Beatles: Maxwell's Silver Hammer Meaning

Song Released: 1969

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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. anonymous

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   Apr 1st 2008 report

   I've always figured that he grabbed his hammer off of the evidence pile for one last run.
2. anonymous

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   Feb 22nd 2008 report

   What really is the "silver hammer"?

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

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   Dec 3rd 2007 report

   This is a metaphor for good things in your life going wrong, not a true story about a serial killer or a werewolf hunter.
4. anonymous

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   Jul 12th 2007 report

   How in gods name did this kid get a gun, or a hammer for that matter into a court?
5. anonymous

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   Apr 2nd 2007 report

   First of all it's about at least 2 different people. If you want to see it that way. I think it's just a fun song but for all you info-craving people out there, it's about 2 people because he kills the science lady, then he goes back to school, and it describes him as a 'boy'. So if it ain't 2 people it's jumping back and forth....and then when he's in court, it says Cedric pulls a dirty one, so a partner betrays him...or something...but then it says he is able to get behind the judge and kill him. Well anyway, all this is is over-anylization, so it really doesn't matter to me what it means, it's just one of my favorite songs.

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

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   Mar 23rd 2007 report

   Wow I can't believe I am the first to come up with this. The silver hammer isn't a metaphor. It's literally a little silver hammer. Now...where do you find a little silver hammer...we know it's a weapon because he was killing people...let's think...how about A GUN! Isn't it so obvious now?! The hammer crashing down was the hammer hitting the back of the bullet which went into the people's heads! It didn't really come down upon their head, but it works out kinda.
7. anonymous

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   Feb 13th 2007 report

   The pope?
8. anonymous

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   Jan 16th 2007 report

   incubi?
9. anonymous

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   Sep 14th 2006 report

   It's about the pope.
10. JPGR4E

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    Sep 11th 2006 report

    I don't think this song has a lot of philosophical meaning. I think that Paul just wanted to write a fictional, up-beat, song about a serial killer. That's it
11. anonymous

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    Jul 24th 2006 report

    Because of the people that were killed in the song (e.G. A scientist, a teacher, and a judge) I believe that the song is about the stifling of those three branches, but mostly education and justice.
12. anonymous

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    Jun 17th 2006 report

    Duh, Maxwell was a serial killer.
13. anonymous

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    Jan 13th 2006 report

    Heh... hey don't forget the Incubuses! (I don't know the plural of incubus, so let's leave it at that.)
14. anonymous

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    Jan 11th 2006 report

    Maxwell Edison was actually tirelessly hunting werewolves to protect the public.
15. anonymous

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    Dec 17th 2005 report

    As Paul said, the song is about how in life, as soon as things are going good, something goes wrong. Maxwell's Silver hammer comes crashing down on everyone's good time.

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