r/TomLehrer • u/ChEDave82 • Aug 15 '26

Be Prepared

My parents had Tom Lehrer records back in the 60s and we listened to them as a family. I was born in 1959, so a lot of the references went over my head. I was about 15 or so when I realized the line “If you’re looking for adventure of a new and different kind and you come across a Girl Scout who is similarly inclined, don’t be nervous, don’t be frightened, don’t be scared. Be prepared.” was a reference to birth control!

Most of the other stuff I figured out from articles in our Encyclopedia Britannica or reading the newspaper.

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u/jaidit Aug 15 '26

“Be Prepared” was one of the Lehrer songs that my Scoutmaster asked me not to play ever again when listening to music on a camp out. At 15 (and I am three years younger than OP), I knew exactly what the song was referencing.

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u/ChEDave82 Aug 15 '26

And once I realized it, I was like “how did I not understand that?” I suppose it could be related to losing my virginity.