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Pete Seeger
About 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. It was a number 10 hit for Peter, Paul and Mary in 1962 and then went to number three a year later when recorded by Trini Lopez. The Weavers released the song under the title "The Hammer Song" as a 78 single in March 1950 on Hootenanny Records, 101-A, backed with "Banks of Marble". more »
- Year:
- 1993
- 2:51
- 556Views
- Playlists:
- #1
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Become A Better Singer In Only 30 Days, With Easy Video Lessons!
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 it in danger, I'd ring out a warning I'd ring in 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 it in danger, I'd sing out a warning I'd sing in love between my brothers and my sisters all over this land Well I got a hammer and I got a bell And I got a song to sing all over this land It's the hammer of justice, it's the bell of freedom It's a song about love between my brothers and my sisters all over this land
Become A Better Singer In Only 30 Days, With Easy Video Lessons!
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Pete Seeger
Peter "Pete" Seeger (born May 3, 1919) is an iconic American folk singer. A fixture on nationwide radio in the 1940s, he also had a string of hit records during the early 1950s as a member of The Weavers, most notably their recording of Lead Belly's "Goodnight, Irene", which topped the charts for 13 weeks in 1950. Members of The Weavers were blacklisted during the McCarthy Era. In the 1960s, he re-emerged on the public scene as a prominent singer of protest music in support of international disarmament, civil rights, and environmental causes. more »
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Genre »
Style »
Folk
Sheet Music PDF Playlist
Written by: LEE HAYS, PETE SEEGER
Lyrics © Tratore, T.R.O. INC.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
10 facts about this song
Song's Origin"If I Had a Hammer" was originally written by Pete Seeger and Lee Hays in 1949. - The song was first recorded and released by their group, The Weavers. |
Specific ThemesThe song contains themes of progressive change, the struggle for workers’ rights, and the Civil Rights Movement. |
Pete Seeger's PerspectiveSeeger often declared that he hoped the song would be used by groups struggling for freedom. |
Peter, Paul and Mary VersionThe folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary also made a popular recording of this song which contributed to its widespread popularity. - Their version was a top 10 hit in the US in 1962. |
Trini Lopez VersionTrini Lopez recorded a live cover of this song at the nightclub PJ's in Hollywood in 1963. - This version reached number one on the Billboard Easy Listening charts and was a top 3 hit on the Pop charts. |
Impact on SocietyThe song became one of the anthems of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s as well as a symbol of the international peace movement. - In 1982, the song was performed at a rally attended by more than half a million anti-nuclear protesters in New York City's Central Park. |
Recognition"If I Had a Hammer" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2006, highlighting its significant impact on American music. |
InterpretationMany interpret the song's hammer, bell, and song to symbolize the tools of social justice or revolution. |
Covers by Other ArtistsApart from Pete Seeger, Peter, Paul and Mary, and Trini Lopez, multiple well-known artists have also covered "If I Had a Hammer," such as Leonard Nimoy, Aretha Franklin, and Johnny Cash pointing at its enduring appeal. |
International InfluenceThe song has been translated into many languages and recorded by musicians all around the world, reflecting its global impact. |
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