Tom Lehrer performs Poisoning Pigeons in the Park, 1998
Lehrer, and similar subversive forces, were an early part of the undermining of society and the collapse of patriotism, family and morality in the 1960s.
On his NewsFromMe blog, Mark Evanier posts Tom Lehrer, performing Poisoning Pigeons in the Park, from 1998!
Murdering pigeons. Randy (but prepared!) scouts. Your friendly neighborhood dope peddler. All in good, winking satirical fun? Hardly! Lehrer, and similar subversive forces like the Three Stooges, Charles Addams, Don Martin, and Allan Sherman (now that you mention him), were an early part of the undermining of society and the collapse of patriotism, family and morality in the 1960s. There's no other explanation for my older brother's macabre frog torture chamber amusement park!
Naturally, I passed along the important cultural touchstone of Tom Lehrer songs when my kids (now all grown) were young and impressionable, but until now, I realize, they had never had the privilege of seeing him perform. Truly deserving of a non-Valley Girl "Awesome!" One of my longest- and most deeply-held beliefs is that in this mortal coil one (at least this one) can never have enough of Tom Lehrer. (No doubt helped to encourage those of us who so believe that he didn't overexpose himself. Great to see Daniel (Harry Potter) Radcliffe on The Graham Norton Show enthusing about Lehrer before a cappella'ing "The Elements," but it was so strange to see everybody else's crickets reaction at the mention of Master Lehrer.) Such a treat to see him perform again, as impressive as ever (or my memory betrays me, increasingly a possibility), undiminished in wit, keyboard skill, masterful vocal control, and that get away with murder boyish charm! Which, at nearly sixty I can appreciate somehow the same as and yet qualitatively more than when I was twelve, watching TW3.
Not that one could tell, but Lehrer has always been a major inspiration for my own sometimes-humorous lyrical efforts (e.g. Risk) as well as my attempts to make nice sounds instead of noises result from my hammerings at the piano.
Re-reading the above, I thought to check Wikipedia re the American version of TW3... The cast..! I had no idea! Do vids of TW3 survive? They are occasionally requested on the Internests but I've never seen any posts. That Wikipedia link led me to the Tom Lehrer page, where the Rhino releases (OH?!?) are mentioned and so... I should ask more from the Googlyweb, the one force in the universe more knowledgeable than (if not as reliable as) Mark E. ;)
But! Busy (and chronically disorganized) lives mean sometimes we think of things like that and don't get a round tuit, even with all the convenience of googleynet. Which is why your passing along this link is such a welcome service. Mark, thanks a million -- thanks those astronomical numbers only governments can pile up!
Addendum: Searching Mark's site turned up a young Tom Lehrer, poisoning pigeons.