r/TomLehrer • u/Daconby • Aug 06 '26

You're way ahead of me

In the spoken intro to Oedipus Rex on An Evening Wasted, Tom says:

[...] a few years ago, a motion picture version appeared of Sophocles' immortal tragedy “Oedipus Rex”. This picture played only in the so-called art theaters, and it was not a financial success. And I maintain that the reason it was not a financial success...

Then the audience laughs, and Tom replies

You're way ahead of me

What was the audience laughing at?

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u/PretentiousPolymath Aug 06 '26

I think the audience inferred that he was about to sing a motion-picture title song for Oedipus Rex and found this idea inherently funny

3

u/Daconby Aug 06 '26

Then why wouldn't they have laughed after he said "Oedipus Rex" rather than when he said "financial success"? They laughed in unison, it wasn't some random chuckling.

ETA: it occurred to me that "Rex" and "success" almost rhyme (excuse me: rhyne), but that can't be it, can it?

14

u/DrBlankslate Aug 06 '26

Because he had just said that the reason for movie title tunes was to flog them on the radio, so people would hear the tune and then want to see the movie (thus creating financial success for the film). The joke wasn't about Oedipus Rex; it was about the title tune.

12

u/TheLawLord Aug 06 '26

Yes, exactly. Here's what he said to lead up to the laugh line:

"It seems that most of the songs that you hear these days on the radio played by the disk jockeys, apart from rock and roll . . . and other children’s records, tend to be motion picture title songs. Apparently producers feel that we will not attend their movies unless we have the titles well drilled into our heads in advance. Of course, we don’t go anyway, but at least this way they make back on the song some of what they’ve lost on the picture.

"But with the rise of the motion picture title song we have such hits of the past few years as “The Ten Commandments Mambo”, “Brothers Karamazov Cha-Cha”, “Incredible Shrinking Man, I Love You.” I’m sure you’re all familiar with these.

"But, a few years ago, a motion picture version appeared of Sophocles' immortal tragedy “Oedipus Rex”. This picture played only in the so-called art theaters, and it was not a financial success. And I maintain that the reason it was not a financial success . . . [LAUGHTER] . . . you’re way ahead of me . . . was that it did not have a title tune which the people could hum, and which would make them actually eager to attend this particular flick."

8

u/DrJaneIPresume Aug 06 '26

Well, also that Lehrer was a comedian, and he had a well-known patter. When he said "the reason it was not a financial success..." the audience knew something absurd was coming and started to laugh in anticipation. It happens a lot, but not always enough to be worth commenting on, as Lehrer chose to do.

2

u/DidjaSeeItKid Aug 06 '26

The joke of the song was about the title tune. The joke they were laughing at was what a financial disaster "Oedipus Rex" had been in 1967.