A Favorite Folk Song From Yesteryear ‘If I Had A Hammer’

Who remembers the songs from our childhood? What song do you remember? “If I Had a Hammer (The Hammer Song)” is one of the ones I remember the most. It was 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.

Peter, Paul And Mary’s version is the one I relate to the most and now officially have stuck in my head. So let’s sing!

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.

Remember doing the hand motions, while singing this song? Oh boy, I certainly do!!

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