the pubic domain since November 26, 2022.

See (for now at least): https://tomlehrersongs.com for all his songs.

TBD how long the site will be up now that he has passed. Hopefully for at least one or two hundred years.

electric_blue68

(23,857 posts)

28. RIP. I know Vatican Rag, and Nat'l Brotherhood week, and a line that goes...

Reply to DavidDvorkin (Original post)

Mon Jul 28, 2025, 12:49 PM

Jul 28

"Stand in the fountain, and light up The Park!".

I'm guessing a Anti-Nuclear Weapons/Power song bc "the glow" was from radiation.

I probably heard him through WBAI a NYC Pacifica radio station.

electric_blue68

(23,857 posts)

29. RIP, Tom. I know Nat'l Brotherhood Wk, and Vatican Rag, plus the line...

Reply to DavidDvorkin (Original post)

Mon Jul 28, 2025, 12:52 PM

Jul 28

"Stand in the fountain, and light up The Park!".

I'm guessing a Anti-Nuclear Weapons/Power song bc "the glow" was from radiation.

Heard probably through WBAI, an NYC Pacifica radio station.

Reply to this discussion

Latest Discussions»Latest Breaking News»Tom Lehrer, Musical Satir...