Tom Lehrer saddens fans as satirical musician passes away at 97
Tom Lehrer has been an inspiration for many, including Daniel Radcliff and Weird Al Yankovic
Tom Lehrer passed away on Sunday, July 27, leaving fans and fellow industry figures devastated in the wake of the news.
The tremendously talented figure, was a classically trained pianist, as well as being a child prodigy who obtained a degree in mathematics from Howard University, before teaching at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
In his sardonic tracks was the undercurrent of politics, which gained traction in the 1950s and 1960s, quickly earning a cult following.
The influential figure contributed a lot to the entertainment world, with the musician’s 1953 record Songs by Tom Lehrer becoming a word-of-mouth success.
Lehrer also wrote for an educational children’s show later on in his life, when he had shifted the focus of his contributions to academics.
At a comedy show in 2010, the Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe praised him before breaking into a rendition of one of Tom’s songs, which impressively recites all 118 chemical elements on the periodic table.
“Tom Lehrer in my opinion is the cleverest and funniest man of the 20th century, and he’s kind of my hero,” the 36-year-old had stated.
A fan paid tribute to the late songwriter writing, “Very sad to learn of the passing of the brilliant and biting Tom Lehrer at 97.”
Notably, this made musician "Weird Al" Yankovic cast Daniel to play him in his satirical biopic Weird: The Al Yankovic Story.
What did Weird Al Yankovic say about Tom Lehrer’s passing?
Weird Al Yankovic took to his social media to pay homage to the songwriter, writing, “My last living musical hero is still my hero but unfortunately no longer living. RIP to the great, great Mr. Tom Lehrer.”
