Home > Allan Sherman

As a TV producer (he produced game shows such as "I've Got a Secret") in the early 1960s, Sherman found that the little song parodies he performed to amuse his friends and family were taking on a life of their own. He released an LP of these parodies, "My Son, the Folk Singer", in 1962. The album was so successful that it was quickly followed by "My Son, the Celebrity", and "My Son, the Nut".

The first two LPs were mainly Jewish-folk-culture rewritings of old folk tunes, but by "My Son, the Nut" in 1963, Sherman had begun to appeal to a larger audience, and adjusted both his subject matter and his choice of parody material to the popular audiences of the day.

His pointed parodies of classical and popular tunes savaged summer camp (Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh to the tune of Ponchielli's Dance of the Hours), encroaching automation in the workforce (Automation to the tune of Fascination), space travel (Eight Foot Two, Solid Blue to Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue), the exodus to the suburbs, (Here's to the Crabgrass to the tune of English Country Garden), and his own bloated figure (Hail to Thee, Fat Person, which blames his obesity on the Marshall Plan).

Sherman's large body of parody work was brilliant on many levels: His choice of material was itself funny, his lyrics were self-contained and consistently funny (and usually led to a climactic punchline), and yet spookily paralleled the sounds of the original, and his choice of topics was always timely and relevant. Finally, his humor was charming, self-deprecating, insightful, and never seemed to be trying too hard. His brilliance inspired a new generation of developing parodists such as "Weird Al" Yankovic, who pays homage to Sherman on his own first LP.

It is unfortunate that most of his topics were relevant only to his own time and place; unlike those of Tom Lehrer, they don't date or travel very well. But anyone familiar with the American concerns of the era will still find his songs hilarious.

Also like Lehrer, Allan Sherman wrote satirical songs for the two-year-long "highbrow" satire program (the American version) That Was The Week That WasThat Was The Week That Was also known as TW3 was a satirical television comedy program that aired on the BBC in 1962 and 1963. Devised, produced and directed by Ned Sherrin, cast members included: David Frost, Roy Kinnear, Bernard Levin and Willie Rushton ( 1964Events January January 1 Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved. January 3 Senator Barry Goldwater announces that he will seek the Republican nomination for President. January 5 In the first meeting between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Ort- 19651965 was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1965 calendar). Events January-February January 4 United States President Lyndon Johnson proclaims his " Great Society" during his State of the Union address. January 14 Prime Ministers of N), including his Dropout's March. He was the original producer of the popular game show I've Got a SecretI've Got a Secret was a television game show in which a celebrity panel attempted to determine the unusual secret of each guest. The program was one of the early successes of producers Mark Goodson and Bill Todman. The show was based on a game called "Sec ( 1952Summary of notable events in 1952 . Events January events January 8 West Germany has 8 million refugees inside its borders. January 24 Sudden heavy snowfall in Algeria. January 24 Vincent Massey sworn in as first Canada-born Governor-General of Canada.- 1967Events January January 4 British motorboat racer Donald Campbell dies while attempting a water speed record in Coniston Lake. January 4 Algerian revolutionary Mohammed Khider is shot in Madrid. January 6 Vietnam War: USMC and ARVN troops launch " Operatio), but was fired after a particularly unsuccessful episode (featuring Tony CurtisTony Curtis is the stage name of Bernard Schwartz (b. June 3 1925 in the Bronx, New York), an actor who has appeared in over 100 films since 1949. Curtis has also appeared frequently on television; he co-starred with Roger Moore in the TV series The Persu) that aired June 11June 11 is the 162nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (163rd in leap years), with 203 days remaining. Events 1184 BC According to the calculations of Eratosthenes, the date that Troy was sacked and burned. 1509 Marriage of King Henry VIII of Engl, 1958.

Sherman's personal life was rather miserable, both before and after his sudden success as a singer-songwriter. An excellent biographical article details his rise and fall, as well as the follow-on story of his son Robert Sherman , who was the original "Boy from Camp Granada".

Sherman is credited with introducing Bill Cosby to a national audience, and thus launching that popular entertainer's career.

Allan Sherman was interred in the Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery in Culver City, California.