Test yourself! Take this Tom Lehrer Quiz | Music

Answer: Harvard

He both taught and studied at Harvard, though you really wouldn't think it from "Fight Fiercely Harvard" and "Bright College Days", which shine no more sympathetic light upon his opinion of the place!

Answer: The sonnet

"Fight fiercely Harvard" is a "dainty" little football song, and obviously "The Irish ballad".

Answer: The Pirates of Penzance

From "Songs and More songs by Tom Lehrer" is the major general's song from "The Pirates of Penzance" by Gilbert and Sullivan. The words of its last line were true as of the date of recording, but presumably will not remain so for long.

Answer: Jim

From "I got it from Agnes": "I got it from Agnes, she got it from Jim, we all agree itmust have been Louise who gave it to him".

Answer: His Spaniel

"She gave it to Daniel, whose Spaniel has it now"

Answer: They don't know

"Our dentist even got it and we're still wondering how."

Answer: The street

"You might get it at the pub or in the club or in the loo and if you will be my friend then I might- mind you I said might give it to you!" If anyone has anything other than my sordid speculations to suggest as to what "It" is I would be very grateful!

Answer: My Home Town

At least, not as far as I know.

Answer: Bondage

No bondage! Sad but true, as for the others: "I ache for the touch of your lips dear but much more for the touch of your whips dear- Let our love be a flame not an ember, say it's me that you want to dismember- Take your cigarette from its holder and burn your initials in my shoulder."

Answer: Plagiarize

From "Lobachevsky": "In one word he told me the secret of success in mathematics- Plagiarize! Plagiarize! Let no one else's work evade your eyes! Remember why the good lord made your eyes, so don't shade your eyes but plagiarize plagiarize plagiarize!- only be sure to always call it please- research!"

Answer: Complex

From "Oedipus Rex": "So be sweet and kind to mother now and then have a chat, buy her candy of some flowers or a brand new hat, but perhaps you had better let it go at that or you may find yourself with a quite complex complex. You may end up like Oedipus- I'd rather marry a duck billed platypus- then end up like Oedipus Rex!"

Answer: The Morris Dance

Not that I recall anyway, though it would have been funny if he had! As for the others, obviously "The Masochism Tango", "The Wiener Schnitzel Waltz", and "The Wild West is where I wanna be".

Answer: Experiment on Squirrels

Obviously he poisons pigeons "Except for the few we take home to experiment- and maybe we'll do in a squirrel or two".

Answer: Hypotenuse

From "Lobachevsky", in which the bestselling novel is turned into a film called "The Eternal Triangle", with Ingrid Bergman playing the part of hypotenuse.

Answer: Sets her hair on fire

"She set her sister's hair on fire, Rickity tickity tin, she set her sister's hair on fire and as the smoke and flame rose higher danced around the funeral pyre playing a violin".

Answer: Simultaneous

From "We will all go together when we go."

Answer: Poisoning Pigeons in the Park

And how cute they look with their little legs in the air! Heh heh. As far as I know we have never seen him peddle dope or dance the tango, though he does take his glasses off and raise them on high when performing "Bright College Days"; you know- "To thee we toast with our glasses raised on high". Yes I know, boom boom.

Answer: The Elements

"The Elements" appeared on "More of Tom Lehrer." Incidentally, "Fight Fiercely Harvard" is "the earliest composition that appears on his recordings."

Answer: The Hunting Song

Yep, "The Hunting Song" is on "Songs by Tom Lehrer". May I mention as an aside that my personal favourite is and probably always will be "The Masochism Tango", though my sciency sister is an Elements gal!

Answer: I Got it From Agnes

"I Got it From Agnes" was not recorded until 1996. Incidentally I apologise for any minor mistakes I may have made in song lyrics, as I'm getting them off the top of my head, though the top of my head is usually right! :-)