Rapid Response Choir

If I Had a Hammer

Performance hints: A on "if"

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 warning
I'd hammer out love between all of the resisters
All over this land, ooh

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 out danger, I'd ring out a warning
I'd ring out love between all of the resisters
All over this land, ooh

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 out danger, I'd sing out a warning
I'd sing out love between all of the resisters
All over this land, ooh

Well, I got a hammer, and I got a bell
I've 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 all of the resisters
All over this land

It's the hammer of justice
It's the bell of freedom
It's a song about love between all of the resisters
All over this land

Guitar Chords
C Em F G (2x) /C – D – G – – –
C – F G Am – F G/ FCFC FCG – C– – –

Credits: Pete Seeger and Lee Hays
Notes: Written in 1949 for the Labor Movement, it was considered to be subversive as words like "peace" and "freedom" were seen by the government as aligning with Communist ideology. As a result, the Weavers were blacklisted. The song gained popularity in the Civil Rights movement, anti-war protests, and beyond. Peter, Paul, and Mary added “and my sisters” in their 1962 recording. Emma's Revolution changed "my brothers and my sisters" to "all of the resisters" in 2017.