Tom Lehrer

Tom Lehrer (1928–2025) was an American songwriter, singer, pianist and mathematician. His witty, often political songs, many of them parodies of popular musical styles set to his own melodies, became popular in the 1950s and 1960s.

His early songs, such as “Poisoning Pigeons in the Park”, delighted in dark humour. In the 1960s he turned to the social and political issues of the day, writing many songs for the American version of the television show That Was the Week That Was.

In the early 1970s he largely stepped back from performing to teach mathematics and musical theater history at the University of California, Santa Cruz. He placed his songs and lyrics in the public domain. His catalogue is on Black Rage Records.