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Recorded in 1987

Take This Hammer

Written by TraditionalUnreleased song

Last updated on January 5, 2025


Timeline This song was recorded in 1987

Related sessions

This song was recorded during the following studio sessions:

Related interview

From Wikipedia:

“Take This Hammer” (Roud 4299, AFS 745B1) is a prison, logging, and railroad work song, which has the same Roud number as another song, “Nine Pound Hammer”, with which it shares verses. “Swannanoa Tunnel” and “Ashville Junction” are similar. Together, this group of songs are referred to as “hammer songs” or “roll songs” (after a group of wheelbarrow-hauling songs with much the same structure, though not mentioning hammers). Numerous bluegrass bands and singers like Scott McGill and Mississippi John Hurt also recorded commercial versions of this song, nearly all of them containing verses about the legendary spike driver, John Henry; and even when they do not, writes folklorist Kip Lornell, “one feels his strong and valorous presence in the song”. […]


Skiffle player Lonnie Donegan recorded a version of “Take This Hammer” in 1959. John Lennon, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr likely had this version in mind, when they played “Take This Hammer” on January 14, 1969, during the Beatles’ “Get Back” sessions.


Lyrics

Take this hammer take it to the captain take this hammer take it to the captain

Take this hammer take it to the captain tell him I'm gone tell him I'm gone

If he asks you was I runnin' if he asks you was I runnin'

If he asks you was I runnin' tell him I's flyin' tell him I's flyin'

Tell the captain I was headed for the river tell the captain I was headed for the river

Tell the captain I was headed for the river tell him I swim tell him I swim

Take this hammer take it to the captain take this hammer take it to the captain

Take this hammer take it to the captain tell him I'm gone gone gone tell him I'm gone

When that steamboat comes down the river when that steamboat comes down the river

When that steamboat comes down the river I'm a gonna swim when it comes by

Twenty-five miles in Mississippi twenty-five miles in Mississippi

Twenty-five miles in Mississippi tell him I'm gone gone gone tell him I'm gone

Take this hammer take it to the captain take this hammer take it to the captain

Take this hammer take it to the captain tell him I'm gone tell him I'm gone

Bootlegs

See all bootlegs containing “Take This Hammer

Live performances

Paul McCartney has never played this song in concert.

Paul McCartney writing

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