That Was the Year That Was by Tom Lehrer (CD, Apr-1990, Reprise)

Tom Lehrer, long one of my father's favorites, has been one of my favorites since I was a child. His witty humor, fantastic piano playing and clever lyrics, though typically politically incorrect, still run through my head from time to time!

This CD, takes the LP I grew up with and offers me the opportunity to listen to the tunes in my car...something I could never do with the LP!

My two favorite songs on this album are, "The Vatican Rag" and "New Math."

Intended to be humorous, while poking fun at everything and anything, Tom Lehrer gives us these words, sung to a Rag style tune:

"First you get down on your knees
Fiddle with your rosaries
Bow your head with great respect and
genuflect, genuflect, genuflect!"
Do whatever steps you want if
You have cleared them with the Pontiff
Everybody say his own
Kyrie Eleison,
Doing the Vatican Rag!"

"New Math" explains math in a completely different light:

"You can't take three from two,
Two is less than three,
So you look at the four in the tens place.
Now that's really four tens
So you make it three tens,
Regroup, and you change a ten to ten ones,
And you add 'em to the two and get twelve,
And you take away three, that's nine.
Is that clear?"

Let's just put it this way. This CD is filled with songs the likes of which you have never heard! Funny, silly and always, clever!

I had this record as a teen and loved it. A few of the spoofs are more politically sensitive than they were then - but for the most part, they are still hilarious. Thanks for the speedy delivery of multiple copies for gifts!

My sisters had this album back in the 60's and somehow it ended up with me, but we played it so much and didn't take proper care of it, that it is extremely warped and scratched, so I bought the CD for their birthday. Of course I listened to it before sending it, and it brought back so many memories of us laughing and singing along. Now, though, I really notice what a versatile piano player Tom was as well as clever songwriter. Unfortunately for our times, some of the songs are still up to date, such as So Long Mom, I'm Off to Drop the Bomb, and Who's Next (nuclear arms). It's a shame the American public (or sponsors) weren't smart enough to appreciate really good satire, so I'm really glad things like this are reissued on CDs. The contents are great commentaries on the 60's, but still relevant today. Well worth getting this CD.

If you'd like a humorous look at the issues of the day in the late 1960s, Tom Lehrer is still wonderfully funny. At the time, only a few of his songs, such as Vatican Rag, might have been described as offensive. But, they were always funny. This is the best compilation and the only recording he made in the 1960s, as far as this writer knows. A personal favorite is So Long, Mom, a take on the atomic terror of those days. In its few minutes, it accomplishes almost as much as an an artifact of what the nuclear stalemate was like as Kubrick's somewhat longer movie, Dr. Strangelove.

The recording is also a terrific lesson in how to write satiric songs. Lehrer is still around concertizing. This is the next best thing. The recordings were done live, so, for thirty or forty minutes, you're there.

everything arrived on time and in satisfactory condition aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

This is a CD that is timeless! "That was the Year that Was" first came out in 1965 and he sings about issues that were topical at the time. HOWEVER, the songs are relevant for today as many of the issues have not disapeared and once again we find "there is nothing new under the sun."

Tom, as always takes a light hearted look at an issue that is not necessary light. He uses satire to make us aware that we need to be constantly aware of the environment, or attitudes to others, and our security; along with more simple life issues of how to cope with our children's education.

He is just one of my favorite people to listen to. He is a charming,funny and intelligent kind a fella that presents his thoughts into song. I got a CD for myself and sent the same album (yes, I said album) to my inlaws.

I was in the audience when this was recorded. I was a Marine that had just flown into Travis AFB from Viet Nam and was waiting transport to Camp Pendelton. I had a lay over and a buddy and I had liberty and went into town. We ended up at The Hungry Eye and were seated up front as we were in uniform. Of course this was in the Days BEFORE San Francisco became "Military Phobic" I bought his album about a year later and listened to it until I could almost do every routine (except the piano playing). I lost the album in 1992 due to Hurricane Andrew in Florida.

One thing people don't realize about Tom Lehrer is that he was a Math Professor at MIT in Cambridge Mass. He did have a Great Sense Of Humor. I'm glad I found it again so I can drive my friends crazy with it.

I'M TOM LEHRER FAN---LOVE HIS WORK. ALTHOUGH MORE THAN HALF CENTURY OLD, IT'S AS GOOD AS NEW. RECOMMEND THIUS TO EVERYBODY.

Simply one of the best comedy albums of all time. Tom Leherer knows how to turn a phrase and do it with a catchy tune. The best part is that even though the material on this disk is over 40 years old, it's still a riot.

I fondly remember the tv show "That Was The Week That Was". This show is the source of the songs on this CD. These songs helped developed the warped sense of humor that I have to this day. Me teenaged sons were wondering where I cmae up with some of the off-beat ideas I throw out and this CD is helping them gain some incite to the workings of the brain of the "old man".
Bill.