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1949 song by Pete Seeger and Lee Hays From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"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 Hammer Song" | |
---|---|
Single by The Weavers | |
B-side | "Banks of Marble" |
Released | 1950 |
Genre | Folk |
Label | Hootenanny |
Songwriter(s) | Pete Seeger Lee Hays |
"If I Had a Hammer" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Peter, Paul and Mary | ||||
from the album Peter, Paul and Mary | ||||
B-side | "Gone the Rainbow" | |||
Released | 1962 | |||
Genre | Folk | |||
Length | 2:11 | |||
Label | Warner Bros. | |||
Songwriter(s) | Pete Seeger Lee Hays | |||
Producer(s) | Albert Grossman Milt Okun | |||
Peter, Paul and Mary singles chronology | ||||
|
"If I Had a Hammer" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Trini Lopez | ||||
from the album Trini Lopez at PJ's | ||||
B-side | "Unchain My Heart" | |||
Released | 1963 | |||
Venue | P.J.'s | |||
Genre | Folk rock | |||
Length | 2:59 | |||
Label | Reprise | |||
Songwriter(s) | Pete Seeger Lee Hays | |||
Producer(s) | Don Costa | |||
Trini Lopez singles chronology | ||||
|
"Datemi un martello" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Rita Pavone | ||||
B-side | "Che m'importa del mondo" | |||
Released | December 1963[1] | |||
Recorded | 1963 | |||
Genre | Pop, chanson, surf rock | |||
Length | 2:40 | |||
Label | RCA Italiana | |||
Songwriter(s) | Pete Seeger Lee Hays Sergio Bardotti | |||
Producer(s) | Luis Bacalov | |||
Rita Pavone singles chronology | ||||
|
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".
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]
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).[6] 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.[7]
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.[citation needed]
Chart (1962) | Peak position |
---|---|
Canada CHUM Chart[20] | 17 |
US Billboard Hot 100[21] | 10 |
US Cashbox Top 100[22] | 13 |
Chart (1963–1964) | Peak position |
---|---|
Argentina[23] | 1 |
Australia (Kent Music Report)[24] | 2 |
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[25] | 1 |
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[26] | 1 |
Canada (CHUM Chart)[27] | 5 |
Denmark (Hitlisten)[28] | 1 |
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[29] | 16 |
France (IFOP)[30] | 3 |
France (Cash Box)[31] | 1 |
Ireland[32] | 3 |
Israel (Kol Yisrael)[33] | 1 |
Italy (Musica e dischi)[34] | 10 |
Mexico (AMPROFON)[35] | 1 |
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[36] | 1 |
New Zealand (Lever Hit Parade)[37] | 2 |
Norway (VG-lista)[38] | 2 |
Peru[39] | 1 |
South Africa[40] | 3 |
Spain (AFYVE)[41] | 1 |
Sweden (Kvällstoppen)[42] | 1 |
Sweden (Tio i Topp)[43] | 1 |
Switzerland (Musikmarkt)[44] | 2 |
UK Singles (OCC)[45] | 4 |
Uruguay[46] | 4 |
US Billboard Hot 100[47] | 3 |
US Billboard Hot R&B Singles[48] | 12 |
Venezuela[49] | 8 |
West Germany (Official German Charts)[50] | 2 |
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