I’ve just heard that Tom Lehrer passed away on July 26, 2025. For those of you who know who he is, you understand that we have lost probably the best comedic songwriter of the 20th century.
For those of you who don’t know who Tom Lehrer is, let me enlighten you.
Tom Lehrer wrote comedic satirical songs in the late 1950’s and gained acclaim for them in the 1960’s. There were few things he wouldn’t lampoon in his songs. He had a fine musical talent and a sharp wit. To really get a feel for his humor and understand it, it’s best if you just hear it. Here are some of his best:
Poisoning Pigeons In The Park
Be Prepared
The Elements
We Will All Go Together When We Go
I first heard his song Poisoning Pigeons In The Park on the Dr. Demento radio show in the 1970’s. I’m a big fan of animals but hearing a jaunty tune talking about offing birds in the local park was so off-the-wall, so unexpected that I was cracking up laughing at it. It just immediately hit my funny bone and I got his humor. I was introduced to other Lehrer classics on the Dr. Demento show which lead me to look for recordings of his songs in the record stores. Yes, back when they were still made of vinyl. I never found them and figured I would never be lucky enough to find them. It was many years later when Compact Discs (CDs) came to the market that I happened to find An Evening Wasted With Tom Lehrer and That Was The Year That Was. I snarfed them up before any other shoppers could get their beady little hands on them (not that anyone was trying – cultural barbarians!) and headed to the checkout counter.
I took my purchases home with me and listened to both of them, even though I ended up being about ten minutes late to work that day. Totally worth it considering I was working in retail at the time.
Ultimately Tom Lehrer gave up writing and singing funny songs to pursue his true passion – math. It seems he was a child math prodigy. He entered Harvard at the ripe old age of fifteen and had a math degree by the time he was 18.
Teaching math was his true passion, which he loved more than anything. He would shrug off any mention of his music career saying he had spent his time just messing around, like it was no big deal.
Well, I’m sad he didn’t write more comedy songs, and that he passed away, but I’m happy he got to spend his life doing what he loved. It seems so very few people get to do that on this planet.
Rest In Peace, Tom Lehrer. You will be missed but at least we still have your songs to brighten our days.
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Poisoning Pigeons in the Park is a very good song, but it was never my favorite Tom Lehrer song. Who’s Next? and National Brotherhood Week are probably my two most favorites.
Very fittingly, ‘lehrer’ is the German word for ‘teacher.’ Teaching math was Lehrer’s main profession, but teaching was a strong element in most of his songs as well. Of course, all great art is ultimately about teaching.