Tom Lehrer dies at 97: Satirical singer found dead at home; Harvard math genius famed for taboo-breaking songs

Tom Lehrer , the sharp-witted American singer and satirist known for his darkly comic songs, has died at the age of 97. He was found dead on Saturday at his home in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Lehrer first found fame in the 1950s with his self-produced albums, but it was the 1960s TV show That Was the Week That Was that brought his biting humour to a wider audience.

Despite his cult following, Lehrer always saw himself primarily as a mathematician. He taught at Harvard, MIT and later at the University of California, Santa Cruz, where he spent most of his later life.

Known for tackling taboo topics through satire, such as war, drug use, and religion, Lehrer’s songs like The Masochism Tango, Poisoning Pigeons in the Park, and The Vatican Rag pushed boundaries during the Eisenhower era. His 1965 album That Was the Year That Was hit No. 18 on the US charts.

Born in New York to a Jewish family, Lehrer was a prodigy who entered Harvard at 15. Though he left showbiz early, his work remained popular, featured in radio shows, stage revues, and re-released albums.

Lehrer never married and had no children.