5090 by FAWM: "Hammer On The Rock"

Hammer On The Rock

10 weeks ago by @jtsteam

Hammer On The Rock

jtsteam

00:00

Liner Notes

A #ukulele #folk song of #protest perhaps? This was based on one of those cheesy motivational slogans I saw, so it's probably a bit of a cheesy song. Nevertheless, I wrote it, so here it is. Let's celebrate those small wins and keep hammering.

Sorry about the rough recording, especially the wonky harmonica. I'm heading out shortly and I wanted to post it anyway so I could move on...

You may spot a nod or two to The Weavers here. It is intentional :).

Lyrics

[C][F][C]
[F][Am][C][G][C]

You [C]take one step but there's [F]many miles to [C]go
You [C]keep on building but the [F]backlog over[G]flows
[F]Management is [G]on your back and [C]desperate to im[Am]press
While [F]you fulfil the [Am]promises of [C]every[G]body [C]else

[F]No prepa[C]ration, [F]compli[C]cation
[F]Stress, frust[C]ration, [F]procrasti[C]nation
[F]Burnout and ex[G]haustion , [C]confidence is [Am]knocked
You [F]might as well be [Am]hammering, [C]hammer on a [G]rock

The [C]challenge seems impossible, can't [F]bring yourself to [Am]start
But [C]one day you will hammer and the [F]rock will fall a[G]part
In the [F]morning, in the [G]evening, [C]hammer round the [Am]clock
Keep [F]hammering, [Am]hammering, [C]hammer [G]on the [C]rock

It [C]always feels that progress is so [F]glacially [C]slow
[C]Nothing seems to happen and the [F]fears begin to [G]grow
[F]Bigots guard [G]bathrooms, [C]madmen with [Am]guns
It's [F]hard to be[Am]lieve that [C]change will [G]ever [C]come

[F]Iso[C]lation, [F]warring [C]nations
[F]While we [C]chant on [F]demons[C]trations
[F]Feel it's not e[G]nough to give it [C]everything we've [Am]got
We [F]might as well be [Am]hammering, [C]hammer on a [G]rock

The [C]challenge seems impossible, can't [F]bring yourself to [Am]start
But [C]one day you will hammer and the [F]rock will fall a[G]part
Hammer [F]danger and a [G]warning, [C]hammer round the [Am]clock
Keep [F]hammering, [Am]hammering, [C]hammer [G]on the [C]rock

[C][F][Am]
[C][F][G]
[F][G][C][Am]
[F][Am][C][G][C]

[Am]Every crack in [Em]every formation
[Am]Every little victory is a [F]cause for celebr[G]ation

The [C]challenge seems impossible, can't [F]bring yourself to [Am]start
But [C]one day you will hammer and the [F]rock will fall a[G]part
Hammer [F]danger and a [G]warning, [C]hammer round the [Am]clock
Keep [F]hammering, [Am]hammering, [C]hammer [G]on the [C]rock

[F]Brothers, sisters, [G]all together
[C]one almighty [Am]thwock
We're [F]hammering, [Am]hammering, [C]hammer [G]on the [C]rock

[F][G][C][Am]
[F][Am][C][G][C]

Comments

@berni1954 4w

Fine 1960s folk protest song!

During Franco's dictatorship there were quite a few songs that hinted that the dictatorship would end with solidarity. But, of course, the song was never that specific. The most famous one is called "L'Estaca" and tells of a Grandfather telling his grandson about a stake to which they are tied. He advises his grandson to pull one way and he will pull the other and maybe they can work it loose. In the next verse the grandson is knackered. So in the last verse Granddad invites all the neighbours to help and together they know they will pull it from the ground and liberate themselves.

It has been translated into several languages and used recently in many demonstrations. "Hammering the Rock" has a similar message and feel.

@tawny249 5w

Cool driving beat, and the repetition is fitting for a song about hammering. Harmonica seems very appropriate, too. I also like that little two-line bridge reminder that there are little victories along the way.

@philkmills 9w

Definitely a good fit for the folk protest genre.

"promises of everybody else" speaks to me. I think age has given me a sensitivity about how much of a person's life is expended in the service of someone else's agenda.

@gwynjones 10w

Neat performance and we need as many protest songs as possible these days and this one harks back to the heyday of Folk dissent and all the better for it...more power to your hammer!

@davidtaro 10w

You don’t hear the word ‘thwock’ enough in songs. Well done for incorporating it! I sense the spirit of Woody Guthrie moving through this one, that kind of hard-won, in it together thing and the folky delivery. You’re really nailing the harmonica at the moment too - doesn’t seem wonky at all to me, wish I could play like that!

@marilisa 10w

*raised fist emoji* Let’s keep hammering that rock. Very nicely done.

@dotsandlines 10w

I'm pretty much always sold on harmonica, and here, it adds to the sense that there's history and hard work being added to.

I can picture this as a huge singalong, and I am so in.

@gfandme 10w

What the heck, genres are irrelevant, great music is great music!

@loveonamixtape 10w

This has a great kind of folk, punk, Irish drinking song feel to it, like the ukulele Pogues, which almost shouldn't work as well as it does? But it really does! The lyrics are really great -- not cheesy at all, I think they're really incisive, while following the recognizable protest song structure. The hammer on the rock metaphor works, great, especially once it gets to the "rock will fall apart" bit. Really enjoyed this!