Maxwell's Silver Hammer
Canadian Brass Lyrics


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Joan was quizzical; studied pataphysical
Science in the home.
Late nights all alone with a test tube.
Oh, oh, oh, oh.

Maxwell Edison, majoring in medicine,
Calls her on the phone.
"Can I take you out to the pictures,
Joa, oa, oa, oan?"

But as she's getting ready to go,
A knock comes on the door.

Bang! Bang! Maxwell's silver hammer
Came down upon her head.
Bang! Bang! Maxwell's silver hammer
Made sure that she was dead.

Back in school again Maxwell plays the fool again.
Teacher gets annoyed.
Wishing to avoid and unpleasant
Sce, e, e, ene,

She tells Max to stay when the class has gone away,
So he waits behind
Writing fifty times "I must not be
So, o, o, o"

But when she turns her back on the boy,
He creeps up from behind.

Bang! Bang! Maxwell's silver hammer
Came down upon her head.
Bang! Bang! Maxwell's silver hammer
Made sure that she was dead.

P. C. Thirty-one said, "We caught a dirty one."
Maxwell stands alone
Painting testimonial pictures.
Oh, oh, oh, oh.

Rose and Valerie, screaming from the gallery
Say he must go free
(Maxwell must go free)
The judge does not agree and he tells them
So, o, o, o.

But as the words are leaving his lips,
A noise comes from behind.

Bang! Bang! Maxwell's silver hammer
Came down upon his head.
Bang! Bang! Maxwell's silver hammer
Made sure that he was dead.





Whoa, oh, oh, oh.
Silver hammer man

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Canadian Brass's song "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" tell the story of a fictional character named Maxwell Edison who goes on a killing spree with a silver hammer. The song starts with the introduction of Joan, who studies pataphysical science in her home and spends late nights experimenting with a test tube. Maxwell, who is majoring in medicine, calls her and asks her out to the pictures, but before their date, he murders her with his silver hammer. The second verse reveals that Maxwell is back in school and playing the fool again, annoying his teacher who asks him to stay back after class. He writes "I must not be so" fifty times while waiting for the classroom to empty, then kills the teacher with his silver hammer.


In the final verse, the police catch Maxwell after he kills another person and try to convict him in court. However, his supporters, Rose and Valerie, scream that he must go free, but the judge disagrees. As the judge speaks, Maxwell creeps up from behind and kills him with his silver hammer.


Overall, the lyrics of "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" paint a dark and violent story of a serial killer who takes pleasure in using his silver hammer to murder innocent people.


Line by Line Meaning

Joan was quizzical; studied pataphysical Science in the home.
Joan was curious and inquisitive, studying a branch of philosophy that explores imaginary solutions to reality in her own home


Late nights all alone with a test tube. Oh, oh, oh, oh.
Joan spent her nights alone, experimenting with her test tube and her pataphysical studies


Maxwell Edison, majoring in medicine, Calls her on the phone. "Can I take you out to the pictures, Joa, oa, oa, oan?"
Maxwell, a medical student, calls Joan and invites her to the cinema for a date


But as she's getting ready to go, A knock comes on the door.
Just as Joan is preparing to leave, someone knocks on her door


Bang! Bang! Maxwell's silver hammer Came down upon her head. Bang! Bang! Maxwell's silver hammer Made sure that she was dead.
Maxwell hits Joan on the head with a silver hammer not once, but twice, killing her


Back in school again Maxwell plays the fool again. Teacher gets annoyed. Wishing to avoid and unpleasant Sce, e, e, ene,
Upon returning to school, Maxwell acts foolishly, causing his teacher annoyance who wishes to avoid an uncomfortable situation


She tells Max to stay when the class has gone away, So he waits behind Writing fifty times "I must not be So, o, o, o"
Maxwell's teacher forces him to stay after class and write lines as punishment


But when she turns her back on the boy, He creeps up from behind.
When the teacher's back is turned, Maxwell sneaks up behind her


P. C. Thirty-one said, "We caught a dirty one." Maxwell stands alone Painting testimonial pictures. Oh, oh, oh, oh.
PC Thirty-one claims to have caught a criminal, but Maxwell is painting praising portraits by himself


Rose and Valerie, screaming from the gallery Say he must go free (Maxwell must go free) The judge does not agree and he tells them So, o, o, o.
Rose and Valerie, who are observing the trial, believe that Maxwell should be acquitted, but the judge disagrees and states this clearly


But as the words are leaving his lips, A noise comes from behind.
Just as the judge is speaking, a noise interrupts from behind


Bang! Bang! Maxwell's silver hammer Came down upon his head. Bang! Bang! Maxwell's silver hammer Made sure that he was dead. Whoa, oh, oh, oh. Silver hammer man
Maxwell is hit twice on the head with a silver hammer, killing him, and the song concludes with a mention of the silver hammer man




Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing
Written by: JOHN LENNON, PAUL MCCARTNEY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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