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Maxwells Silver Hammer

Chords

4.7895 votes

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Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams

[Verse 1]
DJoan was quizzical; B7studied pataphysical
EmScience in the home
A7Late nights all alone with a test tube
DOh, oh, oh, Aoh
[Verse 2]
DMaxwell Edison, B7majoring in medicine
EmCalls her on the phone
A7"Can I take you out to the pictures, DJo, oa, oa, Aan?"
 [Bridge]
But E7as she's getting ready to go
A A7knock comes on the door
[Chorus]
DBang! Bang! Maxwell's silver hammer
Came E7down upon her head.
A7Clang! Clang! Maxwell's silver hammer
Made Emsure that A7she was Ddead.
[Interlude]
|  D   F#/C#|  Bm   D7/A|  G|  D|
[Verse 3]
DBack in school again B7Maxwell plays the fool again
EmTeacher gets annoyed
A7Wishing to avoid an unpleasant Dsce-e-e-Aene
[Verse 4]
DShe tells Max to stay B7when the class has gone away
EmSo he waits behind
A7Writing fifty times "I must not be Dso, o, o, Ao."
[Bridge]
But E7when she turns her back on the boy
He A7creeps up from behind
[Chorus]
DBang! Bang! Maxwell's silver hammer
Came E7down upon her head
A7Clang! Clang! Maxwell's silver hammer
Made Emsure that A7she was Ddead
[Interlude]
|  D   F#/C#|  Bm   D7/A|  G|  D|
[Verse 5]
DP. C. Thirty-one B7said, "We caught a dirty one."
EmMaxwell stands alone
A7Painting testimonial pictures
DOh, oh, oh, Aoh
[Verse 6]
DRose and Valerie, B7screaming from the gallery
EmSay he must go free
The A7judge does not agree and he tells them Dso, o, o, Ao
[Bridge]
But E7as the words are leaving his lips
A A7noise comes from behind
[Chorus]
DBang! Bang! Maxwell's silver hammer
Came E7down upon his head.
A7Clang! Clang! Maxwell's silver hammer
EmMade sure that A7he was dead (Wha-oh-a-oh-a-oh)
[Solo]
|  D| % |  E7| % | 
|  A7| % |  Em7   A7|  D   A     D|
[Coda]
DSilF#/C#ver   BmHam-D7/Amer  GManD  A  D  

All chords in this song (11)

The story behind the song

This song tells the darkly humorous tale of Maxwell Edison, a student who commits murders with a hammer, with its upbeat sound cleverly disguising the grim lyrics. Paul McCartney described it as an analogy for when things go wrong unexpectedly in life, a symbolic representation of sudden downfalls. The initial verse was conceived in India in 1968, and the song later appeared on the 1969 album Abbey Road. Its story and tone reflect an interest in avant-garde theatre, including the work of French symbolist writer Alfred Jarry. Playing this song means channeling that unsettling contrast between cheerful melody and sinister narrative.

AI-written from these sources:Maxwell's Silver Hammer — Wikipedia ↗The Beatles — Wikipedia ↗

🎸 Tips from players

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Maxwells Silver Hammer

by The Beatles

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

F#/C#

D7/A

Em7

[Verse 1]

D B7

Joan was quizzical; studied pataphysical

Science in the home

Late nights all alone with a test tube

D A

Oh, oh, oh, oh

[Verse 2]

D B7

Maxwell Edison, majoring in medicine

Calls her on the phone

A7 D A

"Can I take you out to the pictures, Jo, oa, oa, an?"

[Bridge]

But as she's getting ready to go

A knock comes on the door

[Chorus]

Bang! Bang! Maxwell's silver hammer

Came down upon her head.

Clang! Clang! Maxwell's silver hammer

Em A7 D

Made sure that she was dead.

[Interlude]

D F#/C# Bm D7/A G D

| | | | |

[Verse 3]

D B7

Back in school again Maxwell plays the fool again

Teacher gets annoyed

A7 D A

Wishing to avoid an unpleasant sce-e-e-ene

[Verse 4]

D B7

She tells Max to stay when the class has gone away

So he waits behind

A7 D A

Writing fifty times "I must not be so, o, o, o."

[Bridge]

But when she turns her back on the boy

He creeps up from behind

[Chorus]

Bang! Bang! Maxwell's silver hammer

Came down upon her head

Clang! Clang! Maxwell's silver hammer

Em A7 D

Made sure that she was dead

[Interlude]

D F#/C# Bm D7/A G D

| | | | |

[Verse 5]

D B7

P. C. Thirty-one said, "We caught a dirty one."

Maxwell stands alone

Painting testimonial pictures

D A

Oh, oh, oh, oh

[Verse 6]

D B7

Rose and Valerie, screaming from the gallery

Say he must go free

A7 D A

The judge does not agree and he tells them so, o, o, o

[Bridge]

But as the words are leaving his lips

A noise comes from behind

[Chorus]

Bang! Bang! Maxwell's silver hammer

Came down upon his head.

Clang! Clang! Maxwell's silver hammer

Em A7

Made sure that he was dead (Wha-oh-a-oh-a-oh)

[Solo]

D E7

| | % | | % |

A7 Em7 A7 D A D

| | % | | |

[Coda]

D F#/C# Bm D7/A G D A D

Silver Ham-mer Man

About Maxwells Silver Hammer Chords by The Beatles

Learn how to play Maxwells Silver Hammer by The Beatles with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Maxwells Silver Hammer chords”, “Maxwells Silver Hammer guitar chords”, or “The Beatles Maxwells Silver Hammer chords” and you will find this page — transpose to any key, tap chords for diagrams, and use auto-scroll while you play. Perfect for beginners looking for easy Maxwells Silver Hammer chords and for experienced players who want accurate Maxwells Silver Hammer lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include D, B7, Em, A7, A, E7.

FAQ — Maxwells Silver Hammer by The Beatles

How do I play "Maxwells Silver Hammer" by The Beatles on guitar?

Open the free chords for "Maxwells Silver Hammer" by The Beatles on Free Chord Book. Tap any chord to see its diagram, use transpose to change the key, and turn on auto-scroll to play hands-free.

Are the chords for "Maxwells Silver Hammer" by The Beatles free?

Yes. The chords for "Maxwells Silver Hammer" by The Beatles are 100% free on Free Chord Book — no sign-up required.

Can I transpose "Maxwells Silver Hammer" to a different key?

Yes. Use the transpose buttons on the song page to shift "Maxwells Silver Hammer" up or down by half-steps so it matches your vocal range or capo position.

Can I see chord diagrams for "Maxwells Silver Hammer"?

Yes. Tap any chord in "Maxwells Silver Hammer" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.

Is "Maxwells Silver Hammer" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "Maxwells Silver Hammer" by The Beatles with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by The Beatles below.

What key is "Maxwells Silver Hammer" in?

The chords for "Maxwells Silver Hammer" show the original chord names (including D, B7, Em, A7, A, E7). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.