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Does anyone know of any similar artists who sing in Spanish? I've been trying to practice my Spanish lately, and it would be awesome to do that while listening

Does anyone know of any similar artists who sing in Spanish? I've been trying to practice my Spanish lately, and it would be awesome to do that while listening to someone similar to Tom Lehrer.

jacquesm 9y ago
Tom Lehrer is pretty unique, I'm not aware of anybody in any other language that even comes close to the cutting edge of his wit and the quality of the delivery. What's really surprising is how small the body of his public work is given the recognition of his name. That's a pretty good indication of the level of quality.
- thallian 9y ago
  Mani Matter comes close for me, if not in the delivery but definitely in the lyrics. But his songs are in Swiss German (Bernese actually), so not as accessible for as many people (and I also grew up with his songs so I might be a bit biased).
  - jacquesm 9y ago
    I just listened to "I han es Zündhölzli azündt" I can't quite make out the lyrics though I get the general gist of it. It's not quite German, enough to see why it reminds you of Tom Lehrer, similar dry in delivery and self accompanied. Wished I understood it better.
    - acqq 9y ago
      I've just found the common German translation: http://www.songtexte.com/uebersetzung/mani-matter/i-han-es-zundholzli-azundt-deutsch-3d6dd1f.html http://www.songtexte.com/uebersetzung/mani-matter/i-han-es-z...
      - jacquesm 9y ago
        It's a modern day version of the horseshoe story. I figured as much from listening to it, thank you for finding the words to the song, it's a lot easier to read than to hear for my non Swiss-German attuned ears.
    - deleted 9y ago
      [deleted]
  - cdpolyme 9y ago
    I also thought of Mani Matter immediately. And I think you are selling him short. I love Lehrer's songs, but IMO Matter's lyrics even surpasses them in wit and poetical talent. His public body of work is more extensive, too. Shame really, that potentially only a few million people understand them.
- loevborg 9y ago
  Gerhard Kreisler, who sings in German, is from the same time and every bit as witty and creative musically. In a weird turn of events, when he lived in the U.S. Kreisler must have crossed paths with Lehrer, as they both became famous for a waltz with the same title — Kreisler's "Tauben vergriften" and Lehrer's "Poisoning pigeons in the park". It's not clear who copied from whom.
  - jacquesm 9y ago
    You'd think that if Kreisler was the one visiting the US he must have seen Lehrer perform in English rather than that Kreisler would have been visited by Lehrer to see him perform in German? That said, given his last name it is very well possible that Lehrer visited Germany and that he speaks/understands German. Interesting! Edit: Looking some more it seems that Lehrer's version is from 59 and Kreisler's from 63.
  - thallian 9y ago
    Sorry to nitpick but his name is Georg Kreisler ;) But apart from that I very much agree.
- ghaff 9y ago
  It's pretty amazing. 4 albums that are 50 to 60 years old at this point.
- pmyteh 9y ago
  Flanders and Swann, a British duo of a similar era, are the closest I know of. A different (and generally slightly gentler) kind of humour, but also evergreen and excellently performed. Madeira m'Dear?, All Gall, The Gas Man Cometh, Bedstead Men, A Song of Patriotic Prejudice, and (especially) Twenty Tons of TNT are some personal favourites.
- MichaelMoser123 9y ago
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabarett https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabarett - i think he is in the tradition of/was inspired by German Cabaret music of the nineteen twenties - that came with a lot of political satire and gallows humor (I guess it is very hard to translate this humor, so it stays withing Germany). Disclaimer: I can't say if this is really an influence or just a similarity.
cdpolyme 9y ago
Different musical style, and sometimes cruder humor, but you might enjoy Les Luthiers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcx_Ovi9A4g&list=PL2nrB3BJrZ1e_A9XWtGOCS3Bs7GHpgVvH https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcx_Ovi9A4g&list=PL2nrB3BJrZ...
roi 9y ago
Maybe Leo Maslíah.

Does anyone know of any similar artists who sing in Spanish? I've been trying to practice my Spanish lately, and it would be awesome to do that while listening to someone similar to Tom Lehrer.

jacquesm 9y ago

Tom Lehrer is pretty unique, I'm not aware of anybody in any other language that even comes close to the cutting edge of his wit and the quality of the delivery. What's really surprising is how small the body of his public work is given the recognition of his name. That's a pretty good indication of the level of quality.

thallian 9y ago
Mani Matter comes close for me, if not in the delivery but definitely in the lyrics. But his songs are in Swiss German (Bernese actually), so not as accessible for as many people (and I also grew up with his songs so I might be a bit biased).
- jacquesm 9y ago
  I just listened to "I han es Zündhölzli azündt" I can't quite make out the lyrics though I get the general gist of it. It's not quite German, enough to see why it reminds you of Tom Lehrer, similar dry in delivery and self accompanied. Wished I understood it better.
  - acqq 9y ago
    I've just found the common German translation: http://www.songtexte.com/uebersetzung/mani-matter/i-han-es-zundholzli-azundt-deutsch-3d6dd1f.html http://www.songtexte.com/uebersetzung/mani-matter/i-han-es-z...
    - jacquesm 9y ago
      It's a modern day version of the horseshoe story. I figured as much from listening to it, thank you for finding the words to the song, it's a lot easier to read than to hear for my non Swiss-German attuned ears.
  - deleted 9y ago
    [deleted]
- cdpolyme 9y ago
  I also thought of Mani Matter immediately. And I think you are selling him short. I love Lehrer's songs, but IMO Matter's lyrics even surpasses them in wit and poetical talent. His public body of work is more extensive, too. Shame really, that potentially only a few million people understand them.
loevborg 9y ago
Gerhard Kreisler, who sings in German, is from the same time and every bit as witty and creative musically. In a weird turn of events, when he lived in the U.S. Kreisler must have crossed paths with Lehrer, as they both became famous for a waltz with the same title — Kreisler's "Tauben vergriften" and Lehrer's "Poisoning pigeons in the park". It's not clear who copied from whom.
- jacquesm 9y ago
  You'd think that if Kreisler was the one visiting the US he must have seen Lehrer perform in English rather than that Kreisler would have been visited by Lehrer to see him perform in German? That said, given his last name it is very well possible that Lehrer visited Germany and that he speaks/understands German. Interesting! Edit: Looking some more it seems that Lehrer's version is from 59 and Kreisler's from 63.
- thallian 9y ago
  Sorry to nitpick but his name is Georg Kreisler ;) But apart from that I very much agree.
ghaff 9y ago
It's pretty amazing. 4 albums that are 50 to 60 years old at this point.
pmyteh 9y ago
Flanders and Swann, a British duo of a similar era, are the closest I know of. A different (and generally slightly gentler) kind of humour, but also evergreen and excellently performed. Madeira m'Dear?, All Gall, The Gas Man Cometh, Bedstead Men, A Song of Patriotic Prejudice, and (especially) Twenty Tons of TNT are some personal favourites.
MichaelMoser123 9y ago
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabarett https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabarett - i think he is in the tradition of/was inspired by German Cabaret music of the nineteen twenties - that came with a lot of political satire and gallows humor (I guess it is very hard to translate this humor, so it stays withing Germany). Disclaimer: I can't say if this is really an influence or just a similarity.

cdpolyme 9y ago

Different musical style, and sometimes cruder humor, but you might enjoy Les Luthiers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcx_Ovi9A4g&list=PL2nrB3BJrZ1e_A9XWtGOCS3Bs7GHpgVvH https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcx_Ovi9A4g&list=PL2nrB3BJrZ...

roi 9y ago

Maybe Leo Maslíah.