American singer and satirist Tom Lehrer has died at the age of 97, according to reports from US media outlets. Lehrer, who was a Harvard-trained mathematician, gained notoriety for his darkly satirical songs that often contained political commentary, earning popularity throughout the 1950s and 1960s. His work influenced many modern musicians, including popular parodist Weird Al Yankovic. The news of his passing was confirmed by David Herder, a close friend, to the New York Times.
Born in Manhattan in 1928, Lehrer was a gifted pianist, yet he dedicated much of his professional life to academia, with notable teaching positions at institutions such as Harvard University, MIT, and the University of California. Lehrer graduated at an impressively young age and went on to study mathematics at Harvard, obtaining his bachelor's degree in 1946 when he was just 18. Although he pursued a PhD at Columbia University, he did not complete it. While at Harvard, he began to write satirical songs, often for entertainment among friends.
Some of his most memorable tunes included "The Elements," an educational piece set to the melody of "I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General" from Gilbert and Sullivan's comic opera, and "The Masochism Tango," which humorously illustrated the dynamics of a turbulent romance. Lehrer also wrote famed dark ballads like "I Hold Your Hand in Mine," "I Got It From Agnes," which humorously addressed the spread of venereal diseases, and "Poisoning Pigeons in the Park," where he whimsically described the act of feeding pigeons peanuts laced with cyanide.
In 1953, Lehrer released "Songs by Tom Lehrer," a collection that was initially sold through mail order, leading to its immense success with over half a million copies sold. However, much of the music faced censorship, as the BBC banned the majority of the album the following year. This success catapulted Lehrer into the nightclub scene, performing at venues in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, and for various political events.
He wrote songs for the American adaptation of the British satire show "That Was the Week That Was," which included his controversial piece "Vatican Rag." His work also included sharply critical songs about nuclear war, with "We Will All Go Together When We Go" becoming particularly notable for its macabre humor. Lehrer continued to create for various platforms, including children's television shows like "The Electric Company," with a revival of his music seen in the 1980s through the revue "Tomfoolery."
Lehrer remained active in education until 2001, offering classes in mathematics and musical theatre. In a unique move in 2020, he placed the copyrights of his songs in the public domain, allowing free access for performances and interpretations, stating, "In short, I no longer retain any rights to any of my songs. So help yourselves, and don't send me any money." At the time of his passing, his website, which he warned could be shut down soon, was still operational.
