HAMMER SONG – Banjo Mountain.com

“If I Had a Hammer (The Hammer Song)” is a song written by Pete Seeger and Lee Hays.

It was written in 1949 in support of the progressive movement, and was first recorded by

The Weavers, a folk music quartet composed of Seeger, Hays, Ronnie Gilbert and Fred

Hellerman, and then by Peter, Paul and Mary.

The song was not particularly successful when it was first released, likely due in part to

the political climate of the time. It fared notably better when it was recorded by Peter,

Paul, and Mary more than a decade later. Their cover of the song, released in August of

1962, became a Top 10 hit. The song has since been recorded by dozens of major artists,

including a version by Trini Lopez on his 1963 album Trini Lopez at PJ’s, which reached

No. 3 in the U.S., as well as one by Leonard Nimoy (Mr. Spock), which appeared on his

1968 release “The Way I Feel”.

The song “If I Had a Hammer” was a Civil Rights anthem of the American Civil Rights

movement and covered by dozens of major artists, including Sam Cooke, who recorded

the song in concert. It also was a common selection for “folk masses” in Catholic

Churches.

If I had a hammer

I’d hammer in the morning

I’d hammer in the evening

All over this land

I’d hammer out danger

I’d hammer out a warning

I’d hammer out love between my brothers and my sisters

All over this land

If I had a bell

I’d ring it in the morning

I’d ring it in the evening

All over this land

I’d ring out danger

I’d ring out a warning

I’d ring out love between my brothers and my sisters

All over this land

If I had a song

I’d sing it in the morning

I’d sing it in the evening

All over this land

I’d sing out danger

I’d sing out a warning

I’d sing out love between my brothers and my sisters

All over this land
Well I’ve got a hammer

And I’ve got a bell

And I’ve got a song to sing

All over this land

It’s the hammer of justice

It’s the bell of freedom

It’s the song about love between my brothers and my sisters

All over this land