Tom Lehrer, Beloved Satirist and Performer, Dead At 97
Lehrer was famous for many songs satirizing American life in the 1950s and 1960s, including "National Brotherhood Week" and "We Will All Go Together When We Go."
Thomas Andrew Lehrer, beloved American satirist and musician, passed away today (Sunday) at the age of 47, according to his Facebook fan club. He was 97.
Born to secular Jewish parents in New York City, Lehrer was best known for his songs filled with dark humor ("Poisoning Pigeons in the Park," "The Masochism Tango," "My Home Town").
He also wrote and performed many songs that satirized the politics of the United States in the 1950s and early 1960s, such as songs on possible nuclear war ("We Will All Go Together When We Go," "So Long Mom, I'm Off To Drop The Bomb"), American intervention policy ("Send The Marines"), and even efforts to increase love among different groups in American society ("National Brotherhood Week").
Although he never officially explained why he stopped performing in the mid-1960s, some speculate that Lehrer was put off by the radicalism of many activists at the time, and that while he sought to lightly mock society, they wished to tear it down.
Lehrer worked for most of his life as a mathematics professor.
All his songs are in the public domain, and can be enjoyed by everyone today.