Who was Tom Lehrer, legendary satirist behind ‘Elements' dies at 97?
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From $40 studio time to national TV
Born in New York to a Jewish family, he started piano at 7, devoured the American songbook, and could mimic any style on the keys. A prodigy, he entered Harvard at 15, graduated magna cum laude in 1946, collected a master's a year later, and noodled on a doctorate for years. In 1953, for $40, he cut 'Songs of Tom Lehrer' in a Boston studio - cover art: Lehrer as a devil at the piano. Passed hand to hand on campuses, it sold 10,000 copies and made him an underground star, according to Variety.
The follow-up, More of Tom Lehrer (1959), arrived after his Army stint and delivered staples like The Elements, The Masochism Tango and Poisoning Pigeons in the Park. Time magazine promptly slotted him with the era's 'sick' comics - Lenny Bruce, Mort Sahl - a badge he wore just fine. Live, he packaged the material as 'An Evening Wasted With Tom Lehrer.'
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'TW3,' Reprise, and the long fade back to class
Tom achieved national fame with NBC's 'That Was the Week That Was' in 1965. His Reprise LP 'That Was the Year That Was' peaked at No. 18, taking aim at prejudice ('National Brotherhood Week'), nukes ('So Long Mom'), the Church ('The Vatican Rag'), and education ('The New Math'). He later wrote songs for 'The Electric Company,' stumped at McGovern fundraisers in 1972, and then mostly retreated to academia, teaching math and musical theater at UC Santa Cruz, reports Variety. Lehrer never married and had no children.
FAQs
How old was Tom Lehrer when he died?
He was 97.
Where did Tom Lehrer teach?
He taught mathematics at Harvard and later at UC Santa Cruz.
What TV show boosted his national profile?
NBC's That Was the Week That Was in 1965.
What are some of his most famous songs?
'The Vatican Rag,' 'The Masochism Tango,' 'Poisoning Pigeons in the Park,' and 'The Elements.'
Did Tom Lehrer ever marry?
No, he never married and left no children.
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