Obit: Tom Lehrer (1928-2025)

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Lehrer (1928-2025)
From: Felipa
Date: 14 Aug 25 - 02:08 PM

but you did need spell check robomatic: shouldn't the protection be "cathodic"

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Lehrer (1928-2025)
From: robomatic
Date: 14 Aug 25 - 12:44 PM

I caught this before Spellcheck propagated it, I was at work:
I wrote an article on 'cahtodic protection which was rendered by my helpful Microsoft applicance into "catholic protection"

SO, while we are on the subject:

My very Italian American 5th grade music teacher could not resist playing "The Vatican Rag" to us, even though many of us did not understand the song. He also played the Officer Krupke Song from "West Side Story" I kneew the Broadway album by heart and he saw me tense up as the word "damn" sounded. In that era it was not a suitable word for class.

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Lehrer (1928-2025)
From: MaJoC the Filk
Date: 12 Aug 25 - 02:20 PM

I'm late to this thread, having been at sea at the time. A sad loss: now I'll never know whether he would have approved of my flamencoid manglulation of Masochism Tango.

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Lehrer (1928-2025)
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 04 Aug 25 - 06:02 PM

Felipa. surely you are not questioning the mighty Spellcheck?

some years back - how do I put this delicately - it objected to "Zuckerberg" offering a word that included "mother" & I have a screenshot to prove it! I do love screenshots. (ps. the suggested word appeared more than once, but I only took one screenshot)

Satirists, songwriters & poets could have fun with spellcheck!

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Lehrer (1928-2025)
From: Felipa
Date: 04 Aug 25 - 05:33 PM

"Lehrer" is German for "teacher"
Why would spellcheck change it to another German word, Führer/Fuehrer) which means leader but has unfortunate associations
------

2024 interview with Tom Lehrer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhpfWOfp7II

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Lehrer (1928-2025)
From: JennieG
Date: 04 Aug 25 - 07:52 AM

Spellcheck is not always your friend.

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Lehrer (1928-2025)
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 04 Aug 25 - 06:16 AM

I'm sending this thread to some Lehrer fans & Australian English Thunderbird spellcheck says LEHRER is really FEUHRER.

I never let spellcheck have it's way.

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Lehrer (1928-2025)
From: Hagman
Date: 04 Aug 25 - 03:42 AM

And a blog which was sanctioned and encouraged by Lehrer has five volumes of "Rarities," a ot of them provided by TL hisself, plus the HTG Australian recording available for free download.

It's located here.

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Lehrer (1928-2025)
From: open mike
Date: 04 Aug 25 - 12:06 AM

Just fund the video of his performance in Denmark... i notice how they often clap in unison... interesting...                                 Tom Lehrer in Denmark

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Lehrer (1928-2025)
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 03 Aug 25 - 08:00 AM

Australia's Music Show this weekend featured - interviews with Tom Lehrer (2000) & Cleo Laine (2004) 54 min. show, second interview with Tom Lehrer

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Lehrer (1928-2025)
From: keberoxu
Date: 02 Aug 25 - 08:41 AM

And who could forget the Folk Song Army,
so pertinent to this site.

Ready! Aim! Sing!

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Lehrer (1928-2025)
From: Mark Ross
Date: 30 Jul 25 - 02:48 PM

My senior year in high school my English class and homeroom teacher was a twerp. Having made friends with the Audio Visual Squad one morning while the rest of the school listened to the usual morning blather, the pledge of allegiance and announcements, my homeroom got to listen to Tom Lehrer singing the The Vatican Rage!

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Lehrer (1928-2025)
From: keberoxu
Date: 30 Jul 25 - 12:41 PM

I missed his, but many years ago,
"Harry Potter" actor Daniel Radcliffe
sang "The Elements" on a talk show appearance.

The act earned Radcliffe the lead role in the
satirical life story of Weird Al Yankovic.

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Lehrer (1928-2025)
From: GerryM
Date: 29 Jul 25 - 06:52 PM

The quote posted by Bill D 29 Jul 25 - 11:44 AM appeared earlier in the liner notes for the LP, An Evening Wasted With Tom Lehrer, from 1959.

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Lehrer (1928-2025)
From: GUEST,keberoxu
Date: 29 Jul 25 - 02:08 PM

A local radio station played "The Elements" this morning.

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Lehrer (1928-2025)
From: Bill D
Date: 29 Jul 25 - 11:44 AM

"Writing in the liner notes to the 1997 compilation “Songs & More Songs by Tom Lehrer,” he said, “If, after hearing my songs, just one human being is inspired to say something nasty to a friend, or perhaps to strike a loved one, it will all have been worth the while.”

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Lehrer (1928-2025)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 29 Jul 25 - 11:22 AM

Tom was an amazing musician and song writer. It's still amazing to me that he wrote many of his songs in the staid 1950s. Many of his songs are still timeless and ear-worms.

At one time my brother and I could sing almost all the songs from memory.

He was also a math genius and I bet he was well appreciated by his students.

Cheerily,
Charlie Ipcar

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Lehrer (1928-2025)
From: GerryM
Date: 28 Jul 25 - 06:04 PM

GUEST at 27 Jul 25 - 06:47 PM was me. Someone stole my cookie, but I have recovered it.

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Lehrer (1928-2025)
From: robomatic
Date: 28 Jul 25 - 12:53 PM

ALMA (The Spiciest Obituary)
Was on a hiking trip with a friend who couldn't get over the following Lehrerism:

Their marriage, however, was murder. He'd scream to the heavens above, "I'm writing Das Lied von der Erde And she only wants to make love!"

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Lehrer (1928-2025)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Jul 25 - 11:36 AM

After listening to obit stories on the radio today I am reminded, as it drifts through my head, that "Vatican Rag" is a substantial earworm!

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Lehrer (1928-2025)
From: Mrrzy
Date: 28 Jul 25 - 07:55 AM

Took a young friend to see Pirates of Penzance last week. She said Hey, wasn't that the Elements song? I was proud of her.

Sad news, indeed.

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Lehrer (1928-2025)
From: Felipa
Date: 28 Jul 25 - 06:18 AM

Silly River Sage has said pretty much what I wanted to say.

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Lehrer (1928-2025)
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 28 Jul 25 - 03:46 AM

His rhyming was sublime, the way he tortured words to make them fit was inspirational, I give you, Haarvaard, and discaavared.
Still have a much scratched copy of his original 10" LP, lurking somewhere in my collection.
RIP.

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Lehrer (1928-2025)
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 28 Jul 25 - 03:44 AM

Tom Lehrer put all of his songs into the public domain back in 2022 - https://tomlehrersongs.com/ - enjoy!

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Lehrer (1928-2025)
From: Hagman
Date: 27 Jul 25 - 10:23 PM

Lehrer always said of his retirment from performing and recording: "Political satire became obsolete when Henry Kissinger was awarded the Nobel peace prize."

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Lehrer (1928-2025)
From: robomatic
Date: 27 Jul 25 - 10:09 PM

Next to Stan Rogers, Tom Lehrer's songs are my hiking go-tos to keep the bears away.
One of the greats. I think of his songs several times a month, as opposed to the late Ozzy Osborne, who I don't think of at all.

New Math, New Math1

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Lehrer (1928-2025)
From: rich-joy
Date: 27 Jul 25 - 09:39 PM

WoW. Yes, thought he had already passed!

Thanks, Tom, for your Wit and your Music - you certainly featured in my growing years, particularly due to my eldest Bro who was a big fan!!

Vale, Tom.


R-J

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Lehrer (1928-2025)
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 27 Jul 25 - 08:11 PM

I had a double CD of his, loved it, & a small collection of his MAD magazine cartoons - I do love the words & pics of The Hunting Song

Wikipedia

RIP

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Lehrer (1928-2025)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Jul 25 - 07:08 PM

My parents were contemporaries of Lehrer and we got his albums as they became available. I grew up with those songs and have memorized ~ 90% of them. Consequently, my children grew up with them, playing them for their own entertainment, not just when I put the albums on. I think my daughter memorized "The Elements" - so many people did, as a personal challenge or point of pride.

His songs were good, but the fact that he was an excellent pianist and had a great voice made it all work. And his choice of melodies to use, whether traditional or popular or classical, was perfect. I introduced my kids to Gilbert and Sullivan, among others, because of his use of their works.

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Lehrer (1928-2025)
From: BrooklynJay
Date: 27 Jul 25 - 07:04 PM

A sad day. Loved his songs.

R.I.P.


Jay

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Lehrer (1928-2025)
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Jul 25 - 06:47 PM

So much for We Will All Go Together When We Go.

Back in 1963 or thereabouts, I was singing at home a song I learned at day camp, The Old Irish Ballad (known to some as Rickety-Tickety-Tin), when my Dad recognized the song and showed me the 10-inch record he had, Songs By Tom Lehrer. Been a fan ever since.

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Lehrer (1928-2025)
From: JennieG
Date: 27 Jul 25 - 06:39 PM

Oh no!

Thanks for the songs, Tom....they have lightened our drab colourless lives, for sure.

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Lehrer (1928-2025)
From: NightWing
Date: 27 Jul 25 - 05:13 PM

The world is a little darker place today than yesterday. :-(

Rest, in pieces, Tom

BB,
NightWing

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Lehrer 1928 - 2025
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Jul 25 - 02:34 PM

I knew he was alive, I hoped he might have a late spurt of activity and pillory the Trump administrations.

Wikipedia

IMDb

Subject: RE: Obit: Tom Lehrer
From: Johnny J
Date: 27 Jul 25 - 01:58 PM

I hadn't realised that he was still with us!

Sad news although the pigeons in the park will breathe a sigh of relief.

Subject: Obit: Tom Lehrer
From: Cool Beans
Date: 27 Jul 25 - 01:52 PM

At 97.


https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/27/arts/music/tom-lehrer-dead.html