That Was The Year That Was

That Was The Year That Was collects lyrics and sheet music from Tom Lehrer's 1965 television performances on the U.S. version of the BBC show "That Was The Week That Was." The book includes piano arrangements and complete lyrics for twelve satirical songs. The songs address topics from the mid-1960s political and cultural landscape, including the Cold War, nuclear proliferation, and American social issues. Lehrer, a Harvard-educated mathematician, brought his academic wit and musical talent to these compositions originally performed on television. The collection captures a specific moment in American satirical songwriting and political commentary, reflecting both the anxieties and absurdities of its era through musical comedy. The material demonstrates how entertainment and social criticism can effectively combine through the medium of song.

There are not enough internet reviews to create a summary of this book. Instead, here is a summary of reviews of Tom Lehrer's overall work: Readers praise Lehrer's mathematical precision in wordplay and his ability to make complex topics accessible through humor. Fans frequently cite his perfect rhyme schemes and intricate internal rhyming. Many reviews highlight how his songs remain relevant decades later, particularly those about political hypocrisy and social issues. Amazon reviewers specifically admire his clear pronunciation and piano skills, with multiple comments noting they can understand every word despite fast-paced delivery. One Goodreads reviewer writes: "His intelligence shines through without being pretentious." Some readers find his darker themes unsettling, particularly in songs about nuclear war and death. Others mention that certain cultural references feel dated or require historical context to appreciate fully. Ratings across platforms: - Goodreads: 4.4/5 (Too Few People Have Died Lately) - Amazon Music: 4.8/5 (That Was The Year That Was) - iTunes: 4.7/5 (The Remains of Tom Lehrer) Most negative reviews focus on audio quality of older recordings rather than content.

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🎵 Tom Lehrer wrote and performed satirical songs while working as a mathematics professor at Harvard and later MIT, maintaining parallel careers in academia and entertainment. 📝 The album and book were based on songs Lehrer wrote for the NBC television show "That Was The Week That Was" (TW3) during 1964-65, tackling current events with biting wit. 🎹 Despite releasing only three major albums in his career and retiring from public performance in the early 1970s, Lehrer's influence can be seen in the work of later satirists like "Weird Al" Yankovic. 🎭 The book contains lyrics from songs addressing controversial topics of the 1960s, including nuclear proliferation ("Who's Next"), the Civil Rights Movement ("Birmingham"), and the Vatican II reforms ("The Vatican Rag"). 🎼 Many of the songs feature complex wordplay and sophisticated rhyme schemes, drawing on Lehrer's mathematical background - he once stated that his musical career was "not so much a career as a hobby that got out of control."