Tom Lehrer - Oedipus Rex

This is one of the newest, and Best Tom Lehrer song i heard. Thank you to my friend Kit, who introduced me to it.
I am wondering if i should do something more to my Tom Lehrer music videos than jsut the usual picture. So if you got an idea please tell me.
Song: Oedipus Rex
Singer: Tom Lehrer
Album: An Evening Wasted with Tom Lehrer

[@blixer8384]

My favorite Tom Lehrer quote is by far “Political satire became obsolete when Henry Kissinger was awarded the Noble Peace Prize.”

[@eatingonlyapples21]

Relevant even today!

[@no99mnecfw]

Not thar funny

[@kavinskysmith4094]

@@no99mnecfw really now, well maybe you should go watch count dankula's video on the man,

[@mitchellwright5478]

@@no99mnecfwIt’s not supposed to be, because it’s an objective fact

[@Congruesome]

@@mitchellwright5478 It’s “Nobel”. -Grammar Nazi

[@fressers1]

Have enjoyed his humor for 60 years and still come back to hear him regularly.

[@mdhede200]

I found him through Dr. Demento when I was but a child and have been loving listening to him for 30 years :)

[@pamr4040]

Me, too!! :-D

[@donrobertson4940]

Every Christmas, every spring☺

[@margueritejohnson6407]

I discovered him 60 years ago when I was 14 ish. Most of his songs were unsuitable for children then, but my mother, having a wicked sense of humour, was quite happy for me to listen to them with her. She had to explain a few things, like masochism, the Oedipus complex, drugs,and a lot of ‘It makes a fellow proud to be a soldier

[@someoneunimportant8998]

I’m late to this comment but I wanted to say something. I found Tom earlier this year. I am younger (part of gen-z). I love musical comedy and I can listen to Tom Lehrer Over and over without getting bored. I’m glad I found him

[@kizuna8]

When my Ancient Greek teacher was a professor at a different college, a woman who also worked there was given a $50,000 grant to do an interpretive dance full-length MOVIE version of one of Sophocles' Oedipus plays (Antigone, to be specific). OEDIPUS. INTERPRETIVE. DANCE. FOR AN HOUR AND A HALF.

[@pendularnuncius2618]

You deserve to be paid twice that to sit and watch the event.

[@alpaczka6078]

Runing for you life, from Creon of Thebes He's brandishing a knife, Creon of Thebes.

[@mitchellwright5478]

@@alpaczka6078 He’s stabbing you in the leg now, Actual cannibal Creon of Thebes!

[@jmurray1110]

There was certain a lot of pelvic thrusts

[@assghoul]

Amazing.

[@TheKing-os3li]

From the Bible to the popular song There's one theme that we find right along Of all ideals they hail as good The most sublime is motherhood There was a man though, who it seems Once carried this ideal to extremes He loved his mother and she loved him And yet his story is rather grim There once lived a man named Oedipus Rex You may have heard about his odd complex His name appears in Freud's index 'Cause he loved his mother His rivals used to say quite a bit That as a monarch he was most unfit But still in all they had to admit That he loved his mother Yes, he loved his mother like no other His daughter was his sister and his son was his brother One thing on which you can depend is He sure knew who a boy's best friend is When he found what he had done He tore his eyes out, one by one A tragic end to a loyal son Who loved his mother So be sweet and kind to mother now and then have a chat Buy her candy or some flowers or a brand new hat But maybe you had better let it go at that Or you may find yourself with a quite complex, complex And you may end up like Oedipus I'd rather marry a duck-billed platypus Than end up like old Oedipus Rex

[@jacobfoss7783]

Proverbs 31 is the one chapter of the Bible that comes to mind from that first line.

[@chimp1561]

Thank you

[@tarantinosnumber1fan]

only tom lehrer would be able to find a word that rhymes with "oedipus"

[@NxDoyle]

Yes. Only Tom Lehrer. Or another person.

[@tarantinosnumber1fan]

@@NxDoyle bruh I was 16 when I wrote this okay 😆

[@i_what9584]

@@tarantinosnumber1fan How old *are* you, then?

[@tarantinosnumber1fan]

@@i_what9584 idk dude do the math

[@i_what9584]

@@tarantinosnumber1fan I physically can't without your actual age??

[@Shichard2006]

...be sweet and kind to Mother, now and then, have a chat. Buy her candy or some flowers or a brand-new hat, but maybe you had better let it go at that..." An absolutely hilarious line with flawless delivery. Lehrer is a genius. Love him.

[@NemoN0body]

okay okay, i will

[@Popperite]

Absolutely right!

[@jessydowling912]

Chard O'Mania That's one of my favorite lines of his too.

[@JimmyneutronwasokayIguess]

Even the elements song makes me laugh and there really isn’t a joke to that one. The guy’s delivery was so eccentric and his inflections were so utterly absurd. Love the guy

[@imafish6488]

I have loved Tom Lehrer since I was 11. I'm 55 now. His humor is dated but still timely.

[@stagdragon3978]

+Ima Fish Dated!? i'm in highschool, going to college and I'd say hell yeah this is funny!... then again can't say i'm like the rest of my generation...

[@TheLordexilius]

+Ima Fish I consider his humor timeless. :) And peerless.

[@mdhede200]

Oh, I think his music is as relevant now as it ever was!

[@steven_003]

I'm 12 and love it! :D

[@pallasproserpina4118]

I’m glad that Tom Lehner is still staying relevant, though perhaps not quite as popular.

[@jeroenschoondergang5923]

My dad introduced Tom Lehrer's music to me in the 1970's. Ever since whenever something weird happens in world affairs, I always think: "that is a Tom Lehrer song for sure".

[@babony5]

Her trolls would say, quite a bit, That as a goddess she was quite unfit. But even they had to admit, Chris LOVED her mother.

[@SadnessCentral]

Fuck you. Take my like

[@LunarPaganPrincess]

He is truly the sass-master.

[@aprilthrusday]

I'm writing an essay on Oedipus... It's due in three days...

[@maxvetter1336]

Five years later, how did that essay turn out?

[@dueie83]

MaximumLearn Animations i wanna know to

[@charliemarten9340]

Same here

[@margueritejohnson6407]

I hope not too many quotes!

[@lavendercomrade2376]

So, how’d that essay go?

[@AlexisPK13]

I remember one of my friends back in High School gave me a cassette tape of Lehrer's "An Evening Wasted With Tom Lehrer". That was in '88. I've been a huge fan ever since! I must admitt that I hadn't realized how old the songs were. I grew up in Tampa, and we had a Sat. afternoon show called "Creature Feature". The host was Dr. Paul Berrer and he used to lip sync Lehrer's songs, so I knew "Poisoning Pidgeons" as far back as when I was 4 or 5. His stuff will always be funny and relevent! :D

[@RamenLuvah]

This guy is so funny! Tom Lehrer has officially put a great first impression on me. He does have a point when he says that movies are only known for their songs at first. But I loved how he portrayed the perfect tragedy, especially with Oedipus' personal "mother complex" and because of that, we think of the story as a comedy than a tragedy. This is indeed the simplest interpretation of Oedipus Rex.

[@cimbalok2972]

HBD #94, April 9, 2022 to Tom Lehrer. This is the best Mothers' Day song ever!

[@Cherry-bq4oh]

This song is dedicated to Christine Weston Chandler

[@amandalynn4979]

Took me a good minute to realize who you meant-

[@mitchellwright5478]

Fuckin killed me for a second because this came out of nowhere on a years old video lol

[@Cherry-bq4oh]

@@mitchellwright5478 I know! What's up? :D

[@johnnygreenface4195]

Chris...

[@nolitetebastardescarborund9761]

Who dat?

[@MrJonmonter]

A freakin genius, and way before his time!

[@zaifodbeebelbrox8430]

This is horrible... I love it.

[@feartheghus]

Just don’t love your mother ok?

[@oedipusrex353]

@@feartheghus no wait, just don't love her... Too much...

[@killinglyre]

@@feartheghus just dont love your mother like oedipus rex*

[@octaviovourvoulias3188]

As a Classics Major this is officially my favorite thing in the world

[@liisaniemi8476]

I memorized all the songs with my sister and cousin in the late 1960's when I was 9. I didn't always get the humor at that point but still can sing all the songs and entertain friends and family with them regularly. He is an absolute genius in many ways, and a fantastic musician by the way.

[@josiep137]

this song really summarizes the tragedy to the point. i like how it mixes a bit of comedy into it even though it really is a serious situation Oedipus went through.

[@JBarr-lw6kp]

Don't fret: Oedipus was a fictional character. So were his mom, dad and kids. They were not real people.

[@queenhazelcaraca3633]

Lyrics: From the Bible to the popular song, There's one theme that we find right along; Of all ideals they hail as good, The most sublime is motherhood. There was a man though, who it seems, Once carried this ideal to extremes. He loved his mother and she loved him, And yet his story is rather grim. There once lived a man named Oedipus Rex, You may have heard about his odd complex. His name appears in Freud's index 'Cause he loved his mother. His rivals used to say quite a bit That as a monarch he was most unfit. But still in all they had to admit That he loved his mother. Yes, he loved his mother like no other, His daughter was his sister and his son was his brother. One thing on which you can depend is, He sure knew who a boy's best friend is. When he found what he had done, He tore his eyes out, one by one. A tragic end to a loyal son Who loved his mother. So be sweet and kind to mother, Now and then have a chat. Buy her candy or some flowers, Or a brand new hat. But maybe you had better let it go at that. Or you may find yourself with a quite complex complex And you may end up like Oedipus. I'd rather marry a duck-billed platypus Than end up like old Oedipus Rex.

[@carmengutierrez6302]

I really enjoy the song because it summarized somewhat of the story and what Oedipus did like loving his mother and being a father and brother to his children. He made the perfect tradegy into a really entertaining song.

[@123Dayz17]

As a student who has studied the tragedy of Oedipus Rex Tom Lehrer's song makes perfect sense. It is unfortunate that more people didn't see the motion picture but in my opinion the greater reason for why people did not see the movie was probably because of its tragic ending. The public would not like to see such uncommon topics like those discussed in the tragedy. I do agree with Tom Lehrer a good song is an essential element for a movie to be good, as is for a play to be a perfect tragedy.

[@andreapatane4204]

This song is bouncy even though Oedipus Rex is a tragic play. 🎭 isn't easy stuff to take classes for at 🏫.

[@JBarr-lw6kp]

That's why it's funny. Should he have written a tragic song? Would that be funny? No.

[@TheGuerrillaPoet]

My favourite Mother's Day song...

[@arieneuhauser]

19 people are duck-billed platypuses

[@cjstar01jones17]

oh noooooooooo. now it 29!!!!

[@blainecash1242]

33 now

[@blainecash1242]

They are reproducing

[@margueritejohnson6407]

They have all had a sense of humour bypass and are all very easily offended. We should feel sorry for them. OK, we should, but..............

[@personalRCH]

Don't call them out, or they'll start sweating milk everywhere.

[@kumquatwhat]

This is by far the best song he ever wrote, you guys. Not to take away from his other songs-they were all great-but you simply can't compete with this. It's too damn perfect. He "loved" his mother...

[@sheldonburnston497]

FYI: AFAIK, Prof. Lehrer is still alive, living quietly in Southern California. Some time back, he made all his music available in the public domain, which means all of us are free to listen, copy, sing and otherwise disseminate it far and wide. He has made it clear that this part of his life was far in his past and he is done with it.

[@deanbagdasarian5017]

I've heard a lot of Tom's songs , but this is the first time I've heard this one . He was great .

[@lseul8812]

Humour can be dated and even a bit dry but it still gets me every time

[@sallieplanty3102]

Tom Lehrer is never out of date, Iseul. Can you imagine the field day he'd be having in 2019?

[@jamesdettmann94]

@@sallieplanty3102 he's still alive

[@robrophside3691]

Dated? These songs were way ahead of their time.

[@jmwoods190]

@@robrophside3691 Actually Tom Lehrer's songs are timeless!

[@jmwoods190]

@@jamesdettmann94 But he has since sadly retired. I'd pay to get him out to perform again!

[@loneronin6813]

Tom Lehrer is nothing short of a genius!

[@oceannalewis190]

[@kyawkyawwin1]

He's in his 90s!

[@jacksimpson-rogers1069]

ImagineTom Lehrer on Trumpism

[@tea.is.going.insane]

he's so iconic, PERIOD! his humour is timeless omg

[@mariehur2030]

Tom is my hero.

[@Pippaqueenofdumb]

11 years and only 52 dislikes That's impressive

[@katyids2211]

I'm just delighted you are sharing them. My cassettes are completely worn and forget the lps. He is so much fun.

[@ParadoxicalParody]

"Ooooooooor, you might end up like Oedipus..."

[@brandone4162]

This song saved my life.

[@RaineStudio]

The chuckle at 2:25 is, I think, for a lick from Leroy Anderson's "Fiddle Faddle," an instrumental that was recorded many times in the 1950s.

[@mcrgd21]

the song was very entertaining and funny; i loved it. i really like how he made the piano tune all happy and entertaining when he said, "and yet his story is rather grimm." lol

[@ZepRocker]

Genius.. pure and simple. genius.

[@glassesguy904]

I'm sending this to my english teacher. Maybe it will get me some more time on my Oedipus essay.....

[@cpob2013]

Well? Did it work?

[@glassesguy904]

It did not.

[@comically_large_cowboy_hat3385]

@@glassesguy904 hard luck mate

[@SoyBioIogia]

@@glassesguy904 was a good shot anyway

[@kyawkyawwin1]

A true icon. Brilliant.

[@waytoobiased]

when you’re happy, you enjoy the music when you’re sad, you understand the lyrics…

[@agauss2714]

@Chris-Chan this is so sad

[@timmmahhhh]

Looks like 28 people couldn't leave it at that.

[@davids7646]

They sure LooOOoovedd their mother

[@feartheghus]

Wooden Nickel what are you talking about?

[@cjstar01jones17]

I wish that I could see what he is showing them...

[@martiabr2]

i found this album at a second hand store and is relatively clean and good playing! no skips, was a good buy! :)

[@strongwilledwoman]

"Apart from Rock and Roll and other children's records..." I love Rock, but I love you more Tom Lehrer. You're just too funny for words.

[@wineoe]

Thank you Alice Freer to have introduced me to this amazing chansonnier.

[@dogsareprecious4842]

Thank you---this brings back so many memories of childhood. Even more fun to listen as an adult.

[@mayramartin3867]

Tom Lehrer's song was great. It makes sense and also tells the whole story. Well maybe not the whole story but the main parts of it. Great way to entertain the audience with teaching a lesson (:

[@NecoMimi43]

I Love Oedipus. simply my favorite play. Im a major lover of the trilogy

[@nolitetebastardescarborund9761]

Love that ragtime piano, pity it's so short.

[@richardcleveland8549]

One of his best!

[@BerenElendilAPGaming]

1:57 The song begins now.

[@alibryant8588]

no no no Tom is a comedian, not just a musician. The talking is all part of the act.

[@MisterAppleEsq]

But the song is catchy.

[@samvidas9599]

Thanks

[@ihavenomothandimustscream6387]

Oh god you guys are here from the chris-chan thing too 💀

[@CartwAalbiel]

Second fav Tom Lehrer song after Werner von Braun

[@ParadoxicalParody]

I really want to know what happens before, "May I have the next slide please." ARGHH

[@outofbluepills]

I brought in a recording of this and played it for my high school English class, after we read the book.

[@MovieFan1912]

Song starts at 1:58, for those who are just here for that. Although his little stand up routine before that is pretty enjoyable too.

[@immortalartisan4724]

This man I is not a musician he is a comedian! I love it!

[@immortalartisan4724]

You know I wasn’t expecting a murdered by words level of rant when I posted the joke comment

[@belknapdlg26]

First heard this in about 1965 and I was hooked on Lehrer.

[@DieFlabbergast]

+belknapdlg26 I remember singing his songs at parties, with a friend playing the piano, back in 1969. His humour has never gone stale in all the years that have passed.

[@margueritejohnson6407]

Once heard - addicted for life. So far, for me, that’s 60 years and I hope for some more.

[@crvorhees]

The response to his "Rock and roll and other children's records" line really dates this recording. I have been listening to An Evening Wasted with Tom Leher since i was in elementary school.

[@jamesdettmann94]

Well when he wrote this all the boomers who loved rock were children. They're all dying now and yet Tom Lehrer lives on like the icon he is

[@Greygower]

I am blown away! This guy is probably the best and brightest lyricist of all time.

[@robertlehnert4148]

Love the ragtime riffs

[@larry1012]

I bought this record album in 1967 and don't have a working player any longer. Thank goodness for KZbin, I can still listen.

[@pauldockree9915]

"How dreadful knowledge of the truth can be When there's no help in truth! I knew this well, But made myself forget. I should not have come." Tiresias Oedipus Rex by Sophocles 94 years young? Wonderful

[@bowserhunter1]

"You're way ahead of me"

[@johnnieangel99]

Between my Doctor Demento and my sainted mother who owned several of the Professors lps. I came up knowing of his talents by the time 1969 came around. I still have those old records. But I fear I will be forced to sell them in the coming weeks

[@beverlypollack5887]

I love everything this guy did. He's such a comic genius! Glad this was posted. Thank you!

[@jkhtravelrn]

Beverly Pollack my parents introduced me to his music when I was 9 or 10. My dad was a music professor and also taught bassoon to many of today's top bassoonist. My dad also liked to change around lyrics to songs that us kids would play from the radio. I'm now 49 and have continued making new crazy songs from popular songs. Have you heard of Victor Borge? He has some great comedic piano songs, as well. Did you play Tom Lehrer's music on a record player? We had a RED record with all his songs on it. I always remember that cuz most records were black. Let me know what you think of victor Borge.

[@margueritejohnson6407]

Julie Klimko I was lucky enough to see Victor Borge in his one man show at the London Palladium. I love his punctuation and the inflationary language. “Darling, you look twoderful threenight ‘!

[@convictedVILLAIN]

Just awsome

[@hipocampelofantocame]

This is one of Tom Lehrer's best songs, and was on his original 10 inch LP. Wow!

[@Edgelordess]

I wish I can listen to this during my english midterm, I'm sure it could help me with Oedipus portion.

[@thrandompug2254]

anyone here from overly sarcastic productions

[@musicalraven6078]

Th Random Pug me

[@dhartmahmed50]

yes obviously

[@goodnewsgeek42]

Me!

[@hansakkerman2611]

Yep, same.

[@moxinater2342]

Yep

[@steeltrap3800]

I grew up listening to this album from about as far back as I can remember. Explains a lot, lol.

[@penguinmama88]

Elements is still my favourite. It's the only reason I passed chemistry/SAT and so on LOL RIP TOM :) Thanks for uploading this!

[@prizmarvalschi1319]

There's a bunch of shade in the intro and I love it

[@edgarallanpoestan]

Favorite stand-up comedian

[@skellymin]

Christian and the hedgehog boys should cover this on their new jail album

[@alistairsmith7826]

This one is one of my favorites wow I can believe I’ve just now found this guy

[@alienalajna]

I'm well-acquainted with the music of Tom Lehrer, but I hadn't heard his Oedipus Rex; brilliant as usual. I found this while looking for a bluegrass song of the same title that my brother told me about. The chorus goes, "Oedipus Rex, Oedipus Rex, another sad story about love and sex. He killed his pa and married his ma; they don't even do that in Arkansas." Later, the last time through the chorus, "That's a thirty-dollar fine in Arkansas." Still looking.

[@WarningPuzzle]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/hpC2gYaMbceYiJI this song?

[@alienalajna]

Yes, of course! Thank you so much! I have just forwarded the link to my brother. It's also impressive the wealth of detail in the story, well beyond the basics, way beyond what I knew. Graham and Johnson must have studied very thoroughly. They display an erudition rare in country music. My highest compliments.

[@immortalartisan4724]

Best out of context quote “I love you incredible shrinking man” -Tom lehrer

[@TheOtherRoger]

This was taken from an album entitled "An Evening {Wasted| with Tom Lehrer". A friend of mine played it for me way back in the 1960's. Hilarious then, still funny after all these years. You might also want to check out the video "We Will All Go Together When We Go" this was also on the album. LOL

[@SimplyJustRed]

@mabarry3, @vhazhiphor It's not about that he coughed, but about that he sang "rather grim" and, after that, attending to the fashion, he added a tune that's full of joy ^^

[@Fyrebahl]

"I'd rather marry a duck billed platypus..." Genius.

[@czarnykot22]

I recommend Jim Morrison's interpretation of the live events in 3rd AND 1st person in The Doors' "The End". The song is quite long. You're waiting for "the killer awoke before the done..." part.

[@s4me.sh1t.]

Mine was the one who brought me here. And I love it.

[@amalgamatedgioconda266]

oh sick Chris Chans new theme song j dropped!

[@jordansimone9289]

He really did love his mother..

[@lillyahoo]

I still can't believe he did these so long ago. They're such modern political satire. Come to think of it, they're much BETTER than most modern political satire. Bring back Tom!

[@awsomefullerestest]

rly i grew up w/ this played in my house 24/7 since i was about 6... im 15 see the generations arent too different... WE ALL LIKE TO LAUGH @ TRAGEDIES

[@balkris]

This song is actually from the 50s, when rock and roll was still a fairly new sound. As with any new style of music, it was always going to be criticised by people who grew up listening to a different kind of music: Lehrer was in his thirties at the time and would have grown up with the Big Band sound of the 1940s, no doubt he viewed Rock & Roll as very much a modern fad.

[@RavenoftheBlack]

My father has an old tape from the sixties about Rock n' Roll music, on which they actually interview several people, one of whom (on national television, mind you) called it evil {n-word} music that was corrupting the youth of the day. When I saw that just a year or so ago, I was first of all horrified, and then confused, since what was then Rock n' Roll is by comparision to today's music incredibly soft.

[@NecoMimi43]

i love the playwrite oedipus rex. its brillant and fun.

[@gibbs7444]

love hearing his jokes

[@jacksimpson-rogers1069]

"We'll try to stay serene and calm, when Alabama gets the bomb." Oddly enough, he left out Britain. I think "Who's Next" is my favourite. I'm a self-exiled Scot.

[@bobfountain2959]

Absolute genius

[@undivinexxgrace]

this many is amazing

[@juanfena1716]

I’m so glad my English teacher showed me this lol.