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It takes mischievous talent to pen skits and ditties of the sort we're used to hearing from today's political satirist; the songs from Capital Steps for example; the occasional witty observance from the Daily Show. It takes irrascable genious to write a song in 1965 poking fun at the Pentagon's unpenetrable logic which appears taken from the headlines of 2005:
"When someone makes a move/ Of which we don't approve,
Who is it that always intervenes? /The UN and OAS all have their place I guess/But first send the Marines!"
Lest you think, however, that this is yet another bash-the-hawkish-conservatives comedian, Lehrer leaves nobody unscathed by his wit. This includes the Sputnik-phobic education system, which is so intent on producing brilliant mathematicians it has just introduced the "new math" policy (being a mathematician--Lehrer was at the time a mathematics professor at Harvard--he is especially good at lampooning this benighted lunacy), which Mr. Lehrer dices, slices and juliennes in a song for which he provides absolutely useless visual aids in the jewel cover insert. "The Vatican Rag" could hurt the feelings of the Catholic feint of heart, but in truth, it's just a hyperbole on the fact that everyone expected Vatican Two to get the church to really let things loose. Which, of course, it didn't. After all, it's the church. They couldn't exactly go back and re-write everything. My two very favorite songs have also stood the test of time: "National Brotherhood Week" and "The Folk Song Army." Both attack what we now call "political correctness" , the first by reminding us of that old adage, you can't legislate morality. But "The Folk Song Army" is an absolute gem. "We all hate poverty, war and injustice,unlike the rest of you squares." You will never hear folk music the same way again, you'll always be asking yourself....but isn't everyone against that? Do these people ever take an unpopular or courageous stand?
It's hard to choose which CD to buy first from Tom's collection; the songs on this CD happen to be the most memorable for me. You can't lose with any of his recordings, but this one will certainly do as an introduction to his sharp wit and breezy interaction with the audience.
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Reviews with images
Tom Lehrer
His "humorous" songs from 1968 fit our political/social world today with some name changes of people and/or countries now, proving that nothing changes. He was a Harvard math professor, and the songs were recorded with an audience there. I have to admit it remains one of my all-time favorites, and I had to replace my original disc which I bought in 1968. His compilations on another disc are not political but are engaging and funny.
Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on April 9, 2021
His "humorous" songs from 1968 fit our political/social world today with some name changes of people and/or countries now, proving that nothing changes. He was a Harvard math professor, and the songs were recorded with an audience there. I have to admit it remains one of my all-time favorites, and I had to replace my original disc which I bought in 1968. His compilations on another disc are not political but are engaging and funny.
Images in this review
Reviewed in the United States on February 12, 2012
Reviewed in the United States on June 1, 2021
Reviewed in the United States on April 28, 2014
Reviewed in the United States on December 5, 2022
Reviewed in the United States on November 26, 2013
Top reviews from other countries
Gerhard Nostalgie
satirischer Song über Alma Mahler auf der CD
Reviewed in Germany on January 17, 2020
Shaolin_monkey
Lehrer's greatest work?
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 23, 2010B. Arthur
Hilarious and still chillingly relevant
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 27, 2013