OT, RIP Tom Lehrer. He was 97.

Post #1 » by **Luv those Knicks** » Thu Jul 31, 2025 1:38 am

Mods, if you want to merge this with the other thread, that's fine, but I wanted to drop it as a solo thread first to get some attention.

I'm curious how many know who Tom Lehrer is? Tomfoolery was a successful musical, but it came out in 1980.

I'm sure some here have heard the elements song, but might not know that was Lehrer.

I recommend the article. He was a creative guy, not just a songwriter but a mathematician. He worked for the NSA doing secret stuff in the 50s I think, maybe 60s. Many of his songs were initially banned. Anyway, it's a good read and his songs were often funny. He also claims to have invented the Jello-shot, though he didn't actually invent it as there are records of gelatin and alcohol being mixed long before, but he did it on an army base as a means of sneaking alcohol inside where it wasn't allowed.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/tom-lehrer-wickedly-funny-musical-satirist-whose-subversive-ditties-caused-outrage-and-delight/ar-AA1JooPc?ocid=msedgntp&pc=ENTPHB&cvid=688ac596f4334d018903cf4017e32e65&ei=13

Watch on YouTube

B8RcDeMktfxC · Post #2 » by **B8RcDeMktfxC** » Thu Jul 31, 2025 3:00 am

Luv those Knicks wrote:Mods, if you want to merge this with the other thread, that's fine, but I wanted to drop it as a solo thread first to get some attention.

I'm curious how many know who Tom Lehrer is? Tomfoolery was a successful musical, but it came out in 1980.

I'm sure some here have heard the elements song, but might not know that was Lehrer.

I recommend the article. He was a creative guy, not just a songwriter but a mathematician. He worked for the NSA doing secret stuff in the 50s I think, maybe 60s. Many of his songs were initially banned. Anyway, it's a good read and his songs were often funny. He also claims to have invented the Jello-shot, though he didn't actually invent it as there are records of gelatin and alcohol being mixed long before, but he did it on an army base as a means of sneaking alcohol inside where it wasn't allowed.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/tom-lehrer-wickedly-funny-musical-satirist-whose-subversive-ditties-caused-outrage-and-delight/ar-AA1JooPc?ocid=msedgntp&pc=ENTPHB&cvid=688ac596f4334d018903cf4017e32e65&ei=13

Watch on YouTube

Watch on YouTube

8516knicks · Post #3 » by **8516knicks** » Thu Jul 31, 2025 4:49 am

This one sounds like a Turbo Encabulator type video. Lehrer was clever and great.

Watch on YouTube

;pp=ygUadHVyYm8gZW5jYWJ1bGF0b3Igb3JpZ2luYWw%3D

8516knicks · Post #4 » by **8516knicks** » Thu Jul 31, 2025 4:55 am

B8RcDeMktfxC wrote:
Luv those Knicks wrote:Mods, if you want to merge this with the other thread, that's fine, but I wanted to drop it as a solo thread first to get some attention.

I'm curious how many know who Tom Lehrer is? Tomfoolery was a successful musical, but it came out in 1980.

I'm sure some here have heard the elements song, but might not know that was Lehrer.

I recommend the article. He was a creative guy, not just a songwriter but a mathematician. He worked for the NSA doing secret stuff in the 50s I think, maybe 60s. Many of his songs were initially banned. Anyway, it's a good read and his songs were often funny. He also claims to have invented the Jello-shot, though he didn't actually invent it as there are records of gelatin and alcohol being mixed long before, but he did it on an army base as a means of sneaking alcohol inside where it wasn't allowed.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/tom-lehrer-wickedly-funny-musical-satirist-whose-subversive-ditties-caused-outrage-and-delight/ar-AA1JooPc?ocid=msedgntp&pc=ENTPHB&cvid=688ac596f4334d018903cf4017e32e65&ei=13

Watch on YouTube

Watch on YouTube

Super fun - Ingrid Bergman playing the part of the Hypotenuse!

Post #5 » by **DOT** » Thu Jul 31, 2025 1:27 pm

Watch on YouTube

thebuzzardman · Post #6 » by **thebuzzardman** » Thu Jul 31, 2025 1:29 pm

My folks had two of his records. I used to play them, they were a hoot.

One had a cool cover with a devilish theme, I'll find it. It was smaller than a standard LP (probably released before LPs were common, but it wasn't a 78)

Ah yes, this one:

Dave_R · Post #7 » by **Dave_R** » Thu Jul 31, 2025 1:54 pm

May he rest in peace. My parents played his records a lot. He was a brilliant person and a great entertainer.

Post #8 » by **Jeff Van Gully** » Thu Jul 31, 2025 2:07 pm

no, please don't merge. :lol:

this legend deserves his own thread.

we are all better for him having shared timeline with us.

nykballa2k4 · Post #9 » by **nykballa2k4** » Fri Aug 1, 2025 12:03 am

Luv those Knicks wrote:Mods, if you want to merge this with the other thread, that's fine, but I wanted to drop it as a solo thread first to get some attention.

I'm curious how many know who Tom Lehrer is? Tomfoolery was a successful musical, but it came out in 1980.

I'm sure some here have heard the elements song, but might not know that was Lehrer.

I recommend the article. He was a creative guy, not just a songwriter but a mathematician. He worked for the NSA doing secret stuff in the 50s I think, maybe 60s. Many of his songs were initially banned. Anyway, it's a good read and his songs were often funny. He also claims to have invented the Jello-shot, though he didn't actually invent it as there are records of gelatin and alcohol being mixed long before, but he did it on an army base as a means of sneaking alcohol inside where it wasn't allowed.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/tom-lehrer-wickedly-funny-musical-satirist-whose-subversive-ditties-caused-outrage-and-delight/ar-AA1JooPc?ocid=msedgntp&pc=ENTPHB&cvid=688ac596f4334d018903cf4017e32e65&ei=13

Watch on YouTube

Now I know who Blackalicious sampled

Watch on YouTube

BKlutch · Post #10 » by **BKlutch** » Fri Aug 1, 2025 2:05 pm

8516knicks wrote:
B8RcDeMktfxC wrote:
Luv those Knicks wrote:Mods, if you want to merge this with the other thread, that's fine, but I wanted to drop it as a solo thread first to get some attention.

I'm curious how many know who Tom Lehrer is? Tomfoolery was a successful musical, but it came out in 1980.

I'm sure some here have heard the elements song, but might not know that was Lehrer.

I recommend the article. He was a creative guy, not just a songwriter but a mathematician. He worked for the NSA doing secret stuff in the 50s I think, maybe 60s. Many of his songs were initially banned. Anyway, it's a good read and his songs were often funny. He also claims to have invented the Jello-shot, though he didn't actually invent it as there are records of gelatin and alcohol being mixed long before, but he did it on an army base as a means of sneaking alcohol inside where it wasn't allowed.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/tom-lehrer-wickedly-funny-musical-satirist-whose-subversive-ditties-caused-outrage-and-delight/ar-AA1JooPc?ocid=msedgntp&pc=ENTPHB&cvid=688ac596f4334d018903cf4017e32e65&ei=13

Watch on YouTube

Watch on YouTube

Super fun - Ingrid Bergman playing the part of the Hypotenuse!

I heard a number of his songs that my folks had, because when I was a young child I didn't have money for music. (As opposed to when I was a teen and all my money was for music.) So he was really great.

This song sounds like one I played for my kids many years later - sung by the Animaniacs. They did the 50 states, too.
EDIT: a little research shows they sang the countries of the world and someone else later seems to have used that to create an elements song that sounded like the Animaniacs.

Anybody who can sing all of those words has to be very talented. I never could LOL.