Tom Lehrer, 1928 – 2025
By “Poisoning Pigeons In The Park” was the sort of song a nerdy young girl needed to hear in 1959, along with “The Old Dope Peddler.” He provided a large number of songs devoted to our nuclear fears as well. “We Will All Go Together When We Go.”
The world changed and so did he, becoming quieter. Recently, as we find many fears, his songs have had a revival of popularity. And now he’s gone, after a 97-year run.
He was a mathematician who might have gone to Los Alamos, but he went in a different direction. His songs helped keep many of us more balanced than we might have been. A nice summary with songs at the New York Times.