American Musical Satirist Tom Lehrer Passes Away at 97

American musician and satirist Tom Lehrer has passed away at the age of 97, as reported by US media. Lehrer, a Harvard-trained mathematician, gained popularity in the 1950s and 1960s for his darkly humorous songs, often with political themes. Modern comedians like Weird Al Yankovich have cited Lehrer as an influence. His death was confirmed by a friend, David Herder, to the New York Times.

Born in Manhattan in 1928, Lehrer was a classically trained pianist who primarily pursued academia despite his musical success. He held teaching positions at Harvard University, MIT, and the University of California. Lehrer began writing songs while at Harvard, entertaining friends with his lyrics.

Some of Lehrer's most well-known songs include "The Elements," a humorous list of chemical elements set to music, and "The Masochism Tango," a darkly comic ballad. He released an album in 1953 that gained popularity through word of mouth, although the BBC banned most of the songs from the airwaves the following year.

Lehrer performed in nightclubs and at events for anti-war and left-wing groups, and wrote songs for the US version of the satirical show "That Was the Week That Was." He also contributed to the educational children's show "The Electric Company." In 2020, Lehrer made his songwriting copyrights public domain, allowing free interpretation and performance of his work.