Tom Lehrer, Musical Satirist Whose Influence Peaked in the ’50s and ’60s, Dies at 97

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Tom Lehrer, a mathematician and satirist whose musical influence peaked in the 1950s and ’60s with his topical songs, died Saturday. He was 97.

Lehrer died at his home in Cambridge, Massachusetts, his friend, David Herder, told The New York Times.

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Born in Manhattan on April 9, 1928, Lehrer had a passion for piano from a young age. Though he never let his love for music distract from his academic career, either. As a math prodigy, he went on to study mathematics at Harvard at age 15, graduating with his bachelor’s degree in 1946. He later earned his master’s from Harvard the following year and then worked on a doctorate there and at Columbia University for the next several years, but never completed his Ph.D. thesis.

Throughout his time in school, Lehrer started writing songs in his free time. He eventually recorded his first solo album, Songs of Tom Lehrer, in 1953, which became a surprise hit. This led him to perform in nightclubs and concerts across the country.

Following a two-year stint in the Army, he later released his sophomore outing, More of Tom Lehrer, in 1959, as well as a live album, An Evening Wasted With Tom Lehrer. After, he went back on tour.

Known for his humorous and often political songs, some of Lehrer’s biggest hits included “The Elements,” “The Masochism Tango,” “The Wild West Is Where I Want to Be,” “I Hold Your Hand in Mine” and “The Old Dope Peddler,” to name a few.

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In the mid-1960s, several of his songs were also used in the satirical comedy TV show, That Was the Week That Was, hosted by David Frost.

Lehrer released his third album, That Was the Year That Was, in 1965, which peaked at No. 18 on the American album charts. Despite his success, he ultimately gave up performing for good after a concert in Copenhagen in 1967.

He later wrote some additional songs for the PBS children’s series, The Electric Company, in 1971, but he never again toured or released any more albums. Instead, he turned his focus to teaching for the remainder of his career, including jobs at Harvard, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of California. He also worked at the Atomic Energy Commission for a period.

Lehrer has no immediate survivors.

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