Hammer to Fall

Hammer to Fall

Single infobox
Name = Hammer to Fall


Artist = Queen
from Album = The Works
B-side = Tear It Up
Released = 10 September 1984 (UK etc.)
Format = vinyl record (7", 12")
Recorded = 1983
Genre = Hard rock, Heavy Metal
Length =

  • 4:28 (Album Version)
  • 3:40 (Single Edit)
  • 5:25 (12" Headbanger's Mix)

Label = EMI / Capitol
Writer = Brian May
Producer = Queen and Mack
Chart position =
  • #55 (Australia)

Reviews =
Last single = "It's a Hard Life" (1984)
This single = "Hammer to Fall" (1984)
Next single = "Thank God It's Christmas" (1984)

"Hammer to Fall" is a 1984 hard rock song written by Brian May and performed by the British rock group Queen. It appeared on their 1984 album "The Works".

It was the fourth and final single to be released from that album, although the single version was edited down by thirty seconds in contrast to the version on the album. Different sleeves were used to package this single and the live picture sleeve is now a collector's item. The song was also the subject of a popular music video directed by David Mallet, in which was a regular live performance of the song by the band in Brussels during the Works Tour (Roger Taylor can be seen wearing a "Choose Life" t-shirt in the video). The song harks back to the Queen of old, with a song being built around a hard angular and muscular riff.

The song was a concert favorite and was also played at Live Aid. A different version of the song with the first part played in the style of a ballad was played by Queen + Paul Rodgers in 2005. The song peaked at number 13 in the UK and was later featured in the movie Highlander.

At the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert in 1992, Extreme singer Gary Cherone performed the song with the band, having earlier done a medley of other Queen songs with his own group.

Interpretation

The lyrics refer to the Cold War era in which the band members grew up, fuelling the popular conception that the song was about nuclear war:

For we who grew up tall and proud
In the shadow of the mushroom cloud
Convinced our voices can't be heard
We just wanna scream it louder and louder and louder
The song, however, contains many more references to death and its inevitability:

Rich or poor or famous
For your truth it's all the same (oh no oh no)
Lock your door while the rain is pouring
Through your window pane (oh no)
Baby now your struggle's all in vain, yeah, yeah.

The issue was effectively settled when May wrote on his website that "Hammer to Fall is really about life and death, and being aware of death as being part of life. "The Hammer coming down is only a symbol of the Grim Reaper doing his job!"Ref|grim-reaper-quote

References

#Note|grim-reaper-quote Brian May: "Brian's Soapbox", April 2004, [http://www.brianmay.com brianmay.com]

External links

* [http://www.queenpicturehall.com/singles/q27htf.shtml Hammer to Fall at Queen Picture Hall]
* [http://www.queenonline.com/q_history/Music/TheWorks/HammerToFall_lyrics.php Lyrics at Queenonline.com]


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