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

(20,273 posts) Sun Jul 27, 2025, 03:59 PM Sunday

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 Sunday OP

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

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

Wow! He was legendary. bif Sunday #2

Pure genius Botany Sunday #3

I grew up listening to Lehrer. nocoincidences Sunday #4

HERE's one! elleng Sunday #5

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

Classic! mwmisses4289 Sunday #12

My fav: EX500rider Sunday #6

I preferred this one Warpy Sunday #10

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

Yes! In many ways, that's what's most impressive about his work. TheRickles Monday #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 Sunday #11

My two favorites mwmisses4289 Sunday #13

Mine too! crimycarny Monday #27

Tom Clouds Passing Sunday #14

RIP... 2naSalit Sunday #15

What a great, funny, smart talent Wild blueberry Sunday #16

I had no Idea he was still around sky_masterson Sunday #17

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

Pollution, pollution Marthe48 Sunday #19

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

What a great man! Festivito Sunday #21

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

Interesting brief interview a year ago. steventh Sunday #23

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

Almost right CloudWatcher Monday #25

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

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

crimycarny

(1,870 posts)

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

Reply to DavidDvorkin (Original post)

Sun Jul 27, 2025, 04:04 PM

Sunday

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

rurallib

(63,971 posts)

7. me too - some what? 60 years later

Reply to crimycarny (Reply #1)

Sun Jul 27, 2025, 05:07 PM

Sunday

that little song helped me question the catholic church

bif

(26,001 posts)

2. Wow! He was legendary.

Reply to DavidDvorkin (Original post)

Sun Jul 27, 2025, 04:13 PM

Sunday

I had no idea he was still alive.

Botany

(74,878 posts)

3. Pure genius

Reply to DavidDvorkin (Original post)

Sun Jul 27, 2025, 04:13 PM

Sunday

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

Thanx Tom

nocoincidences

(2,414 posts)

4. I grew up listening to Lehrer.

Reply to DavidDvorkin (Original post)

Sun Jul 27, 2025, 04:34 PM

Sunday

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

elleng

(140,270 posts)

5. HERE's one!

Reply to DavidDvorkin (Original post)

Sun Jul 27, 2025, 04:43 PM

Sunday

Girard442

(6,724 posts)

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

Reply to elleng (Reply #5)

Sun Jul 27, 2025, 05:16 PM

Sunday

mwmisses4289

(1,656 posts)

12. Classic!

Reply to elleng (Reply #5)

Sun Jul 27, 2025, 06:11 PM

Sunday

EX500rider

(11,935 posts)

6. My fav:

Reply to DavidDvorkin (Original post)

Sun Jul 27, 2025, 04:57 PM

Sunday

Warpy

(113,746 posts)

10. I preferred this one

Reply to EX500rider (Reply #6)

Sun Jul 27, 2025, 05:57 PM

Sunday

&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

(483 posts)

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

Reply to DavidDvorkin (Original post)

Sun Jul 27, 2025, 05:22 PM

Sunday

RIP, sir. You're a national treasure.

TheRickles

(2,888 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

Monday

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

AZJonnie

(1,109 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

Sunday

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

(1,656 posts)

13. My two favorites

Reply to DavidDvorkin (Original post)

Sun Jul 27, 2025, 06:24 PM

Sunday

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

(1,870 posts)

27. Mine too!

Reply to mwmisses4289 (Reply #13)

Mon Jul 28, 2025, 12:40 PM

Monday

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

(5,430 posts)

14. Tom

Reply to DavidDvorkin (Original post)

Sun Jul 27, 2025, 06:48 PM

Sunday

2naSalit

(97,412 posts)

15. RIP...

Reply to DavidDvorkin (Original post)

Sun Jul 27, 2025, 07:30 PM

Sunday

Loved his satire.

Wild blueberry

(7,781 posts)

16. What a great, funny, smart talent

Reply to DavidDvorkin (Original post)

Sun Jul 27, 2025, 07:49 PM

Sunday

Thank you, Tom Lehrer. Rest in peace.

sky_masterson

(587 posts)

17. I had no Idea he was still around

Reply to DavidDvorkin (Original post)

Sun Jul 27, 2025, 09:02 PM

Sunday

Love his music.

Hassin Bin Sober

(27,177 posts)

18. Inventor of the Jell-O shot!

Reply to DavidDvorkin (Original post)

Sun Jul 27, 2025, 09:45 PM

Sunday

RIP, Sir.

Marthe48

(21,383 posts)

19. Pollution, pollution

Reply to DavidDvorkin (Original post)

Sun Jul 27, 2025, 09:55 PM

Sunday

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

(18,094 posts)

20. Nooooo! This one bothers me so much.

Reply to DavidDvorkin (Original post)

Sun Jul 27, 2025, 10:27 PM

Sunday

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

Festivito

(13,757 posts)

21. What a great man!

Reply to DavidDvorkin (Original post)

Sun Jul 27, 2025, 10:35 PM

Sunday

steventh

(2,168 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

Sunday

steventh

(2,168 posts)

23. Interesting brief interview a year ago.

Reply to DavidDvorkin (Original post)

Sun Jul 27, 2025, 11:00 PM

Sunday

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

ificandream

(11,268 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

Monday

That wouldn't surprise me.

CloudWatcher

(2,075 posts)

25. Almost right

Reply to ificandream (Reply #24)

Mon Jul 28, 2025, 01:36 AM

Monday

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

(22,693 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

Monday

"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

(22,693 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

Monday

"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...