Friday, August 01, 2025

Tom Lehrer, R.I.P. (Imagine how long he'd have lived, if not for apartheid!), and the Tom Lehrer Memorial Concert

By A Longtime Reader
to: add1dda@aol.com <add1dda@aol.com> sent: monday, july 28, 2025 at 08:08:30 p.m. edt

Tom Lehrer R.I.P.


https://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/jul/28/tom-lehrer-dies-aged-97-dead-musical-satirist

Another one of my childhood idols gone. I didn't care for his politics, but some of his songs were comic masterpieces--e.g., "The Elements" [to G&S' Major General's patter-song], "The Masochism Tango," "Poisoning Pigeons in the Park," "Lobachevsky," "We Will All Go Together," "In Old Mexico," "Clementine," etc.

"Wernher von Braun" (Complete version, live performance)



Gather 'round while I sing you of Wernher von Braun,
A man whose allegiance
Is ruled by expedience.

Call him a Nazi, he won't even frown,
"Ha, Nazi, Schmazi, " says Wernher von Braun.

Don't say that he's hypocritical,
Say rather that he's apolitical,
"Once the rockets are up, who cares where they come down?
That's not my department," says Wernher von Braun.

Some have harsh words for this man of renown,
But some think our attitude
Should be one of gratitude,
Like the widows and cripples in old London town,
Who owe their large pensions to Wernher von Braun.

You too may be a big hero,
Once you've learned to count backwards to zero,
"In German oder English I know how to count down,
Und I'm learning Chinese!" says Wernher von Braun.

This a longer version that I'd previously heard, with an additional verse (from "Don't say" to just before "Some have harsh words"), and "cripples" instead of "orphans."


"Lobachevsky" (with lyrics) '1953



@jackdasef7367 5 years ago Visited my little sister in college when she was working on her PhD in theoretical math. She was quite impressed that I knew who Lobachevsky was. Didn't have the heart to tell her that the only reason I knew the name was because of this song.

@chechema1010
3 years ago
do not worry, who deserves the credit? and who deserves the blame?

@khaisa4391
3 years ago
@chechema1010 Tom Lehrer is his name!


"The Masochism Tango"




@alpha-omega2362
1 year ago
question to masochist: "Why do you go with that sadist?"
answer: "Beats me."


"Poisoning Pigeons in the Park"




"The Elements"




"In Old Mexico" (concert live) (1959)




"Clementine" (concert live) (1959)




And Tom closes the show with, "We Will All Go Together When We Go"




Posted by Nicholas Stix at

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I posted an obit on him recently.

--GRA

Friday, August 1, 2025 at 7:40:00 PM EDT
Your Longtime Reader said...

As can be seen from these video clips, Lehrer was a marvelous performer, not just for his piano playing but for his rendition of the songs, the witty comments he delivered, and those subtle, varied expressions he excelled at. It must have been great to witness his concert-cum-cabaret act live as a member of the original audience.

Saturday, August 2, 2025 at 2:43:00 PM EDT

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