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Tom Lehrer has released his works into the public domain. See notice at
Blue Rasberry (talk) 20:19, 20 October 2020 (UTC)
The following Wikimedia Commons file used on this page or its Wikidata item has been nominated for deletion:
Participate in the deletion discussion at the nomination page. —Community Tech bot (talk) 20:08, 19 January 2023 (UTC)
It seems a bit out of place to be making this assertion with the reliable source being a SFWeekly article and self disclosure by Mr. Lehrer himself. I checked with ChatGPT regarding this question and ChatGPT was not able to find concrete evidence that he did work at the NSA.
That being said, I do know that at times truths are disclosed and recorded in history through verbal repetition. For example in Hindu culture history is often kept by Oral tradition. I've also seen this pattern in mathematics, specifically Cryptography in the pattern of a Cryptographic nonce.
I don't dare to make a change here, as I'm sure the editors of this page know the score. Just something for them to keep in mind, whether there is sufficient reliable sources here to assert this. Theheezy (talk) 02:05, 28 June 2023 (UTC)
In Spiro Zavos's book Winters of Revenge, he claims that Tom Lehrer wrote a song in opposition to the All Blacks' tour of Apartheid-era South Africa. Zavos was mistaken: the lyrics he cites were not written by Tom Lehrer. Rather, they were written by Auckland Star columnist John Berry as a Lehrer-esque satirical pastiche:
American satirist Tom Lehrer has mailed to Auckland Star "Show Folk" columnist John Berry a song setting out his ideas on the All Black tour controversy.
Tom writes: "The car I rented to see the South Island has no radio, so I wrote this to keep from going mad."
He adds that the song, "Oh, Mr Nash," can be sung to almost any tune:
When the early missionaries first brought Rugby to New Zealand,
It became the state religion right away,
And to the ten commandments has been added an eleventh,
And it says: No matter what - thou shalt play!
CHORUS: Oh, Mr Nash, why so rash?
Is the Rugby Union so hard up for cash?
Though you talk about the Maori
In your phrases sweet and flow'ry
I'm afraid you've missed the point, Mr Nash.
When the team goes to South Africa we all must act politely,
So to all their local problems, let's be mute.
It might be a friendly gesture as a token of affection
If we brought along some blacks for them to shoot.
CHORUS: Oh, Mr Nash, etc.
No, it doesn't really matter what New Zealand may have lost,
As long as Kiwi Rugby players are supreme,
And just think how glad they'd make us if they came back with the title
Of the World's Greatest Non-Pigmented Team!
CHORUS: Oh, Mr Nash, etc.— John Berry, ""Oh, Mr Nash," says Tom Lehrer", Auckland Star (16 April 1960)
Darobsta (talk) 15:32, 30 September 2023 (UTC)
In the page, it says that he sang Poisoning Pigeons in the Park and an updated version of Who's Next?, but I can only find his performance of Poisoning Pigeons in the Park. Is there any proof of his performance of Who's Next? Mirnim0000 (talk) 08:58, 25 January 2024 (UTC)
I'm apparently forbidden to upload this mp3 recording to Wikimedia. Anyone know how to get it done? Thanks.
Hpage66 (talk) 23:47, 3 March 2024 (UTC)