Tom Lehrer

Tom Lehrer wrote and performed satirical songs in the 1950s and 1960s. He was a mathematician who worked for the Atomic Energy Commission after graduating from Harvard in 1948, and that background informed some of his material. His first album, 'Songs by Tom Lehrer,' came out in 1953 and included 'The Masochism Tango.'

His songs often took aim at political hypocrisy and nuclear proliferation with a darkly comic edge. 'We Will All Go Together When We Go' is a good example of his approach to grim subjects. Lehrer released several albums through the 1960s, including 'That Was the Year That Was' in 1965.

He stopped writing songs in the late 1960s to teach mathematics. Some of his work faced radio bans, like 'So Long, Mom,' but he kept performing his material with musicians including pianist Hank Jones and drummer Shelly Manne. Songs like 'The Elements' and 'Be Prepared' have remained in circulation long after he stepped away from recording.