Tom Lehrer
Tom Lehrer
Thomas Andrew "Tom" Lehreris an American singer-songwriter, satirist, pianist, and mathematician. He has lectured on mathematics and musical theater. He is best known for the pithy, humorous songs he recorded in the 1950s and '60s...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionSongwriter
Date of Birth9 April 1928
CityNew York City, NY
CountryUnited States of America
secret research mathematics
In one word he told me the secret of success in mathematics: plagiarize; only be sure always to call it . . . research.
may way wonder
Some of you may have met mathematicians and wondered how they got that way.
temperament performers
I wasn't really a performer by temperament,
prayer mean lessons
Once all the Germans were warlike and mean But that couldn't happen again We taught them a lesson in nineteen eighteen And they've hardly bothered us since then
hood ifs
If the hoods don't get you, the monoxide will.
silly answers wells
Well, you ask a silly question, and you get a silly answer.
marine doubt politics
They love us everywhere we go. So when in doubt, send the Marines.
hands trying steps
Step up and shake the hand Of someone you can't stand, You can tolerate him if you try!
together potatoes world
Oh we will all fry together when we fry. We'll be french fried potatoes by and by. There will be no more misery When the world is our rotisserie, Yes, we will all fry together when we fry.
thumbs use counting
Counting in octal is just likst counting in decimal--if you don't use your thumbs.
math important answers
But in the new (math) approach, the important thing is to understand what you're doing, rather than to get the right answer.
reading writing dark
I didn't feel the need for anonymous affection, for people in the dark applauding. To me, it would be like writing a novel and then getting up every night and reading your novel. Everything I did is on the record and, if you want to hear it, just listen to the record.
hate apples pie
The poor folks hate the rich folks, and the rich folks hate the poor folks. All of my folks hate all of your folks, it's American as apple pie.
rockets who-cares care
Once the rockets are up, who cares where they come down?