This Hammer
Steve Winwood; The Spencer Davis Group Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

S davis, m winwood, s winwood, p york
Workin' on the railroad for a dollar a day
Workin' on the railroad for a dollar a day
Workin' on the railroad for a dollar a day
Gotta earn my money, boys, gotta earn my pay

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, buddy, you can tell him I'm gone

If he asks ya, was I laughin'
If he asks ya, was I laughin'
If he asks ya, was I laughin'
Tell him I'm cryin, buddy, tell him I'm cryin'





Take this hammer (etc)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "This Hammer" by The Spencer Davis Group tell the story of a group of men working hard on the railroad for a small wage. They are determined to do whatever it takes to make ends meet, and the song describes their long days and tough work. The song also takes on a political tone, calling for the workers to take up arms and fight against oppression.


The lyrics are powerful and evocative, and they showcase the depth of feeling and emotion that the band can convey with their music. They speak to the struggles of ordinary people, and the ways in which they must fight to survive in a harsh and unforgiving world. This is a song of hope and determination, calling on the workers to never give up and to keep pushing forward, no matter what obstacles they face.


Overall, "This Hammer" is a stirring and powerful statement from The Spencer Davis Group, showcasing their talents and their ability to create music that resonates with people all over the world.


Line by Line Meaning

Workin' on the railroad for a dollar a day
I am engaged in a physical job of laying down tracks for the railway and getting paid one dollar per day for the same.


Gotta earn my money, boys, gotta earn my pay
I have no choice but to work hard and earn my payment.


Take this hammer, take it to the captain
Take this hammer and go to the captain of the ship with a message for him.


Tell him I'm gone, buddy, you can tell him I'm gone
Inform him that I have left the ship and I am no longer a part of it.


If he asks ya, was I laughin'
If he inquires whether I was laughing or not,


Tell him I'm cryin, buddy, tell him I'm cryin'
Tell him that I am not laughing, rather I am crying for some unknown reason.




Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ANTONIO DONA', CRISTIANO GIUSBERTI, GIANLUCA PERUZZI, LUCA ANTOLINI, MAURO FARINA, PAOLINO NOBILE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

John Massen

What a great tune to dance to.I first heard this in the Twisted Wheel.Great times.

Mike Eastwood

Same here, bought it on a French ep

carla martinez paredes

Con este tema lo recuerdo a mi viejo.. cada vez que lo recuerdo es una lágrima pero se que está conmigo.. te extraño una banda donde quieras que estés..

tellarjj

So nice song from the Spencer Group !

michel cange

J'adore le "Spencer Davis Group". Je ne connaissais pas ce 45 tours que je trouve pas mal du tout. Il me fait penser un peu à un disque de: "John Fred & Playboys avec le titre: "Judy In Disguise". Vive les années 60. Les meilleures.

Evelin Taubert

Habe sie live gesehen 2018 ,das hätte ich nie gedacht, ich hatte Gänsehaut, jetzt ist Spencer gestorben, eine Legende!

juha vesanen

Simple but great... and Stevie Winwood is only 17 years old when singing this on tape...!

juha vesanen

EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT BAND MUSIC FROM THE 1960'S... SIMPLE BUT EXCELLENT...!

Hugo Horacio Chazarreta

Hermoso tema que me trae recuerdos vividos en nose dice bailable el templo del rock

Ove Söderdahl

R.I.P Spencer Davis

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