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Tom Lehrer - The Elements - LIVE FILM From Copenhagen in 1967

The Tom Lehrer Wisdom Channel · music · Watch on YouTube

Music performance & songsSatire & parodyChemistry

What it is

A 1967 live film of Tom Lehrer performing his patter song "The Elements" in Copenhagen, reciting the chemical elements to a Gilbert and Sullivan tune. It is a short, polished example of his satirical piano-and-voice style.

Why Hacker News recommends it

HN commenters cite it as a favorite Lehrer song and invoke it as a joke whenever elements or science-themed wordplay come up.

  • 2 people recommended it
  • 2 different months
  • 0 strong recommendations
  • first 2015, last 2023

What HN commenters said

  1. “and his satire is top shelf.”

    Light-hearted song reciting chemical elements, with a surprise ending.

    Diederich, 2020-05 · Recommendation · in “Google deletes “communist bandits” from comments on Youtube”

  2. “is the Tom Lehrer song that made the biggest impression on me.”

    Song reciting chemical elements.

    nayuki, 2022-12 · Recommendation · in “Tom Lehrer has released all of his songs into the public domain”

Excerpts from Hacker News comments, linked to the originals. Summaries and labels were written by a language model from those comments.

Topics: tom lehrer, the elements, satire, chemistry, live performance

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