Tom Lehrer

Lehrer was a singer-songwriter who accompanied himself on the piano. He is best known for songs recorded in the 1950s and 1960s, a period during which he also lectured on mathematics at Harvard and other institutions. Many of his compositions were satirical, including "Fight Fiercely, Harvard," proposed as a fight song for his alma mater. Others addressed contemporary social issues, such as "Pollution" and "I Wanna Go Back to Dixie" (offering a highly unflattering view of the South during the era of integration), while some explored offbeat black humor, exemplified by "Poisoning Pigeons in the Park."