Beatles: Maxwell's Silver Hammer Meaning

Song Released: 1969

Maxwell's Silver Hammer Lyrics

Joan was quizzical, studied pataphysical
Science in the home
Late nights all alone with a test-tube
Ohh-oh-oh-oh...
Maxwell Edison, majoring in medicine
Calls her on the phone
Can I take you out to the picture
jo-o-o-oan?
But as she’s...

1. MONGOOSE

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   Nov 16th 2009 !⃝

   Has everyone notice that when wrote my opinion of this song it has been on here for over 8 months or longer. It has the reason why they had John shot.
   So, I would like to tell you more about the set up plan to have John shot dead and who was involved.
   I will let you know soon.
   And this is by far a joke.
   Who would like to see Mark David Chapman in person now. In person no pictures.
   And have Mrs Landers explain why he is still alive.
   You can read this to Mr. 007.
   It is true
   More people we get we can have this done so lets help John.
   My e-mail code7@att.net

   This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
2. MONGOOSE

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   Nov 16th 2009 !⃝

   Has everyone notice that when wrote my opinion of this song it has been on here for over 8 months or longer. It has the reason why they had John shot.
   So,I would like to tell you more about the set up plan to have John shot dead and who was involed.
   I will let you know soon.
   And this is bt far a joke.
   Who would like to see Mark David Chapman in person now. In person no pictures.

   This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
3. jamespmccartney

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   Oct 18th 2009 !⃝

   First off I would like to start by saying that this song was on Abby road, so it can't have anything to do with johns death (Abby road came out in 1969)
   
   My interpretation of this song would have to be that no one quite sees death coming until its finnaly Upon you
   
   Maxwell>death
   
   Silver Hammer>deaths Scythe
   
   if you listen to the song he came at unexpected times to kill his victoms
   
   'as she's getting ready to go, a knock came on the door' >death was knocking at her door
   
   'when she turns her back on the boy he snuck up from behind'
   >she turned her back to death, and he snuck up on her
   
   'as the words are leaving his lips, a noise comes from behind' >Death isn't always silent, he was struck with death from out of the blue
4. kpatte1

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   Sep 25th 2009 !⃝

   Heres a novel idea! How about getting the interpretation directly from the Beatles...Duh!MAXWELL'S SILVER HAMMER
   (Lennon/McCartney)
   
   JOHN 1969: "He (Paul) did quite a lot of work on it. I was ill after the (automobile) accident while they did most of the track, and I believe he really ground George and RIngo into the ground recording it. We spent more money on that song than any of them on the whole album, I think."
   
   
   GEORGE 1969: "The song 'Maxwell's Silver Hammer' is one of Paul's which we've been trying to record for ages. It's one of those instant whistle-along tunes which some people hate, and other people really like. It's a fun song, but it's kinda sick because Maxwell keeps on killing everyone."
   
   
   PAUL circa-1994: "'Maxwell's Silver Hammer' is my analogy for when something goes wrong out of the blue, as it so often does, as I was beginning to find out at that time in my life. I wanted something symbolic of that, so to me it was some fictitious character called Maxwell with a silver hammer. I don't know why it was silver, it just sounded better than Maxwell's hammer. It was needed for scanning. We still use that expression now when something unexpected happens."
5. MONGOOSE

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   Sep 14th 2009 !⃝

   In "SILVER HAMMER" I put in that "Maxwell" was a gun it is not a gun "Maxwell" is Mark David Chapman and "Silver Hammer" is the gun.
   We would like to know where Yoko went when John was being shot, then after John was crawling up the stairs Yoko comes running out of no where and says he's been shot, not sayiny John has been shot.
   I really think this was a plan to have John shot dead, the f'ing government did have thier freaking hands in it just like the Nixon and Carter administraion over half of the songs on Johns CD # 4 DAKOTA, he sings a lot about that his life begins at forty and he needs to get all his things done before it happens, indeed he says.
   John drew a picture of him sitting in a chair on a cloud smoking a cig, hell it might of been a joint and dated 1979.
   Why did Yoko wait 22 years to have some of these songs recorded.
   I will tell and I hope this gets to the right people I have so much proof that I will be talking to the D.A. IN NEW YORK AND JUST TO MAKE SURE CHAPMAN DOESN'T GO TO FAR WE HAVE EYES ON ATTICA PRISON INSIDE AND OUT.
   CALL THE PRISON AND ASK FOR MRS LANDERS AND SEE WHAT THEY SAY.

   This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
6. anonymous

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   Jul 10th 2009 !⃝

   Also, it appears to me that Maxwell's "killings" are not entirely random, and each one has a purpose.
   
   The slaying of Joan, for example, can be seen as Max lashing out against, or criticizing, the pataphysical world itself.
   
   The slaying of the teacher is rebellion in the face of authority, and the slaying of the judge is in opposition to perhaps consequence or holy judgment (the judge being God).
   
   The fact that Maxwell was a medicine student is indicative itself, that in some way, he attempted to supply a remedy through these murders, and that the killings themselves were the medicine.
   
   Now, it's obvious that McCartney's explanation is not the full one, and that is just as well. As listeners, we need to understand that art has no obligation to explain itself to us, and neither does the artist, as this would only discourage our search for answers.
   
   The top rated explanation basically assumes that there is no deeper meaning than McCartney's, which is false, and that since he has already supplied us with a simple, concise answer, we should stop analyzing this song, which is also false.
   
   -Eyebrows Mulligan
7. anonymous

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   Jul 10th 2009 !⃝

   First of all, the song is not in chronological order, and should not be interpreted literally, or at least not with any assumptions in chronological structure, or even in reality.
   
   The song opens with Joan studying petaphysical, Maxwell: medicine. It should be implied by this that they are college students. In the second verse however, Maxwell pulls pranks in class, and the teacher tells him to stay behind and write on the blackboard. Obviously, this is unlike any college you've probably heard of, and more closely resembles elementary school.
   
   So it's clear that the song follows no order in the sense of time. It would also be pretty unlikely for Maxwell to kill his elementary school teacher and get away with it up until college, so again, it is more abstract than this.
   
   That's pretty much all I could dissect from this song, and in addition, the line "late nights all alone with a test tube" seems to have some Freudian meaning behind it. Think about it ;P
8. MONGOOSE

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   Jun 11th 2009 !⃝

   Well this might blow you away, it did me.
   Paul was right "Silver Hammer" means something was going to go wrong, and did.
   
   "Silver Hammer"
   
   Joan< is John / quizzical< John is curious or something odd is about to happen.
   
   
   Science in the home< is someone was making plans for someone...?
   
   Late nights all alone with a test tube< John was alone at the house, with a test tube< meaning John had things on his mind that something strange is going on.
   
   Maxwell< is a gun.
   Edison majoring in medison< is a person that is making up a plan.
   
   Calls her on the phone< you take a guess who called?
   
   "Can I take you to the pictures< is taking someone to the Dakota Apartments front gates.
   
   You notice that they changed the wording on, Ohh,oh,oh,oh.
   To Joa-oa-oa-oan? and with a question mark.< meaning Joh-on-on-ohn...
   
   But as she is getting ready to go< someone is talking about leaving the house and he said no.
   
   a knock comes on the door... < someone letting her that they were not happy with the answer they got on, "Can I take you to the pictures, someone said no.
   
   Bang, bang, Maxwell's silver hammer< someone got shot twice at first close to his head?
   
   Came down on her head< someone got their 2 bang, bang's that hit.
   
   bang, bang, make sure she was dead< someone shot two more bang, bang's to make sure she was dead.
   
   Notice they only say bang, bang 4 times, this is because someone got hit 4 times not 5 times, the 5th. one missed the target. And had no more bang, bang's.
   
   Back in school again Maxwell plays a fool again< someone remembering something and just stands around like nothing had happen yet, with a few others.
   
   Teacher gets annoyed< someone is getting upset and tries to stay cool.
   
   Wishing to avoid a unpleast sce-e-e-ene< someone wishing they could think of away to leave of what is going to happen.
   
   She tells Max to stay when the class has gone away< someone to hang out until they get back from somewhere. The class to go away,< is the fans.
   
   "Are you starting to get what this letter is saying"?
   
   So he waits behind< he did for about 5 hours.
   
   Writing 50 times "I must not be so-o-o-oo< he is not writing he is reading a paper back from his back pocket so it will keep him from getting neverse or deprogram.
   
   But when she turns her back on the boy< someone walking away to get out of the way.
   
   So he creeps up from behind< when someone droppeds into a combat stance.
   
   Bang, bang Mawell's silver hammer< the same as I wrote above.
   
   P.C. Thrity-one " We got a dirty one"< Person Chapman was 31 and dirty.
   
   Maxwell stands alone< which someone did.
   
   Painting testimonial pictures ohh-oh-oh-oh< he is was not paitning anything, he is readig and looking at what just happen, he was sitting down on the grass.
   
   Rose and Valerie screaming from the gallery< These people didn't know the plan.
   
   Say he must go free (Maxwell must go free) < Did not know.
   
   The judge does not agree and tells them so-o-o-oo< not a judge from a court house just a person not agreeing on what Rose and Valerie said.
   
   But as the words are leaving his lips< the judge changed his thoughts.
   
   A noise comes from behind< Someone the only one made a very small noise.
   
   Bang, bang Maxwell's silver hammer< someone with a gun.
   
   Came down on his head< see how they change the words from she to his head.
   
   Bang, bang Maxwell's silver hammer< someone with a gun.
   
   Made sure he was dead< As some just watched that someone was dead, but he was not.
   
   BY NOW YOU SHOULD KNOW WHO THAT SOMEONE IS.
   ALL THIS IS JUST ONE'S OPINION ONLY....YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.
   "THE MONGOOSE"
9. joeo

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   May 29th 2009 !⃝

   This song was most likely inspired by the tragic incident involving talented English playwright Joe Orton and his lover companion Kenneth Halliwell(Maxwell is a wordplay on Haliwell). Halliwell bludgeoned 34 year old Joe Orton to death with a hammer to his head (9 blows) on August 1967. Halliwell then took an overdose of 22 Nembutal and committed suicide. Joe Orton and Halliwell were known to play the fools and had been arrested fined L262 and jailed for 6 months for damaging library books. They would return library books with new sleeve covers and new blurbs. Orton felt that the punishment was excessive due to them being queers. Joe Orton later started having success with his plays (dark satirical comedies).Joe Orton was in touch with the Beatles and was writing a play (Up Against It) for them. He was supposed to meet with them or their representatives the day they found him murdered. A chaufeur that had been sent to take him to the meeting discovered the bodies. Halliwell had been depressed and was seeing a psychiatrist. Joe Orton had found a new boyfriend and was planning to break up with the already stressed out depressed and troubled Halliwell. The play Up Against It was eventually produced in 1989 with music by Tod Rundgren. Paul McCartney took the incident changed the players and some circumstances somewhat but kept the tragic situation the same and put it to rhyme and unreason...........
10. mgc

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    Oct 19th 2008 !⃝

    Pataphysics: a philosophy dedicated to studying what lies beyond the realm of metaphysics (the ultimate nature of being and the world), is often expressed in nonsensical language.
    McCartney said in 1994: "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" is my analogy for when something goes wrong out of the blue, as it so often does, as I was beginning to find out at that time in my life.
    
    Joan was quizzical, studied pataphysical
    Science in the home
    Late nights all alone with a test-tube
    Ohh-oh-oh-oh...
    
    (jfk was inquisitive and studied unreal stuff (secrets?) in the usa
    (he didn't tell any1 what he was doing (and found out stuff))
    (danger?)
    
    Back in school again Maxwell
    plays the fool again
    Teacher gets annoyed
    Wishing to avoid an unpleasant sce-e-e-ene
    
    (back on the (political?)"market")
    ("maxwell" does something fishy)
    (the president get pissed)
    (but because he doesn't want to create a riot)
    
    She tells Max to stay when the
    class has gone away
    So he waits behind
    Writing 50 times "I must not be so-o-o-oo..."
    
    (he tells maxwell to stop)
    (behind the screens)
    (so he stops)
    (and apologizes?)
    
    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
    
    (then, thinking the matter is solved, he drops his guard)
    (maxwell pulls a dirty trick)
    
    Maxwell Edison majoring in medicine
    Calls her on the phone
    "Can I take you out to the pictures
    Joa-oa-oa-oan?"
    
    (some1 related to maxwell who is a ""doctor"")
    (contacts him)
    (and sets him up for a hit)
    
    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
    
    (on his way to the ""appointment"")
    (death knocks on his door)
    
    P.C. Thirty-One said "we caught a dirty one"
    Maxwell stands alone
    Painting testimonial pictures ohh-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-oo
    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
    
    (the police claim they found a corrupt 1)
    (maxwells actions r thought to be unrelated)
    (maxwell changes testimonies)
    (high up people beg)
    (to stop persuit of maxwell)
    (the judge doesn't agree)
    (but once he made up his mind)
    (he was shot in the back)
    (gunshots, some1s rich power came down on them unexpected)
    (made sure he couldnt continue)
11. anonymous

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    Sep 29th 2008 !⃝

    Someone just told me the song was about heroin addiction. I thought it was just about a serial killer named maxwell silver. I enjoyed reading everyone's interpretations as they are all interesting and unique.

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
12. anonymous

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    Jul 25th 2008 !⃝

    You see, Maxwell Edison is really a secret agent who's real name is Edward Lockhart III and he thinks Joan is a leading chemical professor in the former Soviet Union. This explains why he kills her. But he couldn't stop there. The teacher, who "gets annoyed" with Max is really making him stay behind when the rest of the class gets to leave because she wants to kill him in private because she, as well as Joan, is a Soviet Union chemical professor. But Max/ Edward is too cunning to fall for that so he kills her. But somebody must have seen him commit the crime because he got sent to court. The last killing of the judge was probably just because he was pissed at the world.
13. m320753

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    Jul 14th 2008 !⃝

    After reading most of the interpretations I think anonymous touched every possible interpretation there can be. are you one person? and are you the guy I always read in charity events who gave a lot of money away but didn't want anybody to know if so then may GOD bless you. Sadly this song is just another pot induced song the Beatles came up with thank heavens for pot or they would have been just another English group that invaded America in the early 60s.
14. Insight

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    Jul 10th 2008 !⃝

    This song is simply another version of "instant karma". The sudden enlightenment that many people in the 1960's experienced. It means death of the false self or ego and the beginning of asking question like "why in the world are we here, surly not to live in pain and fear".
15. anonymous

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    Apr 7th 2008 !⃝

    This was inspired by a character in an Albert Camous story named Maxwell, who unceremoniously whacked a neighbor in the head with a silver hammer.
    
    Paul extrapolated about the nonsensical way things in our life hammer us.

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