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Date: 10/04/07

Ignorance, Greed And War Can Be Funny

(The shortage of updates on this site - which, I assure you, has not gone unremarked upon in certain quarters - is due to my spending much of my time on the redesign: still due in June)

Forty to fifty years ago, Tom Lehrer provided the musical and comedic counterpoint to the staid, comfortable, sated self-image that the USA had of itself.

Lehrer gave up writing in the early 1970s, saying that "awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to Henry Kissinger has made political satire obsolete". Since then, what passes for music-based political satire in the US has tended to be lacking in any real bite, polish and technique.

There are always exceptions, however. This man is one:

Picture of Roy Zimmerman singing and playing

Roy Zimmerman is, to me, something of a genius. Songs which combine a keen satirical power with a lyrical technique which recalls Lehrer at his best.

Visit his website. Listen to the song samples. Particularly, watch the videos.

There may be hope for America yet...

File under: Music