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Tom Lehrer is 92 today. He famously wrote 37 songs. There is thus a one-to-one relationship between his songs and the almost-equally-brilliant plays of Shakespeare. A thread...
The Masochism Tango: Much Ado about Nothing. Two people tear lumps out of each other while pretending to be Hispanic.
I Hold Your Hand In Mine: Romeo and Juliet. Death cannot stop the kissing.
New Math: Othello. A great arithmetician, I have very poor and unhappy brains.
I Hold Your Hand In Mine: Romeo and Juliet. Death cannot stop the kissing.
New Math: Othello. A great arithmetician, I have very poor and unhappy brains.
I Got It From Agnes: Titus Andronicus. Unfettered by considerations of taste.
My Home Town: Timon of Athens. The people there aren't so nice after all.
She's My Girl: As You Like It. An ill-favored thing, sir, but mine own.
My Home Town: Timon of Athens. The people there aren't so nice after all.
She's My Girl: As You Like It. An ill-favored thing, sir, but mine own.
The Wild West Is Where I Wanna Be: Cymbeline. Yes, sir, how do I get to Milford Haven?
We Will All Go Together When We Go: Hamlet. He's dead, Dave, everybody's dead, everybody is dead, Dave.
National Brotherhood Week: Merchant of Venice. And everybody hates
We Will All Go Together When We Go: Hamlet. He's dead, Dave, everybody's dead, everybody is dead, Dave.
National Brotherhood Week: Merchant of Venice. And everybody hates
Pollution: Merry Wives of Windsor. Things get chucked in the river. Hilarity ensues.
(If this doesn't get my follower count past 50 there is absolutely no justice.)
(If this doesn't get my follower count past 50 there is absolutely no justice.)
Poisoning Pigeons In The Park: King John. We'll murder them all amid laughter and merriment.
Oedipus Rex: King Lear. Out, vile jelly.
The Vatican Rag: Midsummer Night's Dream. They're my two favourites. Love them both. That's the link. Happy now?
Oedipus Rex: King Lear. Out, vile jelly.
The Vatican Rag: Midsummer Night's Dream. They're my two favourites. Love them both. That's the link. Happy now?
Lobachevsky: All's Well That Ends Well. (Opportunity for dodgy Russian accent) Boskos thromuldo boskos!
The Elements: Comedy of Errors. Short, funny, perfect. (Also not entirely original.)
Alma: Henry VIII. Marriage is for life, or until the next one comes along.
The Elements: Comedy of Errors. Short, funny, perfect. (Also not entirely original.)
Alma: Henry VIII. Marriage is for life, or until the next one comes along.
The Wiener Schnitzel Waltz: Measure for Measure. The Vienna one.
When You Are Old And Gray: Taming of the Shrew. My tongue will tell the anger of my heart.
The Old Dope Peddler: Tempest. My high charms work!
When You Are Old And Gray: Taming of the Shrew. My tongue will tell the anger of my heart.
The Old Dope Peddler: Tempest. My high charms work!
A Christmas Carol: Twelfth Night. The long-awaited special seasonal number.
Be Prepared: Antony and Cleopatra. Don't be anxious, don't be flustered, don't be scared.
Be Prepared: Antony and Cleopatra. Don't be anxious, don't be flustered, don't be scared.
It Makes A Fellow Proud To Be A Soldier: Henry IV, Part I. If I be not ashamed of my soldiers, I am a soused gurnet.
Send In The Marines: Henry IV, Part II. The undeserver may sleep, when the man of action is called on.
The Irish Ballad: Henry V. The one with an Irishman in it
Send In The Marines: Henry IV, Part II. The undeserver may sleep, when the man of action is called on.
The Irish Ballad: Henry V. The one with an Irishman in it
MLF Lullaby: Henry VI, Part I. Don't trust your allies.
The Folk Song Army: Henry VI, Part II. #IStandWithCade. I thank you, good people: there shall be no money.
The Hunting Song: Henry VI, Part III. Lots of deaths, not always who you expect.
The Folk Song Army: Henry VI, Part II. #IStandWithCade. I thank you, good people: there shall be no money.
The Hunting Song: Henry VI, Part III. Lots of deaths, not always who you expect.
So Long, Mom: Coriolanus. Let me have war, say I: it exceeds peace as far as day does night; it's spritely, waking, audible, and full of vent.
George Murphy: Richard II. I guess the audience knew who he was.
Wernher Von Braun: Julius Caesar. And Brutus is an honourable man.
George Murphy: Richard II. I guess the audience knew who he was.
Wernher Von Braun: Julius Caesar. And Brutus is an honourable man.
Bright College Days: Love's Labour's Lost. A paean to university life. Not one of his best, tbf.
Smut: Macbeth. Your wives, your daughters, your matrons, and your maids could not fill up the cistern of my lust. Yeah, whatever.
Smut: Macbeth. Your wives, your daughters, your matrons, and your maids could not fill up the cistern of my lust. Yeah, whatever.
(The benefits of plague quarantine include King Lear, Newton's Year of Wonders, and, um, this thread.)
I Wanna Go Back To Dixie: Pericles. Sometimes you just shouldn't go home.
Whatever Became Of Hubert?: Richard III. He was the future once.
Fight Fiercely, Harvard!: Troilus and Cressida. Fighting, homoeroticism and elaborate courtesy. (Also very forgettable.)
Whatever Became Of Hubert?: Richard III. He was the future once.
Fight Fiercely, Harvard!: Troilus and Cressida. Fighting, homoeroticism and elaborate courtesy. (Also very forgettable.)
In Old Mexico: Two Gentlemen of Verona. No, can't make this work. Sorry. Something about bullfighting and dogs maybe?
Who's Next?: Winter's Tale. Nor this one. Possibly time for an exit...
Who's Next?: Winter's Tale. Nor this one. Possibly time for an exit...
Clementine: The Two Noble Kinsmen. Eh? What? Is this one of his? Did he write it? I thought you said there were 37? Can we stop now?
