Tom Lehrer Full Copenhagen Performance
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- čas přidán 18. 08. 2013
- I hope you enjoy this excellent performance by Mr. Tom Lehrer. He is one of the most amazing comedian/singer i have ever heard. I hope you enjoy. PS. I'm not Tom Lehrer. Im a person who enjoys him.
Tech Specs
Format: Ampex Quadruplex PAL 4:3
Status: Only full version on youtube
Recorded on: Sony Digital Betacam - Komedie
The Best thing about this particular concert is that his explanations to the audience now provide a perfect historical context
this is one reason I enjoy this too
@@mariann1982 I know right.
It’s lucky because otherwise so much of the cleverness would be lost on most of the modern audience 😅
@@mariann1982 P6l
@@mariann1982 lpp,
I met him in 1972 where i grew up in St. Louis. He did a fund raising private performance at the home of a friend of my dad's. Believe it or not it was for George McGovern for Prez. I was 14 and sat on a Persian rug, not 15 feet away from Tom's piano. He had flaming red hair, which we cannot discern from these old black and white videos. I was in heaven, having memorized all his songs from the vinyl record albums some two years earlier. I asked him if I could accompany him performing the Elements! He laughed and said Maybe Next Time! He then did a perfect rendition of it for everyone there. I was playing piano and organ by then, and my dad, after the show, asked Tom if he would consider coming to our house to perform at a dinner party my dad would throw and pay him well to do so... once again, he politely demurred. But I was so infatuated with just meeting him and seeing him perform that I didn't even care. I was 14 then. I'm 65 now and remember every detail from that evening like it was yesterday. Funny how the brain works eh? I can't remember what I had for lunch yesterday. Sigh...
what an awesome memory! You're so lucky your Dad had the connections!
i similarly had the lyrics to all of "Songs by Tom Lehrer" memorized, except it was at a single-digit age. my parents forbade me to listen to the album, and especially to not play it for my little friends for fear that they'd be publicly flogged by the neighbors. i did so nevertheless. there were at least a few snippets whose meaning escaped me; a few words that i didn't know but could mostly pronounce.... this was a subject i chose not to bring up at the dinner table. i still have the original vinyl and worn album jacket. and i still know all the lyrics. and they're still brilliant.
In 1967, he was in "The Dodge Rebellion Theatre, Ballads For '67. Dodge cars and trucks for 1967", his hair was distinctly dark, almost black and back then they manage to capture the "flaming red" of the feathers of a chief's headdress, so it's not a camera problem. I don't think he ever had flaming red hair as at that point, that would not make sense. Perhaps he dyed it that way, but he's not the type to care.
And he'll turn 94 on April 9th! I had the absolute pleasure of speaking with Tom (on the phone, since he's pretty much a "recluse") for 45 minutes some years back ... and when I implored him to return to performing, he explained: "I used to pick up the newspaper in the morning and laugh. Now I pick up the paper and cry." He was still sharp as a tack, brilliant, politically savvy ... and hilarious! When I suggested that I probably knew his lyrics better than he did (having been raised on them), Tom shot back: "Well then, why don't YOU go out and perform them??! We'll split it 50-50." One of the great geniuses of the 20th Century.
Get that in writing! 😂
You ever write down what you could remember of your conversation with him?
My birthday is April 9th. It's a auspicious or inauspicious day. Alot happens in spring and war events fall around early april often.
Liar
@@Eveoriginalsinner?
he's charismatic, he's absolutely hilarious, his wordplay is flawless, he's incredibly smart, and he plays piano like he could do it with his eyes closed. i don't understand how this man isn't incredibly well-known, especially considering how relevant the tone of this performance is today.
It turns out that people don't really appreciate social criticism, even when presented with delightful music and a charming smile.
He IS very well known to people 65+ My mother had his records when I was growing up.
He *is* well known to both a certain age group and a fairly large younger clique of nerdy types. And he’s indirectly well known too - Weird Al and the Simpsons creators etc. put him down as a major influence, for example. Though I suppose both of those have been getting on a bit too...
To become a legend, an Underground Classic, one must quit at the peak. Pull a Bill Watterson! (Bill Watterson pulled a Tom Lehrer!)
He announced his retirement about 10 years after this concert. In the wake of Henry Kissinger being given the Nobel Peace Prize, he proclaimed satire to have died and only did public performances rarely after that.
"That was a bit depressing so here's a rousing and uplifting song to cheer you up."
"When you go to a funeral..."
Sam Tucker-Smith joke mate,fun,so?!!!
"He loved his mother and she loved him, and yet the story is rather grim" followed by a bouncy piano riff.
Sam Tucker-Smith he did mess the lyrics of that one up quite a bit. He just mumbled some nonsense in one of the lines haha
Benjamin Grude
@@markostermayer3614 I almost think he had a misplacement with the piano and that through him off. You notice he starts too look down at his hands only to stop, because that's bad etiquette. 8:04
I was there!! As a student at the university of Copenhagen and I loved every second of it.
Damn, how long you've been a fan of him then!
How amazing. This much be such a trip for you to watch.
Wow!
What is the English translation of the proverb?
@@lauradeer8567 I was brought up in Copenhagen and went to university there in the days when free speech was respected!!
Its crazy that he turned 96 today, to think he outlived practically everyone he's he parodied,
Happy Birthday Mr. Lehrer!
Happy Birthday Tom lehrer.
Happy Birthday Tom lehrer.
What few people don't mention is what a very good pianist he is.
I was thinkin' he's an absolute god at piano as well!
From the sleeve notes of one of his albums:
"The sales to date of Mr. Lehrer's first record have been phenomenal -- over thirty copies in the United States alone -- and accolade upon accolade has been heaped on him by critics present at his personal appearances. For example:
... *"Plays the piano acceptably"* . . . Oakland Tribune.
Not really. Lehrer admitted he had trouble with his left hand; so most of his music had a very light left-hand chord. Later on, Lehrer found out this was an actual method called "stride piano." He had been doing it that way all his life, and didn't even know there was a term for it. Lehrer also admitted that he was never interested in learning music theory. He struck me as the kind of person who wanted to learn just enough to get his point across. Weird Al Yankovic is a vastly superior musician who, unlike Lehrer, decided he was indeed cut out for show business. (Lehrer did it only to supplement his meager income as a teacher, and he got sick of touring very quickly.) Yankovic mastered three instruments (accordion, guitar and piano); and, like Lehrer, knows how to write every style of music known to man. He just does it better.
@@rhetoricalquestion6009 His favorite review came from the New York Times: "Mr. Lehrer's muse [is] not fettered by such inhibiting factors as 'taste.'" Another review said, "More desperate than amusing."
He really is.
96 in a few months!!! Viva Tom Lehrer!
Recording date: September 5th 1967
Location: Falkonercenteret, Copenhagen, Denmark
Format: Most probably Ampex Quadruplex PAL 4:3
Status: A rare recording indeed
Storage: Most probably Sony Digital Betacam and in a digital format
Production and preservation: Danmarks Radio (DR) in Denmark
Song list:
3:11 - I Wanna go back to Dixie
5:39 - MLF Lullaby
7:36 - We will all go together when we go
11:20 - Pollution
13:49 - When you are old and grey
16:21 - I hold your hand in mine
18:08 - Send in the marines
20:33 - The Irish ballad
23:24 - The elements
25:11 - The elements (Aristotle)
26:33 - Smut
29:40 - Hunting song
31:26 - My home town
34:51 - Who's next?
37:07 - Poisoning pigeons in the park
40:06 - National Brotherhood Week
43:16 - Werner Von Braun
46:03 - So long, mom
49:03 - The Vatican rag
Thanks for posting this
grinddrengen2
Is e
thank you!
Thanks from down under. The guy's a genius!
God bless you!
I never realized that the live performance of I Wanna Go Back to Dixie is way harsher than the commercially sold version.
Mentioning tear gas and saying “there’s no mixing” instead of their counterparts in the commercial versions
As a victim of The New Math I always appreciated Tom's verdict that it's so easy that only a child can do it
September 1967
This recording was made in September 1967 in 'Studenterforeningen' - The Student Union - in Copenhagen.
This recording is a re-run of the original TV Broadcast in Danish Television from 1967.
Can tell from the "DR2" logo in the top right corner of the screen. In 1967 there was only one TV channel in Denmark. DR2 was a new channel for the stateowned station introduced in 1996.
After the performance in Studenterforeningen, which was a pretty small hall there were two concerts in Falkonercenteret, a much larger real theater.
I saw the live TV transmission from Studenterforeningen at home and attended the second of the two concerts in Falkonercenteret.
I'll never forget it!
I was trying to place what year this was. Thanks!
You could update the video description or title
The most underrated artist in my opinion. Loved this, loved it so much. Would anyone else love to see Tom's take on today's society?
Oh, yes! But according to the last interview I heard, he didn't want to write about what was going on today because it made him too angry. But, oh, yes, to have him write just one more song !
Many of his songs ARE a take on today's society! I was amazed at how timely they are.
Adam Wilkinson, in light of 'Rump's rattling his sabre at NoKorea, I think 'We'll All Go Together" is topical as hell today.
many years ago...when Reagan became president...he said "satire is dead"....maybe Trump will finally kill him...sigh...
He Did !
"We'll try to stay serene and calm, when AAAAAlabama gets the bomb" - even truer today.
Not for long. Lots of city liberal city folks are moving to the south and mid west. The liberal progressive run cities are dystopian today.
Awwww. Do you miss wearing your white sheet?
@@larkatmic "The liberal progressive run cities are dystopian today."
lol you're thinking of the RNC.
@@Shichard2006 Oh dear. Let me guess you’re a progressive supremacist who knows more than anyone who dares to call out the truth. I hate to break it to you. Your delusional ideology is dying off here. Can’t come soon enough. I live in California. Every city, minus Orange County and San Diego (Republican run btw) are indeed dystopian and turning into worse than third world countries. The hyper wealthy living side by side with the destitute poor. Its depraved the things that are going on here. One party ruling over 15 years becomes corrupted by its own failings $$$$$ We used to know that concept when the majority of the voting public were free from the progressive parasitic mind disease that’s taken over here. You wouldn’t last a minute here. I wish you well. And remember to buckle up. Its scourge is spreading everywhere. Fat, unattractive, gender confused, angry, intolerant, emotionally unhinged, triggered, white females are the first sign. Run, do not engage. 😂 I wish you well.
Back in high school, 1972, a friend of mine and his school acting troupe decided to do 'Vatican Rag' for their graduation performance.
He wrote Mr. Lehrer for permission to do the song, and received a letter back, to the effect that '...and make sure before you do it, that the rear doors are unlocked and you have a quick exit if need be.' (paraphrased)
They made up t-shirts with clerical collars (this is 1972 remember, NO ONE did this), and went on stage with their performance.
It went off without a hitch, and was met with thundering silence.
Finally the school dean and staff started applauding, and the rest of the audience followed suit.
Wow, Bravo to that acting troupe. The silence is reminiscent of the reaction Lincoln received after his Gettysburg Address. Loved Lehrer's response.
They needed Permission before they dared like it??? I'm glad I was born in '74, and not in '55.
@@pvtbuddie They *asked* permission!!
@@brookeggleston9314 :
I was referring to the fact that the teenagers in the audience needed permission from the dean and the staff.
My father used to perform this song a few times a year, when our church's contemporary music group would have get-togethers (three a year, and it was a very informal group). Catholic, of course. He'd sing this and "Giovanni Montini, The Pope." I don't know if he found the guitar tabs somewhere (I remember him playing it long before the internet was accessible) or if he just did the translation himself, but it worked really well on his 12-string. :)
so many people in the comments are sharing their personal stories of being able to see him live and i cannot put into words how jealous i am! i wish so much i had been alive when he was performing just to be able to hear these songs live and actually be able to meet him. he is so incredibly talented, witty, and intelligent and seems like such a genuine, charming, and kind person!
Fun fact: Tom Lehrer’s body consists of 70% lung capacity.
@Laura L nobody cares
@Laura L it's a joke, mate
all i can hear is Subnauticas *O X Y G E N*
The other 30% is brain! To me, he's also 100% sexy as all-get-out. This is my dream guy.
@Laura L Lol so you're saying "even if you have researched your ideas and are convinced that communist countries have upsides and are better you are clearly just indoctrinated." like do you not see how incredibly indoctrinated that sounds?
I was lucky enough to attend Tom’s performance in Copenhagen and it was glorious! Wonderful music and a great reception from the audience as they gave him a standing ovation as he entered the auditorium!
Imagine...a room full of English-as-a second-language-....and they totally understand his arcane humor!...Now try to even imagine such a well-educated, open-minded audience embracing him like these people did, so long ago. America sucks!
Wow, you are lucky! 👍
@@curbozerboomer1773 i dont think that the audience is necessarily representative of the danish population during this performance.
Does everybody clap in sync like that in Denmark?
@@brownbananabooksIf they are animated enough, yes, they might fall into a rhythm like that.
Memories! I learned and sang these songs in college, being sure my Catholic mother knew nothing of Vatican Rag. Moved to San Francisco and saw Tom Lehrer at the Hungry I. Now I’m 84, my (no longer young) children also enjoy Tom, as do many folks living in my retirement home! So strange and so wonderful....still talking about Tom Lehrer and still singing and playing his songs. Kudos to you, Tom.
It makes me so happy to hear that Tom Lehrer is being enjoyed at a retirement home! Hope you're well
My favourite is the Vatican Rag.
He’s enjoyed by me in rehab as well! I’m 24 and doing my darnedest to keep Lehrers music alive in my generation!
I'm 17, and I love this music more than anything modern. And have since I was even younger.
56 years passed since this performance is recorded ; but what mattered then yet matters to day in 2023 .
Respect for Mt Lehrer from Africa.
Can we talk about that perfectly precise, rhythmic clap at the end? Like a watch. American applause generally sounds more like a clock falling down the stairs.
as a Dane living most of my life abroad, I am curious about this very rhythmic clapping...I have wondered at this for some time. That it goes back this long is surprising....these days I see it as falling in with the rest a kind of social compliance!
I had actually thought that there was some sort of glitch in the sound recording!...I have never heard of this sort of audience clapping.
For most of Europe that's just a natural thing that happens during applause, (although usually not so quickly in my limited experience) so I was fully unaware that this is not a thing in the US.
Rhythmic clapping, in Yurp anyway, is the highest praise!
I've always seen it as an added show of unwavering enjoyment and encouragement; it becomes even more synchronized and insistent when calling for an encore, almost forceful at times.
In contrast when the claps become less in sync and trail off unevenly between songs you can tell it's a courtesy clap. You'd need to screw up real bad to stop getting those ¢_¢
it's weird that he was singing these songs at the end of the 50s and they're all still relevant
The best we can hope for is "all going together when we go." :-|
Nope. They never did manage to build enough bombs to kill everybody at once, I'm afraid. Besides, they took most of the ones they had apart at some point, we're down to barely enough to irrevocably shatter modern civilization. If you want sudden human extinction, a nearby GRB or cosmic collision is your only real hope.
He referenced President Johnson. This was mid to late 1960s.
@@maxangst6833 He also references China's bomb test as "a few weeks ago", which implies it was at least 1964. From wikipedia's article on Project_596 "China's first nuclear weapons test, detonated on October 16, 1964"
@@petegast7110 I think it was in 1967
The most wonderful thing to me is how absolutely clear his diction is! I can understand every single word.
Fun fact, it's 2020 and he still lives!
Oh my I didn’t know but he is Godly
2021 and he still lives :-) Rock on Tom Lehrer.
The bucket still stands!
It’s 2022 and he still lives🎉🎉🎉🎉
At least last year he even still lived in his own house. He looked a bit fragile, but most people don't even make it to 93. My own grandma died at 93, and she could barely walk by then, although she too lived in her own apartment.
Love how it’s like “homicide isn’t a sin, but lying is”
*I've been a Lehrer fan since the 1960's, and have spread his illness far and wide (I was even suspended from school for a month as a kid, for singing this very song). I can lip sync to every published song **_except_** for **_The Elements,_** which is too difficult for mere mortals such as myself. I'm pleasantly shocked to see Lehrer here on YT: Good Days!*
*As of April of this year (2021), Lehrer is still alive and abusing his neighbors sense of propriety, at 93 years young! YeeeeHaaawww!!!!*
Clever witty and so handsome!
My mother went to his "An Evening (Wasted) with Tom Lehrer" in 1957 in Washington DC, and I still have her record and an autographed program.
I first heard these when I discovered my parents' LPs at age 14. I was old enough to appreciate much of it -- and to know better than to play the "Vatican Rag" around certain people.
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What a treasure!
that's so cool!! i've wanted to see another record of a full performance. you're lucky:)
I remember hearing Tom Leher and felt instantly aware he was abnormal,brilliant and utterly depressing. with the appalling flaws of the twentieth century.We all laughed but at heart I felt sick.A gifted pianist with a beautiful voice,wit and charm but surely one day would depress himself into the grave.
"Surely"? He's still alive. And if you find such a brilliant wit and enthusiastic delivery depressing, I don't think Tom is the one " with the appalling flaws".
oh what I wouldn't give to meet him, but I rejoice knowing he's 95 and hopefully very much enjoying his retirement !
by far my favorite artist
Tom was one of those really rare performers who combined music and comedy and wit. Really funny stuff that made you think. And unlike anyone else I can think of, the music was always really catchy. A true genius.
Even more amazing, his between-songs commentary is as entertaining as the music.
He's the 1950s and 60s version of Bo Burnham! Almost to a tee
@@jasonsnusberry3654 The only difference is that Tom Lehrer is funny.
Damn alright
I remember Mark Russell. Seems very similar.
@@KitKat-yw8cv Yes!...Mark Russell was quite good...but he limited his satire to strictly political topics.
I had the pleasure of attending Tom Lehrer's performance in Montreal in the early sixties. OMG - this video is an absolute treasure! Bless you and thank you for sharing it with us!
Blimey, the speed he does the elements song is incredible. Not only for remembering it all. It's a complete tongue twister and I know for sure I would never manage it even slower with the words in front of me. There is a video somewhere with Daniel Radliffe doing the elements song. Who knew Harry Potter would know something like that?!
+Ruth Who The video you're thinking of, I believe, is from the Graham Norton Show.
Yeah, I remember watching him do it, it was hilarious. I was impressed :-)
I thought Daniel Radcliffe should have ended it with: "These are the only ones of which the news has come to Oxfarhd, And there may be many others but they haven't been discahvered."
And now we have David Costabile doing the song on Better Call Saul. Tom Lehrer is a national treasure
The original is just as bad.
The pollution of mid-20th century USA was no joke. In the 1960s, our high school band was invited to play at the NY World's Fair. We got in our school buses and were driven to the event, leaving the pristine air of our little town for NYC smog that was visible from miles away, thick enough to cut with a knife, just hovering over NYC. Watching members of the Danish audience smoking cigarettes and noticing the three individuals who either didn't "get" the jokes (or were offended by them) were indicative of the era.
The year he gave that concert 1965 - I was born ….
58 years ago …. Amazing… the lyrics and comments are as just applicable today as they were then
The most pleasant aspect of all is the fact that Tom Lehrer is still with us …. You are a legend , Sir
Love from Iran. It's the first time I listen to this genius, he was just great.
Greetings from the very infused US!
Tom was an MIT Professor By Day and One of a kind performers from the fifties through the 80s
& according to the principles quantum mechanic- being ahead of his time makes him way behind the times you see?
He taught math at Harvard (his Alma Mater), then Pol Sci at MIT, before returning to math at UCSC until he retired.
How on earth does Tom remember the names of all the elements in the periodic table so accurately? It’s just amazing!
I think he just memorized the atomic number, and the put the numbers in reverse alphabetical order.
I tried it. He wrote the song so it would flow nicely rhythmically and then just memorised it bit by bit
This man was a child prodigy in math, and attended college at the age of 16!
@@reviewsfromasocialjusticel8558they’re actually in no particular order which makes it even more fascinating. The introduction to The Elements app by Theodore Gray (you can probably find the video) animates them hitting the periodic table in the order that he sings them and there’s no reason for the order at all.
Love the laugh which “there’s earth & air & fire & water” receives!
I was so lucky to be able to attend this performance in Copenhagen. Tom Lehrer was brilliant and the audience loved watching him sing and play the piano!
Do you remember the name or location of the venue? I am just professionally curious.
Best regards
Nevermind, Wikipedia knew. :-)
Today marks 50 years since this was recorded, and even now it's still an incredibly fun performance to watch! Tom Lehrer is truly amazing.
I can't express in words how much I love this man. His talents expressed here, plus his knowledge of mathematics and science, render him one of the foremost Americans of my time. I wish that I could tell him so personally.
I did ... over the phone ... and he was very modest about it. "Genius" isn't sufficient ...
'I Hold Your Hand in Mine' is still my favorite love song.
The Europeans sure do love that synchronous clap thing, don't they
This was bloody brilliant! Only wish I could've seen him live.
+Pen ML I saw him live in London, must have been in the late 50s or early 60s. This chap wandered onto the stage, and made a very fulsome and laudatory introductio to Tom Lehrer, then sat down at the piano, and said.. "well, that saved me a lot of money"... ! Totally brilliant evening.
jenmathias so jealous😍 I'm born in 2001, so no hope left for me😂
Watch me turn green. :)
Pen ML well, do you know how to time travel back to 1967?
Nathan Guinto but stopped performing a long time ago.
I think “Smut” is one of the funniest things I’ve ever heard!
I'VE LOVED THIS MAN SINCE I WAS 13, HOW AM I JUST NOW FINDING THIS?
"Life is like a sewer. you get out of it what you put in."
Nick Pollard with his father's tar and feather business
Hahaa,no shit,pooo...
So put good in, and forget the crap.You won't need it.
'I wanna go back to Dixie' and six others were from his 1953 album. He never gained national attention until the 1960s, though-the power of TV.
Song list:
3:11 - I Wanna go back to Dixie
5:39 - MLF Lullaby
7:36 - We will all go together when we go
11:20 - Pollution
13:49 - When you are old and grey
16:21 - I hold your hand in mine
18:08 - Send in the marines
20:33 - The Irish ballad
23:24 - The elements
25:11 - The elements (Aristotle)
26:33 - Smut
29:40 - Hunting song
31:26 - My home town
34:51 - Who's next?
37:07 - Poisoning pigeons in the park
40:06 - National Brotherhood Week
43:16 - Werner Von Braun
46:03 - So long, mom
49:03 - The Vatican rag
He was very a head of his times.
All of this is pretty much still relevant.
a head ha ha
No news noose shows body too?...
@@LadyhawksLairDotCom nah we dont go out to parks anymore
@@gabrielandradeferraz386 some of his language use at 10:18 wasn't particularly modern
It's Thursday 18 June 2020. Except for a few references to 1965 characters it could have been made yesterday. How great is this guy? Beyond his timeless ideas and compositions notice his playing and singing. He makes it look so easy, and boy how it isn't! Such a shame they ground him down until he couldn't be bothered doing it any more. We were all the losers - imagine if he'd had another 50 productive years!
he’s currently 95! and he relinquished copyright of all his music in 2022 😊 also im astonished at this audience’s ability to clap in synchronicity 😂
What a treasure this is! I've been listening to Tom Lehrer since I was a kid. Anyone who appreciates Mr. Lehrer's genius is ok in my book.
My twenty year old grandson sent this to me in remembrance of all the fun we had with Lehrer's records - especially memorizing the elements song. Thank you!
I wish you good health, madam.
I absolutely love this, and it blows my mind that it was recorded in the 60s. I can't imagine how controversial it would have been for the time.
You know, for a man from the future, you know an incredible amount of detail from the past.
Aster Awalom
Not keeping up with the thread, huh?
Benjamin said that he expected Lehrer's songs, and views must have been very controversial in the '60's.
I said they weren't really because back then people were not trying to be offended.
Like you.
So got four albums by Tom Lehrer.
Songs by Tom Lehrer
More songs by Tom Lehrer
An evening wasted with Tom Lehrer
and That was the year that was.
How many you got?
I loved Tom Lerher back in the sixties, and I can tell you, this will be more controverial now. I love that young adults are rediscovering him.
llyn63
A couple of girls I went to high school with had the original ten inch LP's.
Their mom bought 'em in college.
Precisely, I imagine it was very taboo at the time.
This is an incredible performance, almost hypnotizing. Also, it makes me very happy to see other people paying regard to it as recently as 22 hours ago. I was just feeling nostalgic.
Long life Mr. Lehrer!
Even 8yrs after.
aww man, I only just discovered this guy, wish I had known about him ealier, he is hilarious
The Electric Company... most people my age who were kids back in the day remember his songs. But even better to rediscover his talents years later.
THERES EARTH AND AIR AND FIRE AND WATER *full stop* im dead
I could envision Jeff Goldblum portraying Tom Lehrer to perfection in a biopic
I have recently concurrently become a fan of Jeff goldblum and Tom Lehrer... Never had an inkling that there was a connection until reading this lolol
Good take! :D
Jim Carrey would be a better fit
Or Chevy Chase!
Cyder breezier larger Pils nar snarks?!
The greatest performance to ever have been performed under any circumstances ever. You can't change my mind.
So... years went by and we are still dealing with the same issues: nationalism, great powers threatening each other with nuclear weapons, incompetent leadership, environmental issues, wars in third world countries...
Good job, humanity!
(Sorry, that's a bit too cynical.)
And now that China and the US hate each other. History repeats.
Yeah, I discovered Mr. Lehrer over a decade ago while in school and thought he had a very keen eye for satire of our modern mess. Imagine my surprise when I dug further and learned he wrote these decades before!
Too true...
Nationalism is only an issue for Mr. Lehrer and his tribe, since it interferes with their domination of those they see as lesser races.
Not really. Quite frankly, I think anyone who isn't at least a little cynical once he or she reaches a certain age is clearly not paying enough attention.
What a joy to watch this performance by the greatest performer of his generation. An amazingly talented musician and, according to my husband who was a close friend of Tom Lehrer, the greatest pianist he had ever seen!
His keyboard skills have always impressed me, too.
The man is a flawless performer.
3:11 I Want to Go Back to Dixie
5:39 MLF Lullaby
7:36 We Will All Go Together When We Go
11:20 Pollution
13:49 When You Are Old And Grey
16:21 I Hold Your Hand in Mine
18:08 Send the Marines
20:32 The Irish Ballad
23:24 Elements
26:32 Smut
29:40 The Hunting Song
31:25 My Home Town
34:51 Who's Next
37:07 Poisoning Pigeons in the Park
40:06 National Brotherhood Week
43:16 Wernher von Braun
46:03 So Long, Mom (A Song for WWIII)
49:02 Vatican Rag
Alma, tell us.
All modern women are jealous
How could ANYONE, much less 16 people actually DISLIKE this????????
Democrats. all!
@Julianna Marshall You might be right. Never thought about that.
@@wuffothewonderdog Disliking? I doubt it. He campaigned for George McGovern.
@wuffothewonderdog Oh brother! As if Lehrer didn't satirize Republicans and the right. Pull your head out.
@@wuffothewonderdog I doubt it very much.
Can't tell you what delightful memories this brings back -- many favorites, but "Pollution, Pollution" was the first in this delightful evening of many more. The Danish subtitles add to the delight.
One hopes a few of today's stereotypical "nerds" aspire as high as imitating this versatile and supremely gifted mathematics student/teacher. But none will probably surpass him, barring some truly break-through genetic engineering!
Love how entranced that woman at 27:07 is lol! Would totally be me if I‘d been there
"I understand that everyone in Denmark speaks English, but I don't know if you speak American."
@@stevebez2767 - You've been reading Finnegan's Wake again haven't you.
*Steve Bez.@@stevebez2767 Please repeat in English!
Steve Bez That there’s a nice, crisp word salad!
This guy was WAY ahead of his time. A lot of these songs were written in 1953, when conformity was almost at it's peak.
Billy Cobb conformity to what? and how did you measure that? sounds a bit random, especially since after ww2 a lot of "conformity" went out the window...
@@ifwecouldvote Random? Maybe you mean arbitrary...
@@augustusbetucius1572 i dnt get it
It was a joy to be present at this performance and see the audience reaction. They all adored the wonderful Tom Lehrer with his wonderful piano playing and his clever & witty lyrics!
I grew up listening to his records as my dad had them. I didn't realise quite how brilliant he was at the time, brilliant to actually see him performing.
What's odd is that Lehrer himself admitted he was a mediocre piano player, and never cared about seriously studying music theory. (In fact, he never really liked being an entertainer, either.) How much better would he have been, if he had? Believe it or not, Weird Al Yankovic is actually more skilled as a musician.
David Lafleche Maybe, but Weird Al doesn't have a fraction of the wit that Lehrer did. But, to be fair, its a really high bar.
I first got into two British guys called Flanders and Swan and then got into Tom Lehrer
Ed Wilkinson "Two British guys"? My dear sir, you must surely mean the legendary British duo, or that sublime double act.
zaygezunt That's the one
Love Tom’s comment: ”imagine I’m playing an 88 string guitar”!
The king of satire, the great one.
There's earth and air and fire and water.
No ether?
Larry Newman I wanted to like this, but it had 69 likes
@@tsarmischievous still is
I am obsessed with this man. Can't stop watching/listening.
Omg, the “Elements” one I remember from my school days! I recall being in Science & our teacher played a video with this very same audio (but animated to show each of the elements one by one, with no reference to Tom Lehrer whatsoever ... which I do think was kinda rude, TBH). Anyway, I was cracking up so hard that I almost fell off my chair! LOL. I was the only one laughing, though. As an “Aspie”, I got a free pass for moments like that as the teachers knew I was an overall good student & didn’t mean any harm by it (I couldn’t control those reactions even if I wanted to). I searched for years but couldn’t find the original audio until now! Thank you so much for bringing back that old memory! 😂❤️👏
Having been a fan of Tom Lehrer and his wonderful music for many years I now have an enormous collection of his CDs and love to listen to them ! A recent treat was finding a copy of “The Remains of Tom Lehrer” a boxed set containing 3 CDs with all the music he recorded plus a book with photographs and transcripts of conversations and interviews with him. Can’t recommend it highly enough - it’s brilliant!
Just bought the boxed set “The Remains of Tom Lehrer” - sheer genius!
where did you buy that box? very interested. I'll try amazon.
This genius has always been one of my favorite performers. There is material in this video that I have never seen before. THANK YOU THANK YOU for putting this on Y T !
Those of us who were raised on Dr. Demento have been enjoying his music the 70s which was a regular feature. Watching the video is just as good as listening to the audio because his extraneous comments are just as good as the songs. He's a concert pianist, a mathematician and, thankfully, a truly twisted lyricist ....
Satire at its finest from the magnificent Tom Lehrer! The man’s a genius!
Satire of this high standard requires a very intelligent audience to appreciate it....just try to find an audience like that now!...Stupidity rules.
Wonderful this performance has been preserved.
3:10 "I Wanna Go Back to Dixie"
5:38 "MLF Lullaby"
7:36 "We Will All Go Together When We Go"
11:19 "Pollution"
13:49 "When You Are Old and Gray"
16:21 "I Hold Your Hand in Mine"
18:08 "Send the Marines"
20:33 "The Irish Ballad"
23:24 "The Elements"
25:10 "The Elements (Aristotle version)"
26:32 "Smut"
29:40 "The Hunting Song"
31:25 "My Home Town"
34:51 "Who's Next?"
37:07 "Poisoning Pigeons in the Park"
40:06 "National Brotherhood Week"
43:15 "Wernher von Braun"
46:03 "So Long, Mom"
49:02 "The Vatican Rag"
What a great musician and lyricist.
It’s a great joy to be able to watch a full concert performance by the greatest singer/songwriter in the universe!
I am overwhelmed with the genius and talent of Mr. Tom Lehrer. It was Pandora that introduced me and I am glad since I wouldn't have discovered this otherwise!
I;m old now, and even my kids are old, but I remember singing these songs with them. We loved him, and I'm glad to be able to see him on CZcams now.
The fact that he did this is the 60's makes this so much more amazing.
It must have been so damn controversial!
The song "We'll all go together when we go" would suit the Fallout games pretty well, I think.
Yea
+I'm a geek, not a nerd Actually, there is a quest in Fallout: New Vegas called "We will all go together", after this song. Many of the quests are named after old songs, and this one certainly fits the game.
"So Long Mom, I'm Off To Drop The Bomb" is another Lehrer song that would be great in F4. Actually, I thought it might BE in F4, but I just looked at a song list and didn't see it.
+I'm a geek, not a nerd Exactly how I turned up here.
Or in the game that is life.
We could actually use National Brotherhood Week about now.
I think this is amazing, to see a full performance, and see him connecting with a Danish audience. They no doubt were all fans but it is fun to see his American schtick could travel. And as people have said here, it also travels in time - now 55 years later, it still resonates pretty strongly (especially the nuclear concerns).
I have loved Mr. Lehrer's wit and music since the 60s. The Vatican Rag is one of my favorites. Rickety Tickety Tin is another. Unfortunately, I only have one CD of his music. I can't imagine how amazing and enjoyable it would be to sit and talk with him. I hope another generation will find his music and keep this twisted humor alive.
Im 25 and my roomie and I both love this mans music. At least once every three months we wind up getting at least one of his songs stuck in our heads jointly. I think the next generation will find him and enjoy him just fine 😂
He's always been one of my favorites! Nobody does parodies like he does!
As someone recently introduced to Tim Lehrer, this is great and absolutely crazy to believe it's this old! Seems so modern!
This is wonderful!!! I have thoroughly enjoyed Tom Lehrer since my teens (in the 60's), but only is audio recordings. I've even memorized several of his songs. But this is the first time I've ever actually seen him. Watching his facial expressions adds so much! Thank you for posting it! Do you know of any other video recordings of him?
I was struck by how handsome a man he was!...not your average professor.
Brilliant songs. Witty, to the pointe. Never too long. Literary cabaret in best tradition, of guys like Noel Coward. Old fashioned indeed, but never dated (Until Bob Dylan came along, of course ) Even a rather good singer and a fine piano-player as well. Thanks for everything. Bis --- Bis ---- Bis ---- ( synchronized )
If you want to raise a child with a healthy sense of humor, expose them to Monty Python and to Tom Lehrer. That, apparently, was my parents' approach. And I'm grateful for it. Tom Lehrer's talent simply can't be exaggerated.
And Don Macmillan. He's humour (to me anyway) surpasses Lehrer's wit😂
I still love Lehrer.
What would it be like to be a Tom Lehrer groupie, I wonder? Tom, I've loved you since I first heard your music when I was sixteen!! SO HAPPY THIS PERFORMANCE IS HERE!!!
Wonder no more Dolfyn. I am that very groupie. It was me pictured up a pylon peering through binoculars into Mr Lehrer's bathroom. By 17 I had been arrested three times whilst rummaging through his dustbins. At 18 I followed him on his tour of the deep South and was twice thrown out of his hotel bedroom for performing lewd acts with a long playing record. Even now I adore him although my activities are limited due to a protective order and straight jacket.
zaygezunt ROTFLMAO! So you have your very own restraining order! How awesome! Framed and placed in prominent view in your padded cell, I do hope. :D
zaygezunt . I WAS introduced to Tom by my husband’s singing all his songs by heart “in the shower” and around the house. He would burst into his songs at random or apropo times. He is now 72 and of course learned the songs in his teens while in college. My husband is brilliant so naturally appreciates brilliant people. My husband is a nerd and extremely insightful as Tom is-but not artistic. The songs are equally relevant today so his humor helps us cope. However, until now, my husband had not seen Tom perform, so this is thrilling for both of us.
I believe that it was Mr. Lehrer himself who characterized his performances in Denmark as "revenge for Victor Borge."
Both he and Victor Borge were sui generis and people who lived amazing, lives, although Mr. Lehrer is not yet done. My father was a great admirer of Mr. Borge in particular.
Its at 1:29 min
Tom Lehrer is incredible. Being a university professor who twilights as a satirist comedian/songwriter/pianist is unbelievable. I would love to have ever seen the man live. My life will literally never be complete, it's sad, but a fact.. :(
I will forever shift my thinking from 'moonlights' to 'twilights'. thanks for this ! :)
He's genius
I would have loved to had a cup of coffee with him.