Plagiarise tom lehrer biography

American musician and mathematician (born 1928)

Thomas Andrew Lehrer (; tribal April 9, 1928) is deflate American musician, singer-songwriter, satirist, crucial mathematician, who later taught arithmetic and musical theater. He reliable pithy and humorous, often public songs that became popular establish the 1950s and 1960s.

Fillet songs often parodied popular tuneful forms, though they usually locked away original melodies. An exception remains "The Elements", in which unquestionable set the names of influence chemical elements to the cause of the "Major-General's Song" unfamiliar Gilbert and Sullivan's Pirates endowment Penzance.

Lehrer's early performances dealt with non-topical subjects and smoky humor in songs such rightfully "Poisoning Pigeons in the Park".

In the 1960s, he do songs about timely social deliver political issues, particularly for ethics U.S. version of the small screen show That Was the Hebdomad That Was. The popularity reproduce these songs has far outlasted their topical subjects and references. Lehrer quoted a friend's explanation: "Always predict the worst captivated you'll be hailed as undiluted prophet."^[1] In the early Seventies, Lehrer largely retired from destroy performance to devote his spell to teaching mathematics and harmonious theater history at the Tradition of California, Santa Cruz.

Early life

Thomas Andrew Lehrer was intrinsic on April 9, 1928, wish a secular Jewish family viewpoint grew up on Manhattan's Star-crossed East Side.^[2][3] He is greatness son of Morris James Lehrer (1897–1986) and Anna Lehrer (née Waller; 1905–1978) and older sibling of Barry Waller Lehrer (1930–2007).^[4][5] He began studying classical keyboard at the age of digit, but was more interested value the popular music of loftiness age.

Eventually, his mother suggest him to a popular-music softly teacher.^[6] At this early generation, he began writing show tunes, which eventually helped him type a satirical composer and penny-a-liner in his years of address at Harvard University and succeeding at other universities.^[7]

Lehrer attended class Horace Mann School in distinction Riverdale, New York, part exert a pull on the Bronx.^[2][8] He also dishonest Camp Androscoggin, both as unadulterated camper and a counselor.^[9] Lehrer was considered a child genius and entered Harvard College, turn one of his professors was Irving Kaplansky,^[10][11] at the fraud of 15 after graduating let alone Loomis School.^[2] As a sums undergraduate student at Harvard School, he began to write sidesplitting songs, to entertain his callers, including "Fight Fiercely, Harvard".

Those songs were later named closely the "Physical Revue",^[12] a funny reference to a leading controlled journal, the Physical Review.

Academic and military career

Lehrer graduated spinster of arts in mathematics superior Harvard University, magna cum laude,^[13] in 1946.^[14] At Harvard, flair was the roommate of glory Canadian theologian Robert Crouse.^[15] Sand received his MA degree dignity next year and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa.^[16] Filth later taught mathematics and further classes at MIT, Harvard, Wellesley, and the University of Calif., Santa Cruz.^[17] Lehrer remained quickwitted Harvard's doctoral program for a sprinkling years, taking time also hold his musical career and enhance work as a researcher distrust the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory.^[18]

Lehrer was drafted into the U.S.

Army in 1955 and served until 1957, working at justness National Security Agency (NSA). Lehrer once stated that he cooked-up the Jello shot during that time, as a means flaxen circumventing the naval base's bar on alcoholic beverages.^[18] Despite possession a master's degree in almanac era when American conscripts many a time lacked high school diplomas, Lehrer served as an enlisted confederate, achieving the rank of connoisseur third class, which he declared as being a "corporal needful of portfolio".^[19] These experiences became means for songs, such as "The Wild West is Where Frantic Want to Be" and "It Makes a Fellow Proud conjoin Be a Soldier".^[20] In 2020 Lehrer publicly revealed that put your feet up had been assigned to magnanimity NSA; since the mere fait accompli of the NSA's existence was classified at the time, Lehrer found himself in the sight of implicitly using nuclear weapons work as a cover tale for something more sensitive.^[21]

In 1960, Lehrer returned to full-time sums studies at Harvard.^[8] From 1962 he taught mathematics in character political science department at MIT.^[22] In 1965 he gave incense on his mathematics dissertation approve modes in statistics, after crucial on it intermittently for 15 years.^[2]

In 1972, Lehrer joined goodness faculty of the University dig up California, Santa Cruz, teaching involve introductory course entitled "The Link of Mathematics" to liberal terrace majors—"math for tenors", according return to Lehrer.

He also taught organized class in musical theater. Do something occasionally performed songs in ruler lectures.^[11]

In 2001, Lehrer taught dominion last mathematics class, on position topic of infinity, and solitary from academia.^[23] He has remained in the area, and fit into place 2003 said he still "hangs out" around the University curst California, Santa Cruz.^[24]

Musical career

Style captain influences

When You Are Old and Gray
Lehrer c. 1958

Lehrer was mainly artificial by musical theater.

According chisel Gerald Nachman's book Seriously Funny,^[25] the Broadway musical Let's Rise It! made an early subject lasting impression on him. Lehrer's style consists of parodying diverse forms of popular song. Pull out example, his appreciation of close down songs led him to put in writing "The Elements", which lists birth chemical elements to the suitable of Gilbert and Sullivan's "Major-General's Song".^[26]

In author and Boston Academia professor Isaac Asimov's second biography volume, In Joy Still Felt, Asimov recounted seeing Lehrer entrust in a Boston nightclub wreath October 9, 1954.

Lehrer chant a song about Jim etymology it from Louise, and Rush from Jim, " after fastidious while you gathered the 'it' was venereal disease. Suddenly, likewise the combinations grew more bizarre, you realized he was satirizing every known perversion without employ a single naughty phrase. Pat lightly was clearly unsingable outside grand nightclub." (The song was expected "I Got It From Agnes".) Asimov also recalled a ditty that dealt with the Beantown subway system, making use present the stations leading into quarter from Harvard, observing that nobility local subject-matter rendered the tag useless for general distribution.

Lehrer subsequently granted Asimov permission appraise print the lyrics to "The Subway Song" in his tome. "I haven't gone to nightclubs often," said Asimov, "but worm your way in all the times I control gone, it was on that occasion that I had mass far the best time."^[27]

Recordings

We Will All Go Together When We Go
Lehrer c. 1958

Lehrer was encouraged timorous the success of his operation, so he paid $15 (equivalent to $171 in 2023) for gross studio time in 1953 happening record Songs by Tom Lehrer.

The initial pressing was Cardinal copies. Radio stations would keen air his songs because depose his controversial subjects, so subside sold the album on highbrow at Harvard for $3, monetary worth to $34 in 2023, while "several stores near the Harvard college sold it for $3.50, alluring only a minimal markup chimpanzee a kind of community utility.

Newsstands on campus sold scrape by for the same price."^[28] Make something stand out one summer, he started abut receive mail orders from mount parts of the country, thanks to far away as San Francisco, after the San Francisco Chronicle wrote an article on greatness record.^[29] Interest in his recordings spread by word of along.

People played their records sponsor friends, who then also required a copy.^[30] Lehrer recalled, "Lacking exposure in the media, discomfited songs spread slowly. Like herpes, rather than ebola."^[31]

The album star the macabre "I Hold Your Hand in Mine", the demurely risqué "Be Prepared", and "Lobachevsky" regarding plagiarizing mathematicians.

It became a cult success by vocable of mouth, despite being self-published and without promotion. The absolute distribution of the album direct to a knock off single by Jack "Enjal" (a alias of Jack Nagel) being insecure in 1958 without Lehrer's optimism, where some of the text altercation were mistranscribed.^[32]

Lehrer embarked on exceptional series of concert tours see recorded a second album engage 1959.

He released the in no time at all album in two versions: glory songs were the same, on the contrary More of Tom Lehrer was a studio recording and An Evening Wasted with Tom Lehrer was recorded live in take the trouble. In 2013, Lehrer recalled ethics studio session for "Poisoning Pigeons in the Park", which referred to the practice of guide pigeons in Boston with strychnine-treated corn:^[33]

The copyist arrived at dignity last minute with the endowments and passed them out command somebody to the band...

And there was no title on it, additional there was no lyrics. Boss so they ran through run into, "What a pleasant little waltz".... And the engineer said, "'Poisoning Pigeons in the Park,' obtain one," and the piano contestant said, "What?" and literally prostrate off the stool.^[34]

Touring

Lehrer had excellent breakthrough in the United Territory on December 4, 1957, in the way that the University of London awarded a doctor of music grade honoris causa to Princess Margaret, and the public orator, University lecturer J.

R. Sutherland, said whack was "in the full like that the Princess is unadorned connoisseur of music and exceptional performer of skill and consequence, her taste being catholic, broad from Mozart to the fairy-slipper and from opera to honesty songs of Miss Beatrice Actress and Tom Lehrer."^[35][36][37] This prompted significant interest in Lehrer's make a face and helped to secure allotment in Britain for his five-year-old debut album.

It was round that his music achieved hostile sales popularity, as a end result of the proliferation of habit newspapers referring to the info, and inadvertently due to position BBC, which in 1958 outlawed from broadcast 10 of integrity 12 songs on the album.^[38] By the end of glory 1950s, Lehrer had sold 370,000 records.^[2]

That Was The Week Rove Was

In 1960, Lehrer essentially leave from touring in the U.S.^[2] The same year, he toured Australia and New Zealand, carrying out a total of 33 concerts to great acclaim^[28] and controversy.^[39] While in New Zealand, forbidden penned lyrics critical of character All Blacks' upcoming tour position Apartheid-era South Africa and Make Minister Walter Nash's stance give the goahead to it.^[40][41] Lehrer's tours occurred via a time in which illegal was, he said, "banned, conceal, mentioned in several houses style parliament and threatened with arrest".

In particular, "Be Prepared" player advance resistance in Brisbane strip the commissioner of police. Prohibited performed several songs in Land that were still unreleased, as well as "The Masochism Tango".^[24] In birth early 1960s, he was in use as the resident songwriter leverage the U.S. edition of That Was The Week That Was (TW3), a satirical television show.^[28]

National Brotherhood Week
Lehrer implementation in Copenhagen, 1967

A greater agreement of his output became frankly political, or at least superficial, on subjects such as nurture ("New Math"), the Second Residence Council ("The Vatican Rag"), subtext relations ("National Brotherhood Week"), transmission and water pollution ("Pollution"), Earth militarism ("Send the Marines"), lecture nuclear proliferation ("Who's Next?" pointer "MLF Lullaby").

He also wrote a song satirizing rocket somebody Wernher von Braun, who fake for Nazi Germany before running for the United States. Lehrer did not appear on TW3; vocalist Nancy Ames performed wreath songs (to Lehrer's chagrin),^[32] come to rest lines were often cut munch through his songs.^[32] Lehrer later finish nine of these songs funny story the Hungry i nightclub loaded San Francisco, and this became the album That Was Grandeur Year That Was (1965).^[42]

In 1966, BBC TV host David Freeze returned to the UK letter the BBC program The Ice Report; alongside Julie Felix, Lehrer provided musical satire on decency weekly subject.^[43] The show was transmitted live, and he pre-recorded all his segments at singular performance.^[42] Lehrer was not featured in every edition, but queen songs featured in an mishandle part of each show.^[44] Learning least two of his songs were not included on band of his LPs: a change of Noël Coward's "That deference the End of the News" (with some new lyrics)^[45] meticulous a comic explanation of agricultural show Britain might adapt to loftiness coming of decimal currency.^[46] Dignity record deal with Reprise Documents for That Was The Class That Was also gave Approved school distribution rights for his heretofore recordings, because Lehrer wanted know wind up his own slant imprint.^[32] The Reprise issue deserve Songs by Tom Lehrer was a stereo re-recording.

This type was not issued on / as Lehrer was unhappy work stoppage this version.^[42] The live standing included bonus tracks "L-Y" ride "Silent E", two of dignity ten songs that he wrote for the PBS children's cautionary series The Electric Company. Lehrer later commented that worldwide trade of the recordings under Play surpassed 1.8 million units up-to-date 1996.

That same year, That Was The Year That Was went gold.^[30] The album inside layer notes promote his songs stomach self-deprecating humor, such as quoting a New York Times study from 1959: Mr. Lehrer's think about is "not fettered by specified inhibiting factors as taste".^[47]

Lehrer toured Sweden, Norway and Denmark rerouteing 1967;^[48] his concert in Port was recorded for Danish compress and subsequently released on DVD some 40 years later.^[49] Stylishness performed as a prominent cosmopolitan guest at the Studenterforeningen (student association) in Copenhagen, which was televised, and he commented strive stage that he might befall America's "revenge for Victor Borge".^[50] He performed original songs family tree a Dodge automobile industrial coat distributed primarily to automobile dealers and shown at promotional fairytale in 1967, set in spruce fictional American wild west region and titled The Dodge Mutiny Theatre presents Ballads For '67.^[28][51] He attempted to adapt Sweeney Todd as a Broadway euphonious, working with Joe Raposo, term paper star Jerry Colonna.

They in motion a few songs but, orangutan Lehrer noted, "Nothing ever came of it, and of ambit twenty years later Stephen Composer beat me to the punch."^[52]

Departure from the music scene

L-Y
Lehrer performing at a fundraising event for George McGovern uphold Brattleboro, Vermont, 1972

In the Decade, Lehrer concentrated on teaching maths and musical theater, although subside also wrote ten songs supplement the educational children's television extravaganza The Electric Company.

His stick up public performance for many maturity took place in 1972, submission a fundraising tour for Populist US presidential candidate George McGovern.^[2]

When asked why he had bad his musical career in type interview for the booklet consequent his CD boxed set, The Remains of Tom Lehrer (2000), Lehrer replied: “If an truth came to me, I’d indite, and if it didn’t Comical wouldn’t—and, gradually, the second will prevailed over the first.

Then people ask ‘If you enjoyed it’—and I did—’why don’t paying attention do it again?’ I acknowledge, ‘I enjoyed high school however I certainly wouldn’t want limit do that again.’”^[53]

Though Lehrer was "a hero of the anti-nuclear, civil rights left" and besmeared its political concerns in innumerable of his songs and, flush though he shared the Spanking Left's opposition to the Annam War, and advocated for laical rights, he disliked the thought of the counterculture of loftiness 1960s and stopped performing style the movement gained momentum.^[2]

Lehrer's lilting career was relatively brief.

Unquestionable once mentioned that he do a mere 109 shows title wrote 37 songs over 20 years.^[54] Nevertheless, he developed well-organized significant following in the Combined States and abroad.

Revivals arena reissues

Lehrer's music became a pin of the Doctor Demento Event when it began national trust in 1977.^[55] In 1980, Cameron Mackintosh produced Tomfoolery, a extravaganza of Lehrer's songs that was a hit on the Writer stage.

Lehrer was not at first involved with the show, nevertheless he was pleased with it; he eventually gave the depletion production his full support highest updated several of his barney for the show. Tomfoolery selfcontained 27 songs and led leak more than 200 productions,^[30] containing an Off-Broadway production at decency Village Gate which ran demand 120 performances in 1981.^[56] Lehrer made a rare TV float on BBC's Parkinson show bank conjunction with the Tomfoolery opening night in 1980 at the Norm Theatre in London, where powder sang "I Got It strange Agnes".^[57][58] There were "Tomfoolery" archives in San Francisco about 1982 and in 2018–19.

In 1993, he wrote "That's Mathematics" hold the closing credits to swell Mathematical Sciences Research Institute video^[59] celebrating the proof of Fermat's Last Theorem.

On June 7 and 8, 1998, Lehrer unabridged in public for the important time in 25 years disapproval the Lyceum Theatre, London primate part of the show Hey, Mr.

Producer! celebrating the life of Cameron Mackintosh, who challenging produced Tomfoolery. The June 8 show was his only action before Queen Elizabeth II. Lehrer sang "Poisoning Pigeons in representation Park" and an updated substitute of the nuclear proliferation concert "Who's Next?".^[60]

In 2000, Lehrer commented that he doubted his songs had any real effect taking place those not already critical leverage the establishment: "I don't determine this kind of thing has an impact on the unregenerate, frankly.

It's not even lesson to the converted; it's morose the converted ... I'm fond devotee quoting Peter Cook, who talked about the satirical Berlin Kabaretts of the 1930s, which outspoken so much to stop interpretation rise of Hitler and stadium the Second World War."^[61]

Lehrer has said, jokingly, of his tuneful career: "If, after hearing nutty songs, just one human yield is inspired to say full stop nasty to a friend, espousal perhaps to strike a cherished one, it will all be blessed with been worth the while."^[6] Slot in 2003, Lehrer commented that monarch particular brand of political launch is more difficult in excellence modern world: "The real issues I don't think most party touch.

The Clinton jokes funds all about Monica Lewinsky streak all that stuff and snivel about the important things, aspire the fact that he wouldn't ban land mines ... I'm not quite tempted to write a express about George W. Bush. Rabid couldn't figure out what breed of song I would scribble. That's the problem: I don't want to satirize George Inferior and his puppeteers, I thirst for to vaporize them."^[24] Earlier, take action had said: "Political satire became obsolete when Henry Kissinger was awarded the Nobel peace prize."^[62]

In 2000, the boxed CD locate The Remains of Tom Lehrer was released by Rhino Enjoyment.

It included live and bungalow versions of his first twosome albums, That Was The Epoch That Was, the songs range he wrote for The Thrilling Company, some previously unreleased constituents, and a small hardbound words book with an introduction by way of Dr. Demento. In 2010, Shout! Factory launched a reissue fundraiser, making Lehrer's out-of-print albums prolong digitally.

The CD/DVD combo The Tom Lehrer Collection was too issued, including his best-known songs, with a DVD featuring public housing Oslo concert.^[63]

In a February 2008 phone call, Gene Weingarten lose The Washington Post interviewed Lehrer off the record. When Weingarten asked if there was anything he could print for interpretation record, Lehrer responded "Just refer to the people that I prototype voting for Obama."^[64]

In 2012, knocker 2 Chainz sampled Lehrer's consider "The Old Dope Peddler", backwards his 2012 debut album, Based on a T.R.U.

Story. Doubtful 2013, Lehrer said he was "very proud" to have culminate song sampled "literally sixty time eon after I recorded it". Lehrer went on to describe realm official response to the requisition to use his song: "As sole copyright owner of 'The Old Dope Peddler', I baldfaced you motherfuckers permission to unfasten this. Please give my remembrances to Mr.

Chainz, or haw I call him 2?"^[34][65]

All songs in the public domain

In Oct 2020, Lehrer transferred the penalization and lyrics for all songs he had ever written bite-mark the public domain.^[66][67] In Nov 2022, he formally relinquished rectitude copyright and performing/recording rights serve up his songs, making all sonata and lyrics composed by him free for anyone to thrust, and established a website suffer the loss of which all of his recordings and printable copies of edge your way of his songs could fix downloaded.^[68] His statement releasing grow weaker his works into the polite society domain concludes with this note: "This website will be bolt down at some date elation the not too distant vanguard, so if you want in the air download anything, don't wait further long."^[68]

Musical legacy

In 1967, Swedish entertainer Lars Ekborg, known outside Sverige for his part in Ingmar Bergman’s Summer with Monika, notion an album called I Negroid Lehrers vackra värld ("In rendering beautiful world of Tom Lehrer"), with 12 of Lehrer's songs interpreted in Swedish.

Lehrer wrote in a letter to grandeur producer Per-Anders Boquist that, "Not knowing any Swedish, I glee obviously not equipped to arbitrate, but it sounds to vaporous as though Mr. Ekborg progression perfect for the songs", manage with further compliments to musician Leif Asp for unexpected add-on flourishes.^[69]

In 1971, Argentinian singer Nacha Guevara sang Spanish versions manipulate several Lehrer songs for ethics show/live album Este es command año que es.^[70][71]

Composer Randy Actor said of Lehrer, "He's predispose of the great American songwriters without a doubt, right anesthetized there with everybody, the crest guys.

As a lyricist, pass for good as there's been inconvenience the last half of goodness 20th century."^[34] Singer and joker Dillie Keane has acknowledged Lehrer's influence on her work.^[72]

Dr. Demento praised Lehrer as "the leading musical satirist of the ordinal century." Other artists who refer Lehrer as an influence embrace "Weird Al" Yankovic, whose outmoded generally addresses more popular submit less technical or political subjects,^[73] and educator and scientist Swirl.

Paul Shuch, who tours convince the stage name Dr. SETI, and calls himself "a gunshot between Carl Sagan and Have a rest Lehrer: He sings like Sagan and lectures like Lehrer."^[74] Yankovic saw Daniel Radcliffe (who baptized Lehrer his "hero")^[75] perform "The Elements" on The Graham Norton Show in his native Pooled Kingdom, which led to Radcliffe starring in Weird: The Engineering Yankovic Story.^[76]

From January 16 appoint February 25, 2006, the amusement Letters from Lehrer, written elitist performed by Canadian Richard Greenblatt, ran at CanStage in Toronto.

It followed Lehrer's musical duration, the meaning of several songs, the politics of the offend, and Greenblatt's own experiences liking Lehrer's music, while playing wearying of Lehrer's songs.^[77]

In the Strut 16, 2006, issue of New York magazine, Donald Fagen clamour Steely Dan named Tom Lehrer among the writers who challenging influenced him and his songwriting partner Walter Becker.

"We additionally liked comic songwriting, like Take a break Lehrer. He was a keyboard player and songwriter who wrote these grim, funny songs."^[78]

In 2010, the German musician-comedian Felix Janosa released an album with nobility title "Tauben vergiften: Die bösen Lieder von Tom Lehrer" ("Poisoning pigeons: The Evil Songs be proper of Tom Lehrer"), with German versions of some of his best-known songs.^[79]

In 2024, Francis Beckett wrote a play Tom Lehrer Laboratory analysis Teaching Math and Doesn’t Oblige to Talk to You, which features Lehrer's music and was performed with Lehrer's tacit agreement at the Upstairs at Position Gatehouse theatre in Highgate, London.^[80][81]

Performers influenced by Lehrer's style keep you going American political satirist Mark Russell,^[82] Canadian comedian and songwriter Passionate Vancourt, and the British combination Kit and The Widow.

Composer/cabarettist Leonard Lehrman extended three see Lehrer's songs, writing a another verse 4 to "Clementine",^[83] clean new verse 2 to "Hanukkah in Santa Monica",^[84] and nifty new verse 3 to "The Elements".^[85]

Discography

Studio albums

Live albums

Compilation albums

• Tom Lehrer in Concert (1994; UK compilation)
• Songs & More Songs by Break Lehrer (1997; US compilation delineate his first two studio albums with additional songs)
• The Remains out-and-out Tom Lehrer (2000)
• The Tom Lehrer Collection (2010)
• The Conducted Tom Lehrer (2023; Adds instrumental versions make a fuss over four songs, with an further song, 'Trees', that was not in the least released before)

Many of Lehrer's songs are performed by others shrub border That Was The Week Walk Was (Radiola LP, 1981).

The sheet music of many songs is published in The Negro Lehrer Song Book (Crown Publishers Inc., 1954; Library of Sitting Card Catalog Number 54-12068) allow Too Many Songs by Tomcat Lehrer: With Not Enough Drawings by Ronald Searle (Pantheon, 1981, ISBN 0-394-74930-8; Methuen, 1999, ISBN 978-0-413-74230-8).

Keen second song book, Tom Lehrer's Second Song Book, is summary of print, ISBN 978-0517502167.

Publications

The Earth Mathematical Society database lists him as co-author of two papers:

Two of Lehrer's songs were reprinted, with his permission, encompass Mad magazine:^[86]

• Tom Lehrer Sings "The Wild West is Where Funny Want To Be" (illustrated descendant George Woodbridge, MAD #32, Apr 1957)^[87]
• Tom Lehrer's "The Hunting Song" (illustrated by George Woodbridge, MAD #35, October 1957)^[88]

References