If I Had a Hammer explained

The Hammer Song
Cover:Hammer Song The Weavers 1950.jpg
Caption:Original 1950 release by The Weavers on Hootenanny Records, 101-A.
Type:single
Artist:The Weavers
B-Side:Banks of Marble
Released:1950
Genre:Folk
Label:Hootenanny
If I Had a Hammer
Cover:If I Had A Hammer Peter Paul Mary 45 1962.jpg
Caption:Single by Peter, Paul and Mary
Type:single
Artist:Peter, Paul and Mary
Album:Peter, Paul and Mary
B-Side:Gone the Rainbow
Released:1962
Genre:Folk
Label:Warner Bros.
Producer:Albert Grossman
Milt Okun
Prev Title:Lemon Tree
Prev Year:1962
Next Title:Puff, the Magic Dragon
Next Year:1963
If I Had a Hammer
Cover:If I Had A Hammer Trini Lopez 45 1963.jpg
Caption:Single by Trini Lopez
Type:single
Artist:Trini Lopez
Album:Trini Lopez at PJ's
B-Side:Unchain My Heart
Released:1963
Venue:P.J.'s
Genre:Folk rock
Label:Reprise
Producer:Don Costa
Next Title:Kansas City
Next Year:1963
Datemi un martello
Caption:Single by Rita Pavone
Type:single
Artist:Rita Pavone
B-Side:Che m'importa del mondo
Released:December 1963[1]
Recorded:1963
Genre:Pop, chanson, surf rock
Label:RCA Italiana
Producer:Luis Bacalov
Prev Title:Cuore
Prev Year:1963
Next Title:Son finite le vacanze
Next Year:1963

"If I Had a Hammer (The Hammer Song)" is a protest 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 #10 hit for Peter, Paul and Mary in 1962 and then went to #3 a year later when recorded by Trini Lopez in 1963.

The Weavers released the song under the title "The Hammer Song" as a 78 rpm single in March 1950 on Hootenanny Records, 101-A, backed with "Banks of Marble".

Early versions

The song was first performed publicly by Pete Seeger and Lee Hays on June 3, 1949, at St. Nicholas Arena in New York City at a testimonial dinner for the leaders of the Communist Party of the United States, who were then on trial in federal court, charged with violating the Smith Act by advocating the overthrow of the U.S. government.[2] It was not particularly successful in commercial terms when it was first released. It was part of the three songs Seeger played as the warm-up act for Paul Robeson's September 4 concert near Peekskill, New York, which subsequently erupted into a notorious riot.[3]

Hit versions

It fared notably better commercially when it was recorded by Peter, Paul and Mary 12 years later. Their version of the song, released in July 1962 from the group's debut album became a top 10 hit, and won the Grammy Awards for Best Folk Recording and Best Performance by a Vocal Group. It reached number 17 in Canada.[4] Trini Lopez's 1963 single went to number three on the same Billboard chart and number five in Canada.[5] It was included on his album Trini Lopez at PJ's (Reprise R/RS 6093). Rita Pavone's Italian-language adaptation "Datemi un martello", with lyrics by Sergio Bardotti, was a major hit in Italy and also charted in South America.[6]

Other versions

Legacy

The song "If I Had a Hammer" was a freedom song of the civil rights movement. It had a tremendous impact on the American youth in the 1960s who protested against the American culture. It helped to spark the hippie movement.

Charts

+Peter, Paul and MaryChart (1962)Peak
position
Canada CHUM Chart[19] 17
US Cashbox Top 100[20] 13
+Trini LopezChart (1963–1964)Peak
position
Argentina[21] 1
Australia (Kent Music Report)[22] 2
Canada (CHUM Chart)[23] 5
Denmark (Hitlisten)[24] 1
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[25] 16
France (IFOP)[26] 3
France (Cash Box)[27] 1
Ireland[28] 3
Israel (Kol Yisrael)[29] 1
Italy (Musica e dischi)[30] 10
Mexico (AMPROFON)[31] 1
New Zealand (Lever Hit Parade)[32] 2
Peru[33] 1
South Africa[34] 3
Spain (AFYVE)[35] 1
Sweden (Kvällstoppen)[36] 1
Sweden (Tio i Topp)[37] 1
Switzerland (Musikmarkt)[38] 2
Uruguay[39] 4
US Billboard Hot R&B Singles[40] 12
Venezuela[41] 8
+Rita PavoneChart (1964)Peak
position
Argentina (CAPIF)[42] 3
Brazil (IBOPE)[43] 1
Uruguay[44] 5

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Rita Pavone - Datemi un martello .
  2. "Town Talk," The Daily Worker, June 1, 1949
  3. Frillmann, Karen. "Today in History: Peekskill Riots". WYNC (New York), 4 September 2009. Accessed 25 January 2015.
  4. Web site: CHUM Hit Parade - August 27, 1962.
  5. Web site: CHUM Hit Parade - September 2, 1963.
  6. Book: Salvatori, Dario . Dizionario delle canzoni italiane. Elle U. 8888169016. 119. Datemi un martello. 2001.
  7. Book: Phull, Hardeep . Story behind the Protest Song: A Reference Guide to the 50 Songs That Changed the 20th Century . 20 . 2008 . ABC-CLIO . 9781567206852.
  8. News: Laing. Dave. Ross MacManus Obituary. The Guardian. 23 September 2017. December 21, 2011.
  9. Book: The Rough Guide to Cult Pop . Paul Simpson . 2003 . 80 . Rough Guides . 9781843532293.
  10. Book: Schnakenberg, Robert . The Encyclopedia Shatnerica: An A to Z Guide to the Man and His Universe . 223 . Quirk Books . 2014 . 9781594747762.
  11. Sandahl . Carrie. 2000 . Bob Flanagan: Taking It Like a Man . Journal of Dramatic Theory and Criticism. 97–105.
  12. Web site: Pongo en Tus Manos Abiertas - Victor Jara Songs, Reviews, Credits. AllMusic. en-us. 2020-03-23.
  13. Book: Mularski, Jedrek . Music, Politics, and Nationalism In Latin America: Chile During the Cold War Era . 94 . 2014 . Cambria Press . 9781621967378.
  14. Johnny Cash. Billboard.
  15. Book: Banister, C. Eric . Johnny Cash FAQ: All That's Left to Know About the Man in Black . 208 . 2014 . Rowman & Littlefield . 9781617136092.
  16. Wanda Jackson. Billboard.
  17. Web site: Various Artists – Appleseed's 21st Anniversary: Roots and Branches . . July 14, 2021.
  18. Appleseed will release unreleased Springsteen recording . Point Blank . August 28, 2018 . July 14, 2021.
  19. Web site: CHUM Hit Parade - August 27, 1962.
  20. Web site: Cashbox Top 100: October 16, 1962. cashboxmagazine.com . 2021-04-05.
  21. Web site: Cash Box – International Best Sellers. worldradiohistory.com. Cash Box. 29 August 1964. p. 46..
  22. Book: Australian Chart Book (1940–1969) . Kent, David . Australian Chart Book . 2005 . 0-646-44439-5.
  23. Web site: CHUM Hit Parade - September 2, 1963.
  24. Web site: Cash Box – International Best Sellers. worldradiohistory.com. Cash Box. 7 December 1963. p. 36..
  25. Book: Pennanen, Timo. Sisältää hitin – 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021. 2021. Trini Lopez. 152. Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. Helsinki. 15 March 2024. Finnish.
  26. Web site: InfoDisc : Accès direct à ces Artistes > Choisir Un Artiste Dans la Liste . fr . PHP . infodisc.fr . 15 March 2024.
  27. Web site: Cash Box – International Best Sellers. worldradiohistory.com. Cash Box. 11 January 1964. p. 38..
  28. Hits of the World. Billboard. 28. 2 November 1963. 15 March 2024.
  29. Hits of the World. Billboard. 24. 9 November 1963. 15 March 2024.
  30. Web site: Classifiche. Musica e dischi. it. 15 March 2024. Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Trini Lopez".
  31. Hits of the World. Billboard. 36. 25 April 1964. 15 March 2024.
  32. http://www.flavourofnz.co.nz/index.php?qpageID=search%20lever&qartistid=8#n_view_location Flavour of New Zealand, 3 October 1963
  33. Hits of the World. Billboard. 38. 15 February 1964. 18 March 2024.
  34. Hits of the World. Billboard. 32. 23 November 1963. 15 March 2024.
  35. Book: Salaverri, Fernando . Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 . 84-8048-639-2.
  36. Book: Hallberg, Eric. Eric Hallberg presenterar Kvällstoppen i P 3: Sveriges radios topplista över veckans 20 mest sålda skivor 10. 7. 1962 - 19. 8. 1975. Drift Musik. 1993. 243. 9163021404.
  37. Book: Hallberg . Eric . Eric Hallberg, Ulf Henningsson presenterar Tio i topp med de utslagna på försök: 1961 - 74 . Henningsson . Ulf . Premium Publishing . 1998 . 919727125X . 313.
  38. Swiss Charts Archive. 15 February 1964.
  39. Hits of the World. Billboard. 28. 30 May 1964. 18 March 2024.
  40. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–2004. Joel Whitburn . 2004 . Record Research . 360.
  41. Hits of the World. Billboard. 30. 9 May 1964. 18 March 2024.
  42. Web site: Billboard (8/29/64) .
  43. Web site: Billboard (9/5/64) .
  44. Web site: Billboard (7/18/64) .

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