Maxwell's Silver Hammer
Beatles · Anthology 3
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 Jo-o-o-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 scene-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've 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
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
Silver hammer man
Maxwell's Silver Hammer
Released by The Beatles on their 1971 compilation Anthology 3, "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" stands as a stark departure from the band's earlier pop sensibilities. The track features a distinctive, jarring rhythm section and a chorus that mimics the sound of a hammer striking a surface, creating an unsettling atmosphere that defies the typical upbeat structure of their catalog. Written by Paul McCartney and George Harrison, the song explores themes of domestic violence and the moral ambiguity of the law, delivered with a cold, detached intensity. Its inclusion on Anthology 3 highlights the band's willingness to experiment with darker, more complex narratives in their later years, cementing the song's place as a unique and memorable song in their discography.