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Tom Lehrer RIP

(44 Posts)
Allira Tue 29-Jul-25 15:53:21

Magenta8

He had a special brand of black humour. I remember laughing out loud at "Poisoning the Pigeons in the Park" and then thinking I shouldn't have.

Oh, looking at our garden I often remember that song and at 5am this morning I was tempted 😁

Allira Tue 29-Jul-25 15:51:41

I played one of his songs on YouTube a couple of weeks ago.

'Poisoning Pigeons in the Park'
Not as it sounds, it was written when Brooklyn Council (I think) proposed doing just that!

RIP Tom Lehrer, Genius.
You will be missed but not forgotten.

Oreo Tue 29-Jul-25 15:09:23

Gogo84

I too had a recording of his songs. So clever and irreverent. Many favourites but the one which springs to mind " I hold your hand in mine dear, I press it to my lips, I take a healthy bite from your dainty fingertips.......until they come to get me I'll hold your hand in mine" Really! Gruesome but all the verses funny.

Tbh I think some of his stuff was somewhat stomach churning.
That song goes on, ‘I don’t know why I do it, or why you had to die, as every time I do it I get bloodstains on my tie’.
I prefer the Alan Sherman songs, remember Camp Granada?

WithNobsOnIt Tue 29-Jul-25 14:50:46

Iam64

He was so funny and clever. We lack the like of him now

He belonged to the American Elite if Satirists like Mort Sahl.

Hugely intelligent.

Great loss

Suzieque66 Tue 29-Jul-25 14:31:32

I just love the. Vatican Rag ...

Gogo84 Tue 29-Jul-25 14:22:43

I too had a recording of his songs. So clever and irreverent. Many favourites but the one which springs to mind " I hold your hand in mine dear, I press it to my lips, I take a healthy bite from your dainty fingertips.......until they come to get me I'll hold your hand in mine" Really! Gruesome but all the verses funny.

missdeke Tue 29-Jul-25 13:52:26

I honestly cannot remember him at all. I don't know why, I just had a listen on Youtube and it rings no bells at all.

Magenta8 Tue 29-Jul-25 12:38:59

Two legends from my childhood gone in one week. RIP tom and Cleo.

watermeadow Mon 28-Jul-25 19:11:59

I loved him, so clever and so funny. He was the sound track of my youth, along with Joan Baez.

Magenta8 Mon 28-Jul-25 14:50:13

He had a special brand of black humour. I remember laughing out loud at "Poisoning the Pigeons in the Park" and then thinking I shouldn't have.

M0nica Mon 28-Jul-25 14:26:17

He was viciously funny with a laser wit that cut to the core.

Iam64 Mon 28-Jul-25 13:25:34

He was so funny and clever. We lack the like of him now

CountessFosco Mon 28-Jul-25 13:20:08

He graduated from Harvard aged only 19 - not many people manage that feat

Witzend Mon 28-Jul-25 12:41:59

Back in the Dark Ages, my elder sister had an LP of his hilarious songs. What possibly tickled me even more, though, was what was printed on the back of the sleeve: ‘To clean record, use a fairly dry Martini.’ 😂

silverlining48 Mon 28-Jul-25 12:34:23

Yes he was amusing. He was 97 I believe, RIP.

Grandma70s Mon 28-Jul-25 12:30:49

How we adored him in the 60s! Clever. unassuming. Very funny. Much American entertainment tended to be low quality, but he was very different.

Grammaretto Mon 28-Jul-25 12:17:10

He was so clever and very funny.
Songs like Pollution are still very relevant toda, unfortunately.

The Vatican Rag springs to mind. 😂

Grantanow Mon 28-Jul-25 11:59:28

RIP. A truly great satirical.

CountessFosco Mon 28-Jul-25 11:55:29

Absolute genius and oh so amusing. Bit naughty too, but he entertained millions who still quote his wonderful songs today. Thinking ..... The Elements. Articulation and enunciation simply brilliant. RIP