Play Tom Lehrer Radio
Tom Lehrer
782,785 plays (52,641 listeners)
Thomas Andrew “Tom” Lehrer (born 9 April 1928) is an American singer-songwriter, satirist, pianist, and mathematician. He has lectured on mathematics and musical theater.
Before attending college, Lehrer graduated from the Loomis Chaffee School in Windsor, Connecticut. As an undergraduate student at Harvard University, he began to write comic songs to entertain his friends, including Fight Fiercely, Harvard (1945). Those songs later became (in a joking reference to a leading scientific journal, The Physical Review) The Physical Revue. Influenced mainly by musical theater, his style consisted of parodying then-current forms of popular song. For example, his appreciation of list songs led him to set the names of the chemical elements to the tune of Gilbert and Sullivan’s “Major-General’s Song”.
Inspired by the success of his performances of his songs, he paid for some studio time to record an album, Songs By Tom Lehrer, which he sold by mail order. Self-published and unpromoted, the album, which included the macabre (I Hold Your Hand in Mine), the mildly risqué (Be Prepared), and the mathematical (Lobachevsky), became a success via word of mouth. With a cult hit, he embarked on a series of concert tours and released a second album, which came in two versions: the songs were the same but More Songs by Tom Lehrer was studio-recorded, while An Evening Wasted with Tom Lehrer was recorded live in concert.
Before attending college, Lehrer graduated from the Loomis Chaffee School in Windsor, Connecticut. As an undergraduate student at Harvard University, he began to write comic songs to entertain his friends, including Fight Fiercely, Harvard (1945). Those songs later became (in a joking reference to a leading scientific journal, The Physical Review) The Physical Revue. Influenced mainly by musical theater, his style consisted of parodying then-current forms of popular song. For example, his appreciation of list songs led him to set the names of the chemical elements to the tune of Gilbert and Sullivan’s “Major-General’s Song”.
Inspired by the success of his performances of his songs, he paid for some studio time to record an album, Songs By Tom Lehrer, which he sold by mail order. Self-published and unpromoted, the album, which included the macabre (I Hold Your Hand in Mine), the mildly risqué (Be Prepared), and the mathematical (Lobachevsky), became a success via word of mouth. With a cult hit, he embarked on a series of concert tours and released a second album, which came in two versions: the songs were the same but More Songs by Tom Lehrer was studio-recorded, while An Evening Wasted with Tom Lehrer was recorded live in concert.
Top Albums
-
That Was the Year that Was
Tom Lehrer
Buy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 Search
- 7digital Search
- iTunes Search
- Buy Album
- Amazon $8.99
- eBay Search
-
Songs & More Songs by Tom Lehrer
Tom LehrerBuy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 Search
- 7digital Search
- iTunes Search
- Buy Album
- Amazon $7.99
- eBay Search
-
Tom Lehrer in Concert
Tom LehrerBuy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 Search
- 7digital Search
- iTunes Search
- Buy Album
- Amazon Search
- eBay Search
-
An Evening Wasted with Tom Lehrer
Tom LehrerBuy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 Search
- 7digital Search
- iTunes Search
- Buy Album
- Amazon $10.99
- eBay Search
Shoutbox
-
retrotron wrote:
as we dance to the masochism tango. (:
-
Eatyourbrians wrote:
I love him so much. Damn.
-
jasonz88 wrote:
He really is the coolest nerd ever.
-
no_raptors wrote:
SpamForBrains: I agree, but with the way he is, I'm sure he'd turn them all down!
-
SpamForBrains wrote:
this man deserves every prize in the world. [2]
-
doctorjmo wrote:
...as we dance to the...
-
Sprogbaby wrote:
EITore, why do u think tom lehner is the best thing in comedy and have a picture of hugh laurie? Hes a comedian/actor u know.
-
ElTore wrote:
best thing to ever happen to comedy
-
Battlenet2k7 wrote:
No one these day can hold a candle to this man's talent. If there ever is a draft I will play So Long Mother, or just go to Canada. Or have someone drive over my leg.
-
Sulisk wrote:
I like all that I've heard so far
-
fing3roperation wrote:
this man deserves every prize in the world.
-
clytie_hizashi wrote:
"Zat's not my department" says Wernher von Braun. ♥
-
toy-maker wrote:
aaah reminds me of my dad ^-^
-
Ragman205 wrote:
epic talent
-
Rudy_Rules wrote:
It dont even have to rhyne
-
Lowbacca wrote:
what a talent
-
jessefivey wrote:
HE'S the guy who wrote "Fight Fiercely, Harvard??" My uptight private school headmaster told me about that song ages ago. Weird!
-
radtristan123 wrote:
he is the best - even in mathematics
-
MaxUrai wrote:
This guy is so ridiculously talented... Shame he's not performing anymore
-
$leaze wrote:
maschochism tango and the elements are the best.
Videos
See more
Listeners
-
derobert
Listening now
to Be Prepared -
verylisa
Listening now
to The Elements (Live) -
BigDim
Listening now
to Lobachevsky -
Rimespiral
Top Listener
-
fjall
Top Listener
-
forsakendaemon
Top Listener
Recent Activity
-
PoyzunIvy added Tom Lehrer to PoyzunIvy’s library. 3 hours ago
-
SETOBOU tagged Tom Lehrer with piano, funny, humor and 2 other tags. 21 hours ago
-
SETOBOU and Lovig added Tom Lehrer to their libraries. 21 hours ago
-
A deleted user unlinked Tom Lehrer from Destroy Angst-Rock. yesterday morning
-
A deleted user connected Tom Lehrer to the group Destroy Angst-Rock. yesterday morning
-
Rabid_Groupie, SBBurzmali and namtao added Tom Lehrer to their libraries. yesterday morning
-
Gherkin13 tagged Tom Lehrer with ‘comedy’. Saturday afternoon
-
MrHalfway and cheezeecake added Tom Lehrer to their libraries. Saturday morning
-
normdotcom tagged Tom Lehrer with ‘comedy’. Friday evening
-
SaltyGato and Photojournik added Tom Lehrer to their libraries. Friday morning
Related Journals
-
Set List for The Zodiac- Friday 22nd January
by _danton_ |
24 Jan 2010 | 1 comment
-
How varied is your musical taste?
by Rissacakes |
7 Dec 2009 | 3 comments
-
Shuffle Survey :D
by Rundini |
23 Nov 2009 | Add comment
Groups (29)
-
The Masochism Tango
45 members
-
Filk
115 members
-
Extensive Musical Taste
29,625 members
-
Obscure Music Recommendations
889 members
-
Voice and Piano
665 members
More Information
- Links
- Labels
Email Newsletter
Get exclusive tour, release & promotion updates on Tom Lehrer from Universal Music.
