Update 6/15/20 to add a little historical conte†: After the Civil War, many African-Americans were imprisoned and forced to work building railroads or in mines. Take This Hammer is a prison work song men would sing as they worked on the railroad line. This song has common chord progressions and very simple lyrics but don't let that fool you— it’s a powerful song that feels incredibly relevant for our time. Strumming and singing Take This Hammer is a dynamic way to connect to the past while we go marching on, and I hope you find a little time to make music this week. Let's play in honor of all who have marched toward freedom's light.
In honor of Juneteenth (June 19th, a day that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States), I thought I’d share one of my very favorite American folk songs. Take This Hammer is a song to sing when you’re feeling fed up, down and out, or ready to break free from something that’s weighing you down. Lead Belly’s recording is probably the version that’s imitated the most but, like many folk songs, Take This Hammer has been covered by hundreds of artists, so it’s always interesting to listen to multiple versions and hear how differently artists can interpret a song.
In the audio clip above, I’m playing Take This Hammer on a tenor ukulele with a low-G string in the key of A with A, A7, D, and E7 chords, paired with a strum you can learn from a YouTube video by TenThumbs Productions. How will you play it?
