It’s a shame that many of our most clever musicians were avowed leftists. Thankfully, most conservatives are able to overlook misguided political views and still appreciate great art.
Lost amidst the slough of celebrity deaths over the past week was the passing at age 97 of Tom Lehrer: mathematician, songwriter, and generally irreverent icon of the 1960s. For Lehrer, songwriting was a hobby while he studied at Harvard, taught math, and even worked for the NSA. Yet it is for his music that most of us remember him today.
Lehrer’s style was a precursor to artists such as “Weird Al” Yankovic who parodied popular music and artists. He not only satirized current events, but did so using cheery piano tunes of a previous generation.
Lehrer drew from his experience in academia for some of his work. “The Elements”, putting the periodic table to music, specifically used a Gilbert & Sullivan tune, while others were his own compositions.
The dissonance between happy music and dark lyrics might best be exemplified by the classic “Poisoning Pigeons in the Park”:
On Twitter, David Hines pointed out that Lehrer worked for the NSA during the 1950s, but that fact was classified until only recently. That meant that a joke he inserted into the bibliography of a paper he wrote for the agency went unappreciated for sixty years:
For reference:
A few years ago, Lehrer released all his works into the public domain. Visit his website for lyrics and MP3 downloads.
Finally, Lehrer reminds us to always look for the silver lining in any situation:
Life is serious, but never lose your joy. Rest in piece Tom Lehrer, and thank you for the music.
Feature image by Jan Persson / Redferns / Getty
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About Brian Almon
Brian Almon is the Editor of the Gem State Chronicle. He also serves as Chairman of the District 14 Republican Party and is a trustee of the Eagle Public Library Board. He lives with his wife and five children in Eagle.
