Are you familiar with Tom Lehrer?
Posted by WerewolfCalm5178@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 124 comments
As the judge remarked the day that he acquired my aunt Hortense, to be smut it must be utterly without redeeming social importance.
Lady-Kat1969@reddit
Two game wardens, seven hunters, and a cow…
Sallyfifth@reddit
Wasn't he a Boy Scout?
polelover44@reddit
Lot of people talking about how great his music was but let's not forget he also invented the Jello shot
WerewolfCalm5178@reddit (OP)
I refuse to acknowledge anyone as the creator of any alcoholic item. Because at some point, someone is going to say/ask, "But what if we put alcohol in it?"
V-8, what if we put alcohol in it? Orange juice, what if we put alcohol in it? Soda, what if we put alcohol in it?
You know something? Coffee is a great way to give me some pep in the morning... But what if we put alcohol in it?
blessings-of-rathma@reddit
"Once rockets go up Who cares where they come down? That's not my department!" Says Wernher von Braun.
the_quark@reddit
My daughter — a huge space and rocketry fan — when she was like 12 asked me if anyone thought it was like…weird that the head of NASA during the Apollo was an ex-Nazi and I played that song for her in response.
blessings-of-rathma@reddit
He wasn't the head of NASA but my husband says this is a talking point for conspiracy theorists who believe we never went to the Moon. I'm not sure why the provenance of the rocket scientists would be a clue. I guess everything is a clue when you want to believe something badly enough.
the_quark@reddit
Thank you for the correction, I should've known that. And yeah you'd think if you were doing a conspiracy to pretend to go to the moon you'd roll out some old guy pretending to be Goddard, not a Nazi.
Even-Breakfast-8715@reddit
And I’m learning Chinese, says Werner vonBraun
PrimaryHighlight5617@reddit
I sent that song to my buddy last year after his Grandpa died 😂😂 Dude was imported after world war II to work in aerospace.... If you catch my drift 😬
Ms-Metal@reddit
I believe he Poisons Pigeons in the Park, does the Masochism Tango and can sing the entire Periodic Table of Elements. That's off the top of my head, so I could have gotten one of those wrong but I don't think I did. The Elements song is my favorite.
rantmb331@reddit
Don't forget the Vatican Rag.
dwhite21787@reddit
While doing New Math
brak-0666@reddit
So simple that only a child can do it.
boomer-rage@reddit
Bow your head with great respect and g neglect, genuflect, genuflect
wongo@reddit
Literally in the NYT crossword today, if that counts as a yardstick for social relevance.
segascream@reddit
"We Will All Go Together When We Go" was on my pandemic playlist.
Mudlark-000@reddit
I am.
He released all his song copyrights a few years ago and made all his albums free on his web site: https://tomlehrersongs.com/
dwhite21787@reddit
It’s worth reading his copyright release text
Remarkable_Table_279@reddit
Can’t decide which is best: “which is merely me in another hat, “ Or “ So help yourselves, and don’t send me any money.”
Remarkable_Table_279@reddit
I hold your hand in mine dear
SnapHackelPop@reddit
I figured this was an “am I too young for this or something?” situation and I was correct lol
TheOwlMarble@reddit
Eh, most of his stuff is still applicable today and can be found on YouTube and such.
About the only thing that'll be confusing is New Math, which is in reference to a major pedagogical movement at the time to change how math was taught to kids.
botulizard@reddit
Even that might be somewhat applicable today given the controversies in recent years surrounding the Common Core curriculum and specifically the way math is taught within it.
Remarkable_Table_279@reddit
My mom was a teacher for decades (kindergarten at school they didn’t do new math or if they did just called it math)…a few years ago one of her grandkids needed help with homework she called me “I don’t understand what do I do…is this that new math I heard about?” “First, mom why did you call me I take off my shoes to count to 20. Second, new math was when I was a kid. This is new new math. And I don’t know it cause I don’t have kids nor am I around kids except when I visit you (again why ask me?)…but I see three options. You (or I) can google it and try that way. You can help the way you’d helped up for decades. Or you can say “let’s save that for when your parent come home. Got any English homework”” I think mom went with let’s just ignore it…but I did like my calling if new new math 🤣😂
WerewolfCalm5178@reddit (OP)
Maybe you are wrong...
You aren't too young to do a quick Google search of Tom Lehrer and spend a minute listening to his songs....
Come back and respond after 60 seconds of his music and tell me your opinion.
Lower_Neck_1432@reddit
Immediately!
Immediately!
Im-me-di-at-L-Y! Bye Bye!
SnapHackelPop@reddit
Seems like a good egg to me lol
rojoshow13@reddit
No, but I guess I'll have to Google him.
HarlequinKOTF@reddit
I'm familiar enough with him and his music, didn't he live to be like 100?
Lugbor@reddit
From the other comments, I'm assuming it's a music thing?
gus_in_4k@reddit
I am, because I am a slightly cultured nerd.
minlillabjoern@reddit
Genuflect, genuflect, genuflect!
WerewolfCalm5178@reddit (OP)
As a non-Catholic Christian, I had to look up what that word meant. But I also had to look up transubstantiate. 🙄
CupBeEmpty@reddit
Freakin proddies. Do you not read the catechism at all?
I feel like it’s a sin to listen to listen to Vatican Rag but I’ve been doing it nearly my whole life… and lifelong sin is kind of Catholic thing you know.
Now that I live near Boston and take the T… I think you know the song.
dwhite21787@reddit
My favorite thing about Boston is the Charlie card
CupBeEmpty@reddit
My daughter used to love Charlie on the MTA. I took her by train for a Boston visit and showed her the card and told her that was Charlie.
The amount of childlike glee on her face was incredible. I warned her we may never return.
El-Mas-Vetado@reddit
"As sole copyright owner of 'The Old Dope Peddler', I grant you motherfuckers permission to do this. Please give my regards to Mr. Chainz, or may I call him 2?"
scolbath@reddit
The best part is that any of us can sing a Tom Lehrer song! He put all of his lyrics and music in the public domain! https://tomlehrersongs.com/
sometimes-i-rhyme@reddit
All the world seems in tune on a Spring afternoon
Stegalosauradon@reddit
When we're poisoning pigeons in the park
Dawn-Storm@reddit
But during National Brotherhood Week...😂
botulizard@reddit
Fight Fiercely, Harvard is a riot.
Current_Poster@reddit
I adored the letter he wrote to 2 Chainz allowing him to use "The Old Dope Peddler" as a sample track.
papercranium@reddit
Grew up on his stuff! So hilarious.
TsundereLoliDragon@reddit
Yes, and Spike Jones.
JosephBlowsephThe3rd@reddit
Eating an orange whilst making love makes for bizarre enjoyment thereof
Gooble211@reddit
Supposedly he invented jello shots to smuggle booze into his university dorms.
Lower_Neck_1432@reddit
That was his claim, but jello shots were around earlier than that.
minnick27@reddit
My senior quote in the yearbook was, “Life is like a sewer. What you get out of it depends on what you put into it.”
Lower_Neck_1432@reddit
By Hen3ry.
sideshow--@reddit
Poor Aunt Hortense...
WerewolfCalm5178@reddit (OP)
The Supreme Court backed her up. 😜
Lower_Neck_1432@reddit
Against the wall, repeatedly.
streetsmart25@reddit
He taught me how to do math in base 8 🤪
Lower_Neck_1432@reddit
That's just base 10...if you're missing two finger!
Lower_Neck_1432@reddit
Por-
Nographic pictures I adore
Indecent magazines galore
I like them more
If they're hardcore!
Current_Mongoose_844@reddit
I grew up listening to him. One of America's greatest satirists.
SixtiesKid@reddit
From a song he wrote for The Electric Company (kids' program):
You're wearing your squeaky shoes
And right there taking a snooze
Is a tiger, so how do you walk on by?
Silently ... silently ... silent ... L-Y
sometimes-i-rhyme@reddit
Two, four, six, eight
Time to transubstantiate
CupBeEmpty@reddit
It is Sunday…
WerewolfCalm5178@reddit (OP)
My stepfather is a Lutheran pastor and he introduced me to this album...
We had a lot of conversations about the songs and the words and their meaning.
CupBeEmpty@reddit
Very.
I think I first heard him on a cassette of the Dr. Demento radio show my dad had.
He hits as hard today as he did 30+ years ago.
As a devout Catholic he nailed it in Vatican Rag but I like National Brotherhood Week.
CleverGirlRawr@reddit
Never heard of him, no.
Spirited-Way2406@reddit
You are one of today's Lucky 10,000! Google and giggle. Be warned, though--his songs get stuck in your head!
Spirited-Way2406@reddit
"Here I stand, my heart in my hand--yechhh!"
sapphireminds@reddit
All his works are creative commons! :D
My son can do the full Elements song :D
JennyPaints@reddit
Alma tell us, all modern women are jealous
riarws@reddit
Which of your magical wands got you Gustav and Walther and Franz?
JennyPaints@reddit
I will hold your hand in mine dear
riarws@reddit
Hell yes
WerewolfCalm5178@reddit (OP)
That woman rocked!
It isn't just the ladies that can learn a lesson from her. Guys... Alma did it, take notice.
DrBlankslate@reddit
Acquired? Sir, I believe you mean "acquitted."
Kaurifish@reddit
At my senior prom, my date spent most of the night trying to convince the DJ to play Lehrer. Finally relented near the end and played “Silent E.”
His WWIII songs come into my head a lot lately.
Recently discovered a site with lyrics and music - and there are Lehrer songs I haven’t heard yet!
lbebrooks@reddit
First you get down on your knees, fiddle with your rosaries, bow you head with great respect and Genuflect, Genuflect, Genuflect!
matthewsmugmanager@reddit
Make a cross on your abdomen
When in Rome do like a Roman
Ave Maria, gee it's good to see ya
Getting ecstatic and
Sorta dramatic and
Doing the Vatican Rag!
flp_ndrox@reddit
Yes, but my Spotify age was 78
WerewolfCalm5178@reddit (OP)
Don't say that he's hypocritical. Say rather that he's apolitical.
Once the rockets are up, who cares where they come down. That's not my department says....
SeniorScientist-2679@reddit
The entire elements song lives rent-free in my brain. Thanks, Tom! RIP.
brooklynrockz@reddit
Me too !
Parking_Champion_740@reddit
Pollution pollution, you can use the latest toothpaste. Then rinse your mouth with industrial waste
mobyhead1@reddit
“One of my favorite inspirational stories is that of a young necrophiliac who achieved his boyhood dream of becoming a coroner.”
scattered laughter from the audience
“The rest of you can look it up when you get home.”
Parking_Champion_740@reddit
Yes I’m Gen X and my family used to love his songs, we had several records. Since I was a kid I didn’t understand all the political nuances though
syncopatedchild@reddit
Poisoning Pigeons in the Park is a source of eternal delight.
WerewolfCalm5178@reddit (OP)
It is... And I love squirrels. But I get an extra chuckle out of doing in one of them too.
Cool-Coffee-8949@reddit
Let no one else’s work evade your eyes.
HippityHopMath@reddit
I thought about putting this quote in the introduction section of my math dissertation.
My advisor didn’t like the idea for some reason.
WerewolfCalm5178@reddit (OP)
If he had met Nikolai Ivanovich Lobachevsky it is understandable.
jlsteiner728@reddit
Ah! You know the secret to success in mathematics!
Only be sure always to call it please, research.
PrimaryHighlight5617@reddit
Yes! I'm 28 years old and his music was instrumental in impressing upon me as a young child that we were currently in a nuclear arms race with Russia 😂😂
My Dad loved playing old cartoons for me as a kid and listening to old music. The problem is this, you can't see music and cartoons don't necessarily "look" old. I had no frame of reference so I just kind of adopted the mindset that yeah Russia could drop a nuke at any time.
I remember being 9 years old and hearing somebody talk about the cold war in the past tense when it all kind of clicked for me this wasnt and a thing that was relevant to my life.
Remember to duck and cover!
WerewolfCalm5178@reddit (OP)
But it's not against any religion to want to dispose of the pigeon.
JadeHarley0@reddit
The GOAT
tumunu@reddit
We'll try to stay serene and calm...when Alabama gets the bomb!
thepineapplemen@reddit
Who’s next, who’s next, who’s next?
IKillPigeons@reddit
Poisoning Pigeons in the Park was his greatest work of art.
MakeStupidHurtAgain@reddit
Sorry, couldn’t hear you, I was longing for the touch of his whip, dear.
c8bb8ge@reddit
A childhood favorite, thanks to my dad - very influential as to my sense of humor.
amnycya@reddit
Of course. Who’s next?
retreff@reddit
First you get down on your knees Fiddle with your rosary Bow your head with great respect Genuflect, genuflect
CompetitionPuzzled30@reddit
Acquitted, not acquired.
sundial11sxm@reddit
Yes!
Building_a_life@reddit
I don't care if it rains or freezes
As long as I've got my plastic Jesus
On the dashboard of my car!
Mermaidprincess16@reddit
We will all go together when we go!
TheOwlMarble@reddit
"Once the rockets go up, who cares where they come down? That's not my department," says Werner von Braun.
WerewolfCalm5178@reddit (OP)
The first time I heard the "Elements" song my brain went to The Pirates of Penzance and thought it was going to be a version of a modern major general.
It wasn't and it isn't.
Tom Lehrer is the only person that doesn't make me think that "maybe we'll do in a squirrel or two" is automatically offensive.
I mean we should have perspective. If I'm poisoning pigeons, why do the squirrels get a free pass?
JoyDVeeve@reddit
From the Bible to the popular song There's one theme that we find right along Of all ideals they hail as good The most sublime is motherhood
jlsteiner728@reddit
Not only did she do them wrong…
She did everyone of them in.
Wide_Breadfruit_2217@reddit
"Fell into the foamy brine! Dig that crazy Clementine!"
TheBlueLeopard@reddit
Yes, but only because my wife introduced me to his music.
Dakotasunsets@reddit
Learned the elements from him. Clever tune, some should put that in a musical or something...wait.../s
He was awesome, he spawned one of my favorite quotes, "Always predict the worst and you'll be hailed a prophet."
Great man.
Alpha1964@reddit
We’ll all go together when we go! And political satire became obsolete when Henry Kissinger win the Nobel Peace Prize.
ofBlufftonTown@reddit
The best. “I’ll look for you when the war is over—an hour and a half from now!”
Smart_Engine_3331@reddit
Yes. Im aware of him and have seen him on TV.
Norwester77@reddit
Yes! My dad was a big fan, and I used to listen to his records growing up.
indicus23@reddit
I fucking love Tom Lehrer. A true legend, a genius of satire. His musical commentaries on various Cold War issues deserve to be held up next to more frequently celebrated media like Kubrick's Dr. Strangelove.
Curmudgy@reddit
He had the best understanding of nuclear proliferation.
justdisa@reddit
[hums a few bars of Poisoning Pigeons in the Park]
i-am-garth@reddit
And everybody hates the Jews.
sometimes-i-rhyme@reddit
Take your cigarette from its holder
And burn your initials in my shoulder
Freyjas_child@reddit
Grew up on his songs!
Blue387@reddit
Yes
justlikeinmydreams@reddit
Love him.
BoulderNerd@reddit
Yes, I have his CD set.
Head_Staff_9416@reddit
But always be sure to call it research!