I think he was paraphrasing Ogden Nash but I can't find the quote. Something like "there's nothing in any religion that compels us to have love for the pigeon"
I read somewhere that in the first take of a recording session, the musicians only knew this as a cheerful waltz piece. The announcer said something like, "Take one, `Poisoning Pigeons in the Park'" and the pianist fell off his bench.
A genius in every respect. He is 93 now and basically quit performing 5 decades ago - but his work still seems as biting and hilarious as it every was.
Tom Lehrer recently released his ENTIRE music catalog into the public domain, so anyone can now do anything they want with his songs. Imagine performing this one on “The Voice” or another TV competition show?
Is that so freaking cool or what! A stellar human being he is! Not only can you perform them as written, he’s given his blessing to put his lyrics to your own music, or change and distort them any way you like.
covers and parodies are always legally protected, what you can do with public domain is use the original version in your own original visual or audio media. it’s always been legal to record a cover or parody of any song ever, they cannot legally do anything. so they could’ve already sang this on the voice: the problem is the voice has to allow you to sing this song, which they probably won’t because it’s not technically difficult or a pop song
I've decided that this will now by my pickup line, "Hey Girl, if you're not busy Sunday afternoon would you like to go poison some pigeons in the park?" If she looks revolted I'll know she isn't worth the time.
I love how he plays that extra bar after his first "poisoning pigeons in the park" to let the laughter die down before continuing... the delay actually increases your anticipation about what he's going to sing next too! =)
LYRICS Spring is here, a-suh-puh-ring is here. Life is skittles and life is beer. I think the loveliest time of the year is the spring. I do, don't you? 'Course you do. But there's one thing that makes spring complete for me, And makes every Sunday a treat for me. All the world seems in tune On a spring afternoon, When we're poisoning pigeons in the park. Every Sunday you'll see My sweetheart and me, As we poison the pigeons in the park. When they see us coming, the birdies all try an' hide, But they still go for peanuts when coated with cyanide. The sun's shining bright, Everything seems all right, When we're poisoning pigeons in the park. We've gained notoriety, And caused much anxiety In the Audubon Society With our games. They call it impiety And lack of propriety, And quite a variety Of unpleasant names. But it's not against any religion To want to dispose of a pigeon. So if Sunday you're free, Why don't you come with me, And we'll poison the pigeons in the park. And maybe we'll do In a squirrel or two, While we're poisoning pigeons in the park. We'll murder them all amid laughter and merriment, Except for the few we take home to experiment. My pulse will be quickenin' With each drop of strych'nine We feed to a pigeon. (It just takes a smidgin!) To poison a pigeon in the park.
@@theemagicalwendigo5070 Yes They Are. I think people doing stupid things like wearing masks a Hilarious. I like my girls how I like my Covid. 19 and easily spread.
Twenty years ago while in graduate school I used to sing his songs out loud in the lab - I am sure my colleagues - including my PhD advisor - must have thought various things. Even now I can probably recall most of the lyrics and sing the songs.
It was this song that introduced me to the works of the great Tom Lehrer. I was working in a chemistry lab in my year off between school and university, and Tony my supervisor was talking about imprecise quantities, such as "a smidgen" - which led on to "it just takes a smidgen to poison a pigeon". He lent me his Tom Lehrer tapes and I copied them. Thank you, Tony!
Tom Lehrer's charm comes from the use of 1950's outlook used to channel psychosis with such pure-hearted glee. The unconventional song writing also breaks from usual modern stuff, meaning every song seems fresh and light and ages rediculously well. He just seems so damn happy when sings about these things and in a world where snark is rather mainstay, it's refreshing to have something different.
I discovered Tom Lehrer back in the 70's when I listened to Doctor Demento. His songs are hilarious and very clever. What a great legacy for us to enjoy forever!
Ah, this brings back memories...I sang this when I was about 9 in a school concert (where all the kids were very posh and sang Les Mis and played the harp.) The faces of the parents was priceless. What a song.
I was born in 1956 and my dad loved Tom Lehrer so I grew up hearing all his satirical music. In junior high his song "Pollution" won some commercial accolades as we were all studying smog and water pollution but other than that, none of my friends knew of Lehrer. He was way before his time and a genius IMHO. A Harvard alumnus (he was a child prodigy and entered college at 15) he was a mathematician that taught in California for several years and is still alive at almost 95 years. One man I would love to meet but he's not very interested in hashing up the past and in fact opened up his catalog to public domain.
megamudkip 1223 Most of us who are fans of Tom Lehrer know that his songs are often outrageous and satirical. If you are offended by them, why are you listening to his songs in the first place?
did you know this is the same guy who made the elements song? funny how this is the style he prefers, and yet the song he said he hated the most is his most popular.
yeah, but Lehrer HATED the elements song. then again, he kinda hates popularity in general. he said once that he liked the rumors going around that he was dead, he gets a lot less fan mail that way, and doesn't have to do any interviews.
did the tapes still sound ok? i had all the reel to reel tape recordings from the national lampoon radio hour from the 70’s, but they all bled into each other.... the magnetic information spread to layers above and below it on the reel, so they became useless.... not sure what happened.....
I think bo took some inspiration from him maybe they've made of the same jokes like when bo said "This song is called if you sing along I'll kill you" and tom said in one "so if any of you feel like singing along, please leave right now."
I remember discovering this guy in 1975 when I was ten years old, staying up past my bedtime to listen to the nightly comedy hour on KSFO in San Francisco on an old AM radio that had vacuum tubes that glowed in the dark. I also discovered Monty Python, Freddy Prinze, George Carlin, and many others thanks to that show.
I discovered him on the late night Sunday comedy show "The Bartley Flakes Comedy Hour" in Calgary and many others too! It seems like every city used to have a comedy show on Sunday nights from 10-11 or so when I was growing up, no matter where we moved, it was out there somewhere to tune in.
OMG! I found him around the same time there too!!! I used to sit ready with my cassette tape recorder at the ready, so I could record my favorites to listen to over and over again later!! I think it was on the Doctor Demento show, I was so sad when it went off the air. Thanks for the stroll down memory lane. Good memories!!
I first heard him on Dr Demento as well, starting in 1974 on a Chicago FM station (WDAI or maybe WXRT?). Lehrer, Alan Sherman, Beyond The Fringe, etc. were all on there to entertain and twist my young soul.
I first heard him in 1974 when I was stationed at the Presidio of Monterey in California. His records were at the Rec Center. Don't know if I have a favorite But thisone about the pigeons, and Alma, have to be up there.
I have been listening to Tom Lehrer since my parents played his records, in the 1960s. I have most of his songs memorized, and his humor has changed my life. One of my great thrills was finally meeting him in person about 3 years ago.. we had a nice chat! He splits his time between Santa Cruz, CA and Cambridge, MA
When we were kids, my parents didn't have the usual record collection. I grew up on Burl Ives, Shari Lewis, Scottish dance music, and, of all things, Chants of the Mao Mao (Mom had applied for jobs in the Arctic and, of all places, Kenya, and wanted my to get familiar with the music...) Instead she decided to get married again, met my step Dad (from MIT and with a tin ear) and their two music collections joined forces to give us kids a musical education, bar none. Jazz, folk, classical, and my favourite genre musical comedy. Whenever we were sick, we got to lie in bed and listen to whatever we wanted... and you were my favourite. Teachers were disturbed by the fact that I sang about "Poisoning Pigeons in the Park" and knew rather more than a child my age should know (singing-wise) about masochism...
@@astraeaflorence Once upon a time, a young version of myself was watching a documentary about the Nazi rocket program. This documentary showed Tom Lehrer's "Wernher von Braun." After some searching, I found the identity the artist of this great song, Mr. Lehrer himself. I have been in love with his songs ever since. "Poisoning Pigeons in the Park" is my favorite song to this day.
My introduction to him came from Inspired by True Events, first there was a comic with Yont the wizard singing Lobachevsky (inspiredbytrueevents.org/yont-the-wizards-musical-interlude-lobachevsky/), though it wasn't until their parody of national brotherhood week (inspiredbytrueevents.org/people-like-twenty-panel-long-comics-of-mostly-song-lyrics-right/) that they had the video in the description and I listened to it, then I went on to hearing such classics as We Will All Go Together When We Go, and The Masochism Tango (shortly before having dance classes in school, even)
As a kid in the 60’s, my parents would make sure I and my brother were asleep before playing Tom Lehrer records for their friends in academia. My bedroom was next to the living room. I would put my ear to the wall to listen to and memorize every lyric. Mr. Lehrer is one of my greatest influences in life, and I am still as weird as I was when I was much younger!
@@geerhoar I was thrilled back in the 1990s to find one of his records in this great used record store on City Island in the Bronx, Moonraker Records. Sadly, the guy who ran it died and while one if his kids, I think, ran it for a while, ir eventually closed. It was floor to ceiling records. He knew where everything was and if he had something or not.I wish I had had mire money when I lived just up the block from it. I’d have bought a lot more. He didn’t suffer fools glady and he was known to kick people out of the store for asking for crappy music or because he didn’t like the cut of their jib. What a character. Luckily, he was always nice to me.
Musical genius of the first order! Love to listen to Tom’s glorious piano playing. My late husband always said that Tom was the best pianist he had ever heard, and he was right!
@Paganforge, thank you, yes, when this forgotten and extremely rare recording first appeared on TH-cam in 2007, Lehrer decided that he did not want to stop it. In 2010 Shout Factory! in the United States released the concert on a DVD, and -- to me -- The Tom Lehrer Collection is still the Christmas gift of all time.
Today, my 14 year old son chose to play "Poisoning Pigeons in the Park" in his History of Rock and hip hop class. Needless to say, the entire class was shocked when the pleasant beginning opens up to the whole poisoning pigeons business ... with his class watching him sing along with a smile. I wonder if Tom ever thought his songs would live on to kids showing them off to fellow students and teachers in classrooms😂❤
@anybody51, thank you so much! It's nice to hear that people are still playing the songs on vinyl. But the digital age has it's advantages too, because now you can get a whole uninterrupted Lehrer TV-performance on DVD. So...if you need an idea for a Christmas gift, open and read the channel description...
First time I heard this guy was at a show with Dr. Demento in California, who also, by the way was the first person to play Weird Al, on his radio station when Weird Al was still a kid.
Tom Lehrer---what a genius! This song brings back fond memories of my youth, when my twisted uncle used to sing the Lehrer songbook to us kids. Best to start perversion at a young age, I guess...
Spring is here, spring is here Life is skittles and life is beer I think the loveliest time of the year Is the spring, I do, don't you? Course you do But there's one thing that makes spring complete for me And makes every Sunday a treat for me All the world seems in tune on a spring afternoon When we're poisoning pigeons in the park Every Sunday you'll see my sweetheart and me As we poison the pigeons in the park When they see us coming The birdies all try and hide But they still go for peanuts When coated with cyanide The sun's shining bright Everything seems all right When we're poisoning pigeons in the park We've gained notoriety And caused much anxiety In the Audobon Society With our games They call it impiety And lack of propriety And quite a variety of unpleasant names But it's not against any religion To want to dispose of a pigeon So if Sunday you're free Why don't you come with me And we'll poison the pigeons in the park And maybe we'll do in a squirrel or two While we're poisoning pigeons in the park We'll murder them amid laughter and merriment Except for the few we take home to experiment My pulse will be quickenin' With each drop of strychnine We feed to a pigeon It just takes a smidgin To poison a pigeon in the park
Wow I've never heard that before, but remembers me of why my elementary school couldn't go back to the museums in DC. Some of our friends gave raw alka-seltzer to pigeons. Oh so THAT makes sense now.
![SAFEPLANET - ดาวเคราะห์ [ THE PLANET ]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/4X1XL3I_k3c/mqdefault.jpg)
"it's not against any religion to want to dispose of a pigeon" has to be the best line of a song I've ever heard
I think he was paraphrasing Ogden Nash but I can't find the quote. Something like "there's nothing in any religion that compels us to have love for the pigeon"
I hate you minty. You are honosensusl you are evil.
@@doodle-sn1dm I have been found
@@mariaquiet6211 thank you
The pigeon religion
Humor that ages well is extremely rare. That just makes this man's songs even better.
Yes
Well said.
A song thats 55 years ago and still amuses young people. Its rare.
@@edwardcardozo8325 p
Another Allan Sherman wannabe, but not as funny, clever or enduring.
@@patrickhanna1687 yo who asked u tho
This man poisoned my $50,000 racing pigeon, this video will be useful in court
Pigeon
He also poisoned my messenger pigeon how else am I supposed to send messages
@@wycenshel8208 through ur butt
Warner brothers
Really, you're just pissy because my $250 racing drone kicked your pigeons ass. :P
Can we appreciate how the cameraman answered "yes" with the camera at 0:20, what a king
Well spotted.
Oh, thank you so much! :)
Woah I thought it was a camera issue 😂 thanks for pointing it out
Real
Oh wow the dozens of times I've watched this, I didn't notice, thank you!
My maths teacher performed this in the school talent show. I was in stitches
Must have been one hell of a talent show and I’m offended I love pigeons
wish my math teacher was that cool
Lehrer was a mathematician as well. He probably related to him in that way.
@@Ethan2Tone he wasn't just a mathematician, he was a math teacher himself!
@@williamhiegel2756
Math and Music goes side by side those... (least the Music theory does)
I love how he's singing about something so sadistic in a lovely cheerful way!
I’m just replying to see if you still use this TH-cam account
you should hear "we'll all go together!"
th-cam.com/video/P_jjRNMOopA/w-d-xo.html
Isn't feeding bread to birds bad for them
@@lukasbagan2955 Well… if it is coated in cyanide, it is!
Not only is he hilarious, he's also a damn straight piano player !!
Not that many people catch on to that. The mas is a fabulous pianist!
The MAN, I mean t to say
Not only is he a competent pianist he was also an ivy league math professor. Harvard if recollection serves.
@@adamreizner9206 What? That's crazy. This guy has some serious skills.
Don't you mean a damn GAY piano player?
Sorry. I can't help it. He's not even gay...
I love this guys twisted sense of humor.
Me neither. Reminds me of Tim Minchin.
What's twisted don't you poisoning pigeons?
orochimarujes 50's Filthy Frank
1960s, if I remember correctly. He did a song about Wernher von Braun and the space program as part of this recording.
Good old American know-how, by good old Americans like Dr. Werner von Braun....... Yes, I remember that tune.
I read somewhere that in the first take of a recording session, the musicians only knew this as a cheerful waltz piece. The announcer said something like, "Take one, `Poisoning Pigeons in the Park'" and the pianist fell off his bench.
John Randomness: True story!!
@@MetFan37 source?
@Ratigan2 it's on Wikipedia, originally told by tom himself in a 2013 interview
A genius in every respect. He is 93 now and basically quit performing 5 decades ago - but his work still seems as biting and hilarious as it every was.
Is he still poisoning pidgeons in the park?
He did a one off performance for the Musical gala event Hey Mr Producer! Such a great song!
I read that he quit performing after Kissinger got a Nobel award for peace.
This was one of favorite songs when I was a kid. I played this at my middle school Talent Show and boy were they upset. Thank you for uploading.
I would love to be able to see that xD
Your middle school has no sense of humour.
That must have been hysterical when you sang this as a kid.
The thought of it cracks me up.
LMAO
👏👏👏
Tom Lehrer recently released his ENTIRE music catalog into the public domain, so anyone can now do anything they want with his songs. Imagine performing this one on “The Voice” or another TV competition show?
Is that so freaking cool or what! A stellar human being he is! Not only can you perform them as written, he’s given his blessing to put his lyrics to your own music, or change and distort them any way you like.
covers and parodies are always legally protected, what you can do with public domain is use the original version in your own original visual or audio media. it’s always been legal to record a cover or parody of any song ever, they cannot legally do anything. so they could’ve already sang this on the voice: the problem is the voice has to allow you to sing this song, which they probably won’t because it’s not technically difficult or a pop song
Or a metal version
How about a Disney Parody using a Snow White-esque Princess that kills pigeons? I think that would be hilarious to see.
What an absolute KING
Just found Tom Lehrer. I am convinced this man is a genius.
He legitimately is one.
Taught mathematics at Harvard and MIT
He’s been called ‘Comedy’s Elusive Genius’ and he was an incredible mathematician. He’s still alive although he keeps to himself.
Fits someone who's name is literally "teacher" in German
He was
I've decided that this will now by my pickup line, "Hey Girl, if you're not busy Sunday afternoon would you like to go poison some pigeons in the park?" If she looks revolted I'll know she isn't worth the time.
Christian Dove *clap* good job mate
It might be that she thinks YOU aren't worth Her time. After all, she has aardvarks to dynamite.
If someone did that to me I would just go “ayyyy-“ with finger guns
GREAT idea!
My Tinder match has it as her tag line. Is she marriage material?
This dude was WAAAAY ahead of his time.
Real
This song speaks to me on a spiritual level.
Your comment speaks to me on a spiritual level. Oh wait no that's the viagra kicking in.
This comment’s likes has 369. The goose drinks wine
@@ellatadros And now it's 420. You're welcome.
I'm rather concerned if you resonate with the lyrics
One more till 690
I love how he plays that extra bar after his first "poisoning pigeons in the park" to let the laughter die down before continuing... the delay actually increases your anticipation about what he's going to sing next too! =)
That's a good piano player.
I didn't think it was possible to rhyme strychnine this beautifully.
Not to mention Cyanide.
In another song, he finds a rhyme for "funeral".
I recommend The Second by the Stupendium, then
LYRICS
Spring is here, a-suh-puh-ring is here.
Life is skittles and life is beer.
I think the loveliest time of the year is the spring.
I do, don't you? 'Course you do.
But there's one thing that makes spring complete for me,
And makes every Sunday a treat for me.
All the world seems in tune
On a spring afternoon,
When we're poisoning pigeons in the park.
Every Sunday you'll see
My sweetheart and me,
As we poison the pigeons in the park.
When they see us coming, the birdies all try an' hide,
But they still go for peanuts when coated with cyanide.
The sun's shining bright,
Everything seems all right,
When we're poisoning pigeons in the park.
We've gained notoriety,
And caused much anxiety
In the Audubon Society
With our games.
They call it impiety
And lack of propriety,
And quite a variety
Of unpleasant names.
But it's not against any religion
To want to dispose of a pigeon.
So if Sunday you're free,
Why don't you come with me,
And we'll poison the pigeons in the park.
And maybe we'll do
In a squirrel or two,
While we're poisoning pigeons in the park.
We'll murder them all amid laughter and merriment,
Except for the few we take home to experiment.
My pulse will be quickenin'
With each drop of strych'nine
We feed to a pigeon.
(It just takes a smidgin!)
To poison a pigeon in the park.
Taste the rainbow, you stinking birds!
you're a legend bro
@@GoodMorning-b2w :*
Just remember to stay six feet away from other couples while poisoning pigeons in the park
Ah yes, topical humor 💚
Ewww...no longer are COVID jokes humorous.
@@theemagicalwendigo5070
Yes They Are. I think people doing stupid things like wearing masks a Hilarious.
I like my girls how I like my Covid.
19 and easily spread.
@@stevenwiederholt7000 I see people driving in their cars alone with masks on...how stupid they seem
@@kilburn1313
Ever consider they might actually BE stupid?
At 0:20 it looks the camera is shaking due to the operator laughing. Kind of like that famous ad lib scene in Good Will Hunting.
Jonathan Bullas I thought it was the camera operator’s way to nod in agreement as a joke. I don’t think Tom would have minded one bit.
Which was the improvised scene? I love GWH.
I'm shocked to learn that Tom Lehrer is still alive. Dark humor is aparanly healthy.
He reminds me of a muppet in some weird way.
Which is a statement I hope everyone here understands to be the highest compliment.
He was the man behind the “Silent E” song from the Electric Company (where Morgan Freeman could be seen singing and dancing).
no other way to take it.
Yes and
He looks exactly like the newscaster Muppet.
Didnt he write for the muppets?
You have served me well, algorithm, bring me more dark demented historical pop culture.
As you wish, my master.
Yessir
Did ya find anything
Twenty years ago while in graduate school I used to sing his songs out loud in the lab - I am sure my colleagues - including my PhD advisor - must have thought various things. Even now I can probably recall most of the lyrics and sing the songs.
There's a play called Tom Foolery, with his songs and all us oldsters were singing along with all the lyrics. Some things you just don't forget.
The colleagues that laughed got it. And they were for sure cool people!
That's delightful 😂
It was this song that introduced me to the works of the great Tom Lehrer. I was working in a chemistry lab in my year off between school and university, and Tony my supervisor was talking about imprecise quantities, such as "a smidgen" - which led on to "it just takes a smidgen to poison a pigeon". He lent me his Tom Lehrer tapes and I copied them. Thank you, Tony!
Tom Lehrer's charm comes from the use of 1950's outlook used to channel psychosis with such pure-hearted glee.
The unconventional song writing also breaks from usual modern stuff, meaning every song seems fresh and light and ages rediculously well.
He just seems so damn happy when sings about these things and in a world where snark is rather mainstay, it's refreshing to have something different.
I discovered Tom Lehrer back in the 70's when I listened to Doctor Demento. His songs are hilarious and very clever. What a great legacy for us to enjoy forever!
Happy 95th birthday today! Forever a legend and timeless music and humour!
This is some of the best aged humor I've ever seen. This guy was ahead of his time XD
Ah, this brings back memories...I sang this when I was about 9 in a school concert (where all the kids were very posh and sang Les Mis and played the harp.) The faces of the parents was priceless. What a song.
the cut is from a concert held in Denmark when the students of Copenhagen university elected him "artist of the year".
I remember my mum playing this song to me as a kid. Always makes me smile!
I'm glad I was introduced to Tom Lehrer, his silly humor gets me.
I was born in 1956 and my dad loved Tom Lehrer so I grew up hearing all his satirical music. In junior high his song "Pollution" won some commercial accolades as we were all studying smog and water pollution but other than that, none of my friends knew of Lehrer. He was way before his time and a genius IMHO. A Harvard alumnus (he was a child prodigy and entered college at 15) he was a mathematician that taught in California for several years and is still alive at almost 95 years. One man I would love to meet but he's not very interested in hashing up the past and in fact opened up his catalog to public domain.
FINALLY - The right time has arrived. Does anyone want to accompany me this Sunday to poison a few pigeons in the park?
Deborah Meyer Do you mind if I bring Alka-Seltzer to break into chips for the birds?
Kevin S Maybe we should save some for the squirrels we did in.
Go fuk off
megamudkip 1223 Grow up. Then get a sense of humor, troll.
megamudkip 1223 Most of us who are fans of Tom Lehrer know that his songs are often outrageous and satirical. If you are offended by them, why are you listening to his songs in the first place?
Happy 96th birthday Tom!
i just ran across a bunch 7 1/2 inch reel to reel tapes from 1955..and there were several recordings of Tom... this guy is dark hilarious
did you know this is the same guy who made the elements song? funny how this is the style he prefers, and yet the song he said he hated the most is his most popular.
Ramseas119 i did not know that
It's no diffrent than Bobby Darin.
He became popular with Splish Splash, but he enjoyed singing a different style.
yeah, but Lehrer HATED the elements song. then again, he kinda hates popularity in general. he said once that he liked the rumors going around that he was dead, he gets a lot less fan mail that way, and doesn't have to do any interviews.
did the tapes still sound ok? i had all the reel to reel tape recordings from the national lampoon radio hour from the 70’s, but they all bled into each other.... the magnetic information spread to layers above and below it on the reel, so they became useless.... not sure what happened.....
original bo burnham
Exactly, but they are equally as good.
Exactly what I thought.
I think bo took some inspiration from him maybe they've made of the same jokes like when bo said "This song is called if you sing along I'll kill you" and tom said in one "so if any of you feel like singing along, please leave right now."
what i thought
Some say Georg Kreisler invented it
He was banned from the UK! A brilliant man! xxxx
Not banned from the UK (where he was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of London) but the BBC banned some of his songs
I remember discovering this guy in 1975 when I was ten years old, staying up past my bedtime to listen to the nightly comedy hour on KSFO in San Francisco on an old AM radio that had vacuum tubes that glowed in the dark. I also discovered Monty Python, Freddy Prinze, George Carlin, and many others thanks to that show.
I discovered him on the late night Sunday comedy show "The Bartley Flakes Comedy Hour" in Calgary and many others too! It seems like every city used to have a comedy show on Sunday nights from 10-11 or so when I was growing up, no matter where we moved, it was out there somewhere to tune in.
OMG! I found him around the same time there too!!! I used to sit ready with my cassette tape recorder at the ready, so I could record my favorites to listen to over and over again later!! I think it was on the Doctor Demento show, I was so sad when it went off the air.
Thanks for the stroll down memory lane. Good memories!!
I first heard him on Dr Demento as well, starting in 1974 on a Chicago FM station (WDAI or maybe WXRT?). Lehrer, Alan Sherman, Beyond The Fringe, etc. were all on there to entertain and twist my young soul.
I first heard him in 1974 when I was stationed at the Presidio of Monterey in California. His records were at the Rec Center. Don't know if I have a favorite But thisone about the pigeons, and Alma, have to be up there.
My fave is "The Vatican Rag" and has been since I was fourteen. Twelve years of Catholic schools does strange things to a kid's psyche.
I’ve only known that he even existed for only slightly more than a day and I’ve heard two of his songs but I am in love with him
this is 100% justified
I just discovered this song and it’s one of my current favorites!!!
Oh my god I love this man. He is definitely my spirit animal.
i never met my grandad but i've been told that he loved Tom Lehrer and i can see why
This guy is a national treasure.
Brings back great memories of my teenage years!
I'm offensive and that's a pigeon.
Your name is "Offensive"?
No, YOUR name's offensive!
Hi Offensive, I'm Dad.
hi dad , I'am Grandpa
paw pad Hi Grandpa, I'm the Reaper
I have been listening to Tom Lehrer since my parents played his records, in the 1960s. I have most of his songs memorized, and his humor has changed my life. One of my great thrills was finally meeting him in person about 3 years ago.. we had a nice chat! He splits his time between Santa Cruz, CA and Cambridge, MA
The world needed Tom Lehrer then and it needs him now.
He's still alive tho
When we were kids, my parents didn't have the usual record collection. I grew up on Burl Ives, Shari Lewis, Scottish dance music, and, of all things, Chants of the Mao Mao (Mom had applied for jobs in the Arctic and, of all places, Kenya, and wanted my to get familiar with the music...) Instead she decided to get married again, met my step Dad (from MIT and with a tin ear) and their two music collections joined forces to give us kids a musical education, bar none. Jazz, folk, classical, and my favourite genre musical comedy. Whenever we were sick, we got to lie in bed and listen to whatever we wanted... and you were my favourite. Teachers were disturbed by the fact that I sang about "Poisoning Pigeons in the Park" and knew rather more than a child my age should know (singing-wise) about masochism...
the masochism tango was the first song I heard by him!
@@astraeaflorence Once upon a time, a young version of myself was watching a documentary about the Nazi rocket program. This documentary showed Tom Lehrer's "Wernher von Braun." After some searching, I found the identity the artist of this great song, Mr. Lehrer himself. I have been in love with his songs ever since. "Poisoning Pigeons in the Park" is my favorite song to this day.
My introduction to him came from Inspired by True Events, first there was a comic with Yont the wizard singing Lobachevsky (inspiredbytrueevents.org/yont-the-wizards-musical-interlude-lobachevsky/), though it wasn't until their parody of national brotherhood week (inspiredbytrueevents.org/people-like-twenty-panel-long-comics-of-mostly-song-lyrics-right/) that they had the video in the description and I listened to it, then I went on to hearing such classics as We Will All Go Together When We Go, and The Masochism Tango (shortly before having dance classes in school, even)
As a kid in the 60’s, my parents would make sure I and my brother were asleep before playing Tom Lehrer records for their friends in academia. My bedroom was next to the living room. I would put my ear to the wall to listen to and memorize every lyric. Mr. Lehrer is one of my greatest influences in life, and I am still as weird as I was when I was much younger!
@@geerhoar I was thrilled back in the 1990s to find one of his records in this great used record store on City Island in the Bronx, Moonraker Records. Sadly, the guy who ran it died and while one if his kids, I think, ran it for a while, ir eventually closed. It was floor to ceiling records. He knew where everything was and if he had something or not.I wish I had had mire money when I lived just up the block from it. I’d have bought a lot more.
He didn’t suffer fools glady and he was known to kick people out of the store for asking for crappy music or because he didn’t like the cut of their jib. What a character. Luckily, he was always nice to me.
Today, April 9th 2018. He is alive at 90. Is that not amazing?
It is.
He's just one of those people you think will never die, like John Oliver, or Bill Nye.
No emotional problems
none of the pigeons family wanted ravenge?
Wow😮
Oh my gosh I heard this song years ago and lost it. So glad TH-cam recommended this entirely out of the blue!
Such a warm, cuddly, feel-good performer.
Brings a tear to my eye.
I just love how casual he is about it
Musical genius of the first order! Love to listen to Tom’s glorious piano playing. My late husband always said that Tom was the best pianist he had ever heard, and he was right!
Argh, I simply just love this one! And every time someone says "Spring is here!" I automatically continue the lyrics... =D
I just discovered him a few moments ago and I'm in love
00:19 the passive agressiveness in that man's tone 😂😂😂 'of course you love spring!'
@Paganforge, thank you, yes, when this forgotten and extremely rare recording first appeared on TH-cam in 2007, Lehrer decided that he did not want to stop it. In 2010 Shout Factory! in the United States released the concert on a DVD, and -- to me -- The Tom Lehrer Collection is still the Christmas gift of all time.
TIL: tom is still alive at 90something and gave all his songs and lyrics to the public domain for free.
This was truly a demented classic that I will be singing in my head for the next few days! Thanks
I'm a pigeon and I'm offended.
Scott Pak With pleasure.
I didn't know that they allow birds into the Survey Corps
+Sasha Braus We need to build a wall and make the pigeons pay for it.
Justin Atheist How dare you.
I find this incredibly specist.
+Sasha Braus Hatoful Boyfriend was based on real facts
The brilliance of Tom Lehrer is truly unmatched. Such a legend, a true genius.
Today, my 14 year old son chose to play "Poisoning Pigeons in the Park" in his History of Rock and hip hop class. Needless to say, the entire class was shocked when the pleasant beginning opens up to the whole poisoning pigeons business ... with his class watching him sing along with a smile.
I wonder if Tom ever thought his songs would live on to kids showing them off to fellow students and teachers in classrooms😂❤
they probably thought he was weird
@@Bended oh Absolutely
this is fantastic.
My son likes this song. A nice way to pass culture to new generations.
"When they see us coming, the birdies all try and hide, but they still go for peanuts when coated with Cyanide"
Best line
As a long time bird lover I must say. . . *I LOVE THIS SONG!*
A friend of mine performed this song as an encore for his senior voice recital. Sick bastard.
this song has been stuck in my head since 2003
So, Is it still stuck in your head?
@@Absolute_Joker yes.
This guy, Tom Lehrer, is such a genius with lyrics. I remember watching him on TV back in the day, always enjoyed his style.
@anybody51, thank you so much! It's nice to hear that people are still playing the songs on vinyl. But the digital age has it's advantages too, because now you can get a whole uninterrupted Lehrer TV-performance on DVD. So...if you need an idea for a Christmas gift, open and read the channel description...
This song and "Werner Von Braun" are my two favorites of his. I'm happy to hear the man is still alive and kicking. I wish him the best.
I think this is my favourite new singer and composer
Those wonderful rippling fingers again! Tom is a musical genius!
Loved hearing him on WFMT's "Midnight Special" back in the day....
Ah, fond memories.....
Of Dr. Demento I mean!
First time I heard this guy was at a show with Dr. Demento in California, who also, by the way was the first person to play Weird Al, on his radio station when Weird Al was still a kid.
Tom Lehrer---what a genius! This song brings back fond memories of my youth, when my twisted uncle used to sing the Lehrer songbook to us kids. Best to start perversion at a young age, I guess...
Lehrer is clever...a real wordsmith....just great and filled with humor.
fantastic....i thought , I will be viewing his alone....so many people with brains..brilliant
What are you from a different planet?
Fat Wakka Man definitely, not your neighbour!
Ah, such a lovely spring song, reminds me of my grandparents
What
I love Tom Lehrer. Best childhood influence I could have possibly had.
This is a song that I keep coming back to ever year or so and each time it seems to get better and better!
Beautiful
Amazing song, but sadly not many people appreciate great work like this.
I don't appreciate animal cruelty
Sensei Senseix it's comedy
Sensei Senseix people care too much about animals now a days
Sure, if you consider the 2.7 million people who watched it and the 17k people who gave it a thumbs up "not many people."
The Doerksen Show #Murica!!! Is that wrong?
Thank you for telling me about this. Seeing that made me freak out in happiness. I never would have known.
Spring is here, spring is here
Life is skittles and life is beer
I think the loveliest time of the year
Is the spring, I do, don't you? Course you do
But there's one thing that makes spring complete for me
And makes every Sunday a treat for me
All the world seems in tune on a spring afternoon
When we're poisoning pigeons in the park
Every Sunday you'll see my sweetheart and me
As we poison the pigeons in the park
When they see us coming
The birdies all try and hide
But they still go for peanuts
When coated with cyanide
The sun's shining bright
Everything seems all right
When we're poisoning pigeons in the park
We've gained notoriety
And caused much anxiety
In the Audobon Society
With our games
They call it impiety
And lack of propriety
And quite a variety of unpleasant names
But it's not against any religion
To want to dispose of a pigeon
So if Sunday you're free
Why don't you come with me
And we'll poison the pigeons in the park
And maybe we'll do in a squirrel or two
While we're poisoning pigeons in the park
We'll murder them amid laughter and merriment
Except for the few we take home to experiment
My pulse will be quickenin'
With each drop of strychnine
We feed to a pigeon
It just takes a smidgin
To poison a pigeon in the park
I used to listen Tom Leherer when I was a little child...Man, a lot of memories brings me now.
He has a fantastic sense of humor and his singing style is really pleasant to the ear :)
Babe are you ok? You haven't poisoned a single pigeon this entire Sunday. You can reach out to me if you're not feeling well.
"I do, don't you?" *camera nods*
😂😂😂
Man, this man is so morbid. And I love him :D
Wow I've never heard that before, but remembers me of why my elementary school couldn't go back to the museums in DC. Some of our friends gave raw alka-seltzer to pigeons. Oh so THAT makes sense now.
The fact my ma and pa played this when i was younger and i still love this guy's songs. Some of the few songs i love from my childhood.
Tom is 96 and still living. So are pigeons, despite this song.
Another example of hilarious comedy that wouldn't get on TV or a onto a university campus today.
This so great to find here. I grew up listening to this guy. One of the most unique parodists of all time.
This was recorded in the 60's and this shit is still hilarious today. Genius!
An absolute master of comedy!!!