If I Had a Hammer

"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, which appeared on his 1968 release "The Way I Feel." A more recent example is the reggae-style cover released by BBC personality Handy Andy, which was not particularly well received.

French popstar Claude François released his cover "Si j'avais un marteau" ("If I had a hammer") in November 1963.

Italian popstar Rita Pavone sang "Datemi un martello" ("Give me a hammer") in 1963, using the theme but without any political overtones.

Chilean Folk Artist Víctor Jara also sang a 1969 cover titled "El Martillo" ("The hammer") on his album Pongo En Tus Manos Abiertas.

Nicaraguan singer, song writer and composer Hernaldo Zúñiga, also made a cover version in Spanish for the Mexican group "Fandango" titled "Dame Aquel Martillo", this one was released in 1991.

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.

Hall of Fame baseball player Hank Aaron, whose nicknames included "Hammerin' Hank" and "The Hammer", titled his autobiography, "I Had a Hammer".

External resources

* [http://www.arlo.net/lyrics/hammer-song.shtml Lyrics on Arlo Guthrie website]
* [http://mysongbook.de/msb/songs/i/ifihhamm.html A collection of quotes about "If I Had A Hammer"]
* [http://www.samn.org/pete_seegerdetails.htm Pete Seeger - If I Had a Hammer]