Open Thread - 31 July 2025 - Goodbye Tom
Goodbye Tom
Tom Lehrer passed away last week at the age of 97. He lived a long, and good, life and I am extremely grateful for the music he made, and the teaching he did. I hadn't realized how much his songs, funny and sarcastic as they are, and old, ohh yes, they are old I guess, had influenced me during my young years. After all, most of his songs were written before I was born, or in the years after I was born, but before I was a teenager.
One of the first times I heard his music was at high school: in chemistry class. After all, what other way is it easy to learn the elemental table than by singing? Of course, this is just the names of the elements, but it's a start!
Sing along, if you can remember all the elements! 
I often listened to a radio show called Dr. Demento around that same time, and the Doc played a lot of Tom Lehrer songs, even though they were 'old' by then. I didn't always understand the reality behind Lehrer's political songs back then, but I do now. And some of those songs, the anti-war ones, really have stuck with me all through my life. For example: So long, Mom, I'm off to Drop a Bomb!
And here's one about ancient history! How in the heck my parents let me get away with listening to this one, I'm not sure. I think it's because they didn't know I was listening to Dr. Demento holed up in my room while supposedly doing homework. Hah!
Here's another song, the Masochism Tango. Yes, I wanted to ask my parents what masochism meant, but I decided to use a dictionary instead and look it up. Glad I did!
Finally, just because, here's a link to that entire Lehrer concert in Copenhagen, in 1967. It's fun! By the way, Dr. Demento just retired after 55 years on radio. Dang, this ages me!
There are so many more of Lehrer's songs as I'm sure you know, but the above is a small taste of them. Enjoy and tell us about others you might have enjoyed. And here's the open thread! What's up, whatcha doing? Reading? Thinking? Remember, everything is interesting if you dive deep enough, so tell us about where you're diving!
Comments
Yes, I still remeber Dr. Demento
.
from my youth (relatively speaking)
not sure where, do not care, but did
make some impressive indentations
on my mind which still exist to a certain
extent. Lehrer is only a vague memory
due to the fog of time I think?
Doesn't matter so much but thanks for the OT
Zionism is a social disease
Wow, what a song...
I heard this as a little kid, but didn't understand. Hearing it again, I sure do understand now. I bet my uncle, who served two tours in Vietnam, knew this song and could relate. Thank you.
Dr. Demento introduced me to Weird Al Yancovic and Frank Zappa, As well as Tom Lehrer. Have to admit, I'm grateful for that.
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Good morning, sima!
I am enjoying coffee, watching 4 deer grazing and occasionally romping around the pasture. I found out something recently that really bothers me. Let's say a parent is allowed weekend visitation with his kids, and just keeps them, failing to return them home at the court ordered time.
It is, by code, something that can get him held in contempt and sent to jail for up to 6 months. It requires filing a civil suit. It is also on the books that the failure to return the kids is a felony. Family law judges want to cops to handle it, and cops say it is a civil matter. If you do manage to get it heard in family law court, it is pointless. Sheriff's will refuse to jail them. Jails are full, cells should be reserved for criminals, not stupid parents.
What helps the kids? Why are the jails so overcrowded? What kind of society have we become?
And why am I so late for work?
Thanks for the OT, chica!
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
@on the cusp Good Morning, Sima
Good Morning, Sima
OTC, when you recognize that most local governments are broke and the jails are full, you will understand that the rule of law is dead. I do believe it is coming back, however. Slowly. . .
Hey, BBC!
Something close to 70% of my county's budget comes from traffic tickets and low level misdemeanor convictions. The probation department pays for itself with monthly fees.
Cops sort of get tips from whatever they get out of impounded vehicles.
A guy recently told me he plead guilty to possessing 2 lbs. of pot. Thing is, he had 5 lbs. on him. You take it from there, friend!
Always great to hear from you!
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Rule of law is dead...
Sure seems to be in some ways.
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Good questions...
But first, have fun watching the deer! Hubby and I are really enjoying watching the swallows and other birds right now. The swallows which nest in the far north are starting to come down south, and we've got the local swallows, who haven't left yet. Dang, they have flocks of hundreds. And, we've got the hummingbirds who zip by at lightning speed about 6 inches from our heads at times. Love them.
Why are the jails so overcrowded? Hmm, the government won't pay for them, and also won't pay for alternatives, like the help that so many need. What happens to the kids? I wish I could say good things, but... I'm dubious. If they are lucky a good relative steps in. If not... Bleh. Our country is so big on pulling yourself up by the boot straps and so on, that it seems few of us can recognize that a boot strap pull from the extreme bottom of society is not the same as one from the upper middle class. And so much more, so much more...
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Memories, February 1992
At a sci-fi convention, gathered around a player piano, singing old Tom Lehrer songs, which were well represented on the rolls. I put particular effort into "Fight Fiercely, Harvard" because this was during the Albertville Winter Olympics and Harvard's Paul Wylie was unexpectedly (by everyone but me) in contention for a medal. (I'd thought he had a shot at bronze if the stars aligned correctly, and was quite pleased he pulled out a silver.)
There is no justice. There can be no peace.
Great Memories!
Now, you've inspired me to remember the Sci-Fi conventions I went to. Maybe I ought to bring those memories up to date and go to the convention next year in Seattle... hmmm.
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
I am definitely in
a period of mourning for him. His music was everywhere around my college, which is not at all surprising given that we were all a bunch of nerds, and you needed to be ready to swing into any of his tunes at the drop of a hat, especially where alcohol was involved. In any case, his music, and his humor, was a big part of my development as a nerd.
He lived just off campus in Cambridge, and I actually got to meet him in person in 1979. We were desperately trying to coax him out of retirement to do one final show at Kresge Hall, but alas- it was not to be. If he was going to do such a thing, it would have been at Hahvahd, not our little low-budget nerd school down the street. That would have been a beautiful thing, had we been able to make it come to pass. Ahh, well- such is life...
Twice bitten, permanently shy.
Such is life
.
Ain't always the grandest
but it is somewhat interesting
upon reflection
Zionism is a social disease
His music...
It was everywhere around my High School. He was teaching close by, at U of Santa Cruz, at that time. He never played songs in public anymore (might have in his classes?) but I remember when I first started going to night clubs and local concerts at the end of High School the ones in Santa Cruz would often start with a Lehrer song playing over the loud speakers. Heh! Memories!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
I recall some of us discovering Tom in High School,
thanks in part to College siblings and a local fm station (yes they had fm back then, mostly jazz and blues/folk) Remembering that enables ermembering some of the crew who were into his music, strangely enugh.
be well and have a good one
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
One memory leads to another
Doesn't it? Often times that's good, sometimes it hurts really bad. My memories of Tom's songs led me to Dr. Demento memories, which then led me to remembering listening to his radio show while working in the photo darkroom with my Dad when I was a teen. Good memories, even if I have to acknowledge that I can't tell Dad about them anymore, since he's gone, like Tom.
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Major Tom
.
Per Bowie
Zionism is a social disease
This is the only song I ever heard his perform.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Love that song!
It still comes into my mind when I hear about nuclear threats and so on, and how the 'big, important', people somehow think a nuke won't threaten or hurt them.
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
OH NO! First I'd heard.
I was kind of wishing he'd at least live to see someone vaporize Bush and Cheney for him....
As for Dr. Demento, I didn't realize he'd still been on the air up until now! I might've tried tuning in at some point if I'd only known!
In the Land of the Blind, the One-Eyed Man is declared mentally ill for describing colors.
Yes Virginia, there is a Global Banking Conspiracy!
He did outlive Kissinger, at least
and Nixon and Reagan and more... yea, so many bad dudes! Sheez! I sure don't like what that sez about our country.
I think you can go to Dr. Demento's webpage (I linked it above) and listen to some of his shows, but am not sure. Just diving into that myself!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
for many odd reasons
.
have no recollection of Tom Lehrer what so ever
perhaps I was raised under an umbrella of ignorance ?
would love to do a memory check with my friends and
relatives, but they are already dead and don't talk much
anymore
Zionism is a social disease