Tom Lehrer (in progress)
Created | Updated Jan 28, 2002
To be a collaborative Guide entry on Tom Lehrer. Please add anything you would like included to a thread below and when we have enough for a decent entry, it will get written-up.
Things about the man himself
He was (is) a mathematician at Harvard.
He contrived to be a graduate student for an amazingly large number of years.
He was interested in "popular songs" of all types but loathed "folk songs"
He enjoyed words and admired Danny Kaye and Stephen Sondhyme (sp.)
Things about the songs/records
The songs were initially written to amuse himself and his friends while he was at college
He was persuaded to record some songs and hired a studio. With just him and a piano laid down the 1st album in an afternoon (I think).
Albums:
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An evening wasted with Tom Lehrer: Pigeons, Masochism Tango, Elements, We'll all go together...
? (I don't remember): Dope peddler, Rickety tickety tin, My home town, Vatican rag...
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He also composed songs for the US TV series "That was the week that was": National brotherhood week, Pollution....
He was commissioned to write further songs for the Children's' Television Workshop: silent e ...
Fame travelled "like syphilis rather than ebola"
UK heard of TL due to [random royal - princess Margaret I think] who had in her Whos' who entry "taste in music catholic - from Mozart to Tom Lehrer"
Songs were more of a hit in the UK than in US
