# Suggest artists similar to Tom Lehrer. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 4, 2010, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-artists-similar-to-tom-lehrer/538341 "2010-05-04T23:22:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-artists-similar-to-tom-lehrer/538341/21 "2010-05-05T16:47:27Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > That’s the only one I could think of where he borrows the music. Any other examples? I thought his \*Lobachevsky \*used music from some other song. If so, it would be appropriate, as the entire song is about plagiarism. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-artists-similar-to-tom-lehrer/538341/22 "2010-05-05T17:07:33Z")
> [@](#): > > I thought his Lobachevsky used music from some other song. If so, it would be appropriate, as the entire song is about plagiarism. > Reply With Quote Not only the music, but the entire idea – he’s riffing on a Danny Kaye piece originally about Stanislavsky (as Lehrer admits in his intro). Plagiarism, indeed. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-artists-similar-to-tom-lehrer/538341/23 "2010-05-05T17:12:55Z")
[Antsy McClain and the Trailer Park Troubadors.](http://www.unhitched.com/) [Austin Lounge Lizards.](http://www.austinlizards.com/) ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-artists-similar-to-tom-lehrer/538341/24 "2010-05-05T17:27:06Z")
> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > I thought his \*Lobachevsky \*used music from some other song. If so, it would be appropriate, as the entire song is about plagiarism. The only songs on [Allmusic.com](http://Allmusic.com) that have additional credits to Lehrer’s are: The Elements Song, Clementine, and She’s My Girl. I suppose it’s possible he’s got some public domain songs parodied in there, too, or the credits are incomplete, but I’m not convinced that he “usually borrows the music.” It seems to me quite the opposite. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-artists-similar-to-tom-lehrer/538341/25 "2010-05-05T17:46:44Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > The only songs on [Allmusic.com](http://Allmusic.com) that have additional credits to Lehrer’s are: The Elements Song, Clementine, and She’s My Girl. I suppose it’s possible he’s got some public domain songs parodied in there, too, or the credits are incomplete, but I’m not convinced that he “usually borrows the music.” It seems to me quite the opposite. Oh, I agree. The vast majority of his songs use original music. Not \*very \*original, of course, but then his music is just a vehicle for his lyrics, which are the real attraction. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2010, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-artists-similar-to-tom-lehrer/538341/26 "2010-05-06T01:58:13Z")
RealityChuck, you’ll notice that I said that Lehrer is the smarter of the two. He’s also clearly the better writer of lyrics. You know, most of the time I can count on you to be moderate in your posts and not exaggerate. Why did you have to claim then that they shouldn’t be mentioned in the same breath? That sort of wild overstatement is really not necessary. (You know, I wonder if the reason that you like Lehrer’s songs so much better is just that you like the styles of music that he parodies better. I know that I do.) What Weird Al has going for him is his ambition. He certainly appears to be planning to continue writing and performing the rest of his life. The songs will be good but not great, but they will continue to sell. Lehrer burned out quickly. The songs are fantastic, but there aren’t very many of them. Lehrer is a brilliant man who didn’t care enough to continue to impress people with new work when he could get by resting on his laurels. ---
**Author:** ![MacSpon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/34f0e0/32.png) [@MacSpon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacSpon)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2010, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-artists-similar-to-tom-lehrer/538341/27 "2010-05-06T04:10:13Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > The closest to Lehrer in both music and sensibility are [Flanders and Swann](http://www.nyanko.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/fas/index.html). They did political commentary (“All Gaul,” “There’s a Hole in My Budget,” “A Song of Patriotic Prejudice”), songs about science (“First and Second Law” (of Themodynamics), “Satellite Moon”), and much more. “[Madeira M’Dear](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OW_zi8n4HDQ)” is one of the best comic songs ever written and “[The Hippopotamus](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjnOj9O16_I&feature=related)” is a masterpiece. And Flanders’s lyrics are the few that can give Lehrer a run for his money. Amen. F&S were the ones I came in here to mention. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2010, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-artists-similar-to-tom-lehrer/538341/28 "2010-05-06T04:56:30Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > It alternates with the News Quiz and something else, I think. **I Guess That’s Why They Call It The News**. I don’t think it will be back, though. ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2010, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-artists-similar-to-tom-lehrer/538341/29 "2010-05-06T13:29:41Z")
Well, depending on what aspect of Lehrer you mean, there’s They Might Be Giants for writing nerdy songs about science. Or for quirky non-heavy-rock-and-roll songs from Massachusetts, there’s Jonathan Richman. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2010, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-artists-similar-to-tom-lehrer/538341/30 "2010-05-06T14:06:38Z")
I’ve been think about posting this for a while, so this thread is timely: [Molly Lewis](http://sweetafton23.com/), a just-turned-twenty college student, puts up some quite good YouTube videos of her performances. Some are excellent covers of other artists (see [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mf7cQfhJSA) one of Lady Gaga’s _Poker Face_), and some are her own work. She accompanies herself on ukulele, mostly, but occasionally on guitar and other instruments. My personal favorite is her original song [MyHope](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avxpn_MsPYs), a very funny rumination about what will happen to all those MySpace pages in the future. Frankly, I don’t know how a twenty year old (actually nineteen at the time) can appreciate how life will change for her generation over the next twenty or so years, but she does so spectacularly well. Here’s the chorus: > [@Molly Lewis](#): > > How I hope that you forget about your MySpace > I hope it slips completely from your mind > And I hope it stays up long enough for the next generation to find > And I hope that it embarrasses your children > I hope their bratty friends all forward it around > And I hope that you forget your password > So you cannot take it down Also check out [Two Girls, One Uke](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdGuv6vIiNk), (which, despite the title, is quite safe for work), [Peep Fight](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_kFjeGOZV0), and [It All Makes Sense At the End](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tjC0mYfcrg), which dramatizes her breakup with Wikipedia (Did I mention she’s a geek?). She’s also put out a CD collection, entitled “_I Made You A CD, But I Eated It_”. Oh, and she also has covers of “Poisoning Pigeons in the Park” and “Christmas Time is Here”. I think she is well on her way to becoming her generations’ answer to the great Tom Lerher. ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2010, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-artists-similar-to-tom-lehrer/538341/31 "2010-05-06T15:24:12Z")
Filling Tom Lehrer’s shoes is a pretty tall order - there are lots of good parodists, satirists and humorous singer/songwriters out there, but Lehrer has set the bar pretty f#@ing high for everybody. I don’t think he’s in the same league, but Tim Minchin is worth a mention here. If you really loved me. (Audio Not Safe For Work.) [If you really loved me](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPpatfueTqI&feature=channel) [If You Open Your Mind Too Much Your Brain Will Fall Out.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBUc_kATGgg) ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2010, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-artists-similar-to-tom-lehrer/538341/32 "2010-05-06T22:38:29Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > In 50 years, people will still be listening to Lehrer, where Yankovic will only be a mysterious reference in the **The Naked Gun**. That’s a pretty safe bet considering that his first album is 57 years old [cite](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Lehrer) and _Fight Fiercely Harvard_ was written in 1945. There are frequent references to Lehrer in the better publications - a review of a book on gay life at Harvard in the NY Times Book Review was titled “Invite the Whole Team up for Tea.” Lehrer had the career he wanted. He quit performing because he wanted to, not because he wasn’t popular. That we are having this discussion over 40 years after he quit performing actively is proof enough. Weird Al is cool, but he won’t have any more long term impact than Homer and Jethro. BTW, I cast another vote for Flanders and Swann as being good choices. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2010, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-artists-similar-to-tom-lehrer/538341/33 "2010-05-06T23:28:07Z")
Stan Freberg? Sorta? ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2010, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-artists-similar-to-tom-lehrer/538341/34 "2010-05-07T00:56:16Z")
[Christine Lavin](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1bumOZENyI) has some clever story songs. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2010, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-artists-similar-to-tom-lehrer/538341/35 "2010-05-07T06:46:17Z")
If there is one lesson to be learned from this thread, it is this: Novelty song writers/performers tend to be unique. More so than interchangeable standard pop artists. I think that is a good thing…TRM ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2010, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-artists-similar-to-tom-lehrer/538341/36 "2010-05-07T12:38:00Z")
[OH, I KNOW! HOW ABOUT ME!?!?!?](http://www.myspace.com/sexysexyjoelavelle) (myspace music link) O.K., I won’t nominate myself in the “similar to Tom Lehrer” Thread, but several of my songs are available to listen to at the above link. Should any of you choose to give a listen, feel free to nominate me in this Thread- if you see fit. 😉 😃 ---
**Author:** ![straight\_man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/straight_man/32/3027_2.png) [@straight\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/straight_man)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2010, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-artists-similar-to-tom-lehrer/538341/37 "2010-05-07T20:32:06Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > **I Guess That’s Why They Call It The News**. I don’t think it will be back, though. I’m sure it will. All three shows have seasons, and they’ve been through several rotations in my time listening. Honestly, though, I don’t really like Mitch Benn. The musical background is kind of bland, and I don’t think his lyrics are unusually good, either. But hey, YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2010, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-artists-similar-to-tom-lehrer/538341/38 "2010-05-07T20:41:02Z")
Some of my favorite humorist musicians: Tim Minchin Da Vinci’s Notebook Jon LaJoie Camille West Asylum Street Spankers Cheryl Wheeler (some of her songs are really hilarious, but she has more serious bits) ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2010, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-artists-similar-to-tom-lehrer/538341/39 "2010-05-07T21:32:54Z")
Tom Lehrer is a popular choice at [Filksings](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filk_music) and there is lot of overlap between the filk genre and the novelty-song genre. Check out filker [Tom Smith.](http://www.tomsmithonline.com/index.html) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-artists-similar-to-tom-lehrer/538341.md?page=1)