Lobachevsky (song)

Lobachevsky is a humorous song by Tom Lehrer, referring to the mathematician Nikolai Lobachevsky.^[1] In the introduction, Lehrer describes the song as an adaptation of a routine that Danny Kaye did to honor the Russian actor Constantin Stanislavski. Lehrer sings the song from the point of a view of a preeminent Russian mathematician who learns, from Lobachevsky, that plagiarism is the secret of success in mathematics. The narrator later uses this strategy to get a paper published ahead of a rival, then to write a book and earn a fortune selling the movie rights. Lehrer wrote that he did not know Russian. The first phrase quotes Mussorgsky's Song of the Flea: "Once there was a king who had a pet flea." The second references a Russian joke: "Now I must go where even the Tsar goes on foot" [the bathroom]. ^[2]

The song was first performed as part of The Physical Revue, a 1951–1952 musical revue by Lehrer and a few other professors. ^[3] It is track 6 on Songs by Tom Lehrer, which was re-released as part of Songs & More Songs by Tom Lehrer and The Remains of Tom Lehrer. ^[4]

Notes

v t e Tom Lehrer Songs "The Elements" "Fight Fiercely, Harvard" "Lobachevsky" "The Old Dope Peddler" Albums Songs by Tom Lehrer (1953) More of Tom Lehrer (1959) Live albums An Evening Wasted with Tom Lehrer (1959) Revisited (1960) That Was the Year That Was (1965) Compilations Songs & More Songs by Tom Lehrer (1997) The Remains of Tom Lehrer (2000) Theater Tom Foolery Letters from Lehrer Song contributions That Was the Week That Was A Gathering of Eagles The Electric Company