Tom Lehrer, Harvard’s Satiric, Melodic Mathematician, Dies at 97
Best known for music-hall numbers such as Poisoning Pigeons in the Park, The Masochism Tango and The Elements — a rat-a-tat recitation of the periodic table
A song about US military power included the line, “We only want the world to know, that we support the status quo. They love us everywhere we go. So when in doubt, send the Marines!”
Some of his later pieces like The Vatican Rag and National Brotherhood Week were more overtly political than much of his earlier work.
Songs like It Makes a Fellow Proud to Be a Soldier and We Will All Go Together When We Go.
He gave up the stage completely for around a quarter century after performing on a 1972 fundraising tour for George McGovern, the Democratic Party’s nominee for president.
He didn’t return to the stage until 1998, when he appeared twice at London’s Lyceum Theatre, including one show before Queen Elizabeth II.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2cfju6GTNs&list=RDU2cfju6GTNs&start_radio=1
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