Comments on: Maxwell’s Silver Hammer

By: Stitch Grimly

Stitch Grimly — Thu, 31 Jan 2019 01:37:32 +0000

This is insane though.

By: Denis Brouillard

Denis Brouillard — Wed, 30 Jan 2019 23:59:02 +0000

On an otherwise superb album, Maxwell might be the weakest link. A good little song ,but pales a little by comparison. What makes octopus good is Georges beautiful lead fills

By: Bundle

Bundle — Tue, 22 Jan 2019 16:03:10 +0000

It’s Paul and I think on his Rick. George would have never played it like that.

By: Ralph Garcia

Ralph Garcia — Mon, 31 Dec 2018 00:58:31 +0000

Hearing all the music garbage put out today, I love all the Beatles songs. Leave it alone. It’s a work of art. It’s like a metaphysical abstract painting. It seems every song the Beatles made is great. I don’t really have a favorite Beatles album because I love them all equally. Just like there is a four way tie of my favorite member of the Beatles.

By: silverhammerYT

silverhammerYT — Wed, 12 Dec 2018 01:52:45 +0000

I adore all of the Fab Four and respect their opinions, but I don’t think that there is anything wrong with how this song sounds. George and Ringo apparently never liked Paul’s “whimsical” songs, but tbh I think that those songs sound lovely just like all the other songs. But I can definitely understand the whole aspect of it being tedious to record, which John and Ringo made clear.

By: FAX

FAX — Sun, 04 Mar 2018 22:23:35 +0000

LOL. Awesome, comrade.

By: Xavier Baudet

Xavier Baudet — Tue, 20 Feb 2018 17:01:07 +0000

It sounds a lot like McCartney’s playing style and not like George’s. I would be surprised if it really were George. Paul could have overdubbed his own bass over George’s guide. I also agree that it sounds a lot like a Hofner, although it needs be said that some perceived Hofner sounds in those days were actually a Fender jazz (like much of the bass lines on the White Album.)

The thing with George being the bassplayer here is it’s just like Paul supposedly being the drummer on Dear Prudence. It’s hard to believe given that it sounds so much better than George’s usual bass playing and Paul’s usual drumming. Compare the bass sound on Golden Slumbers and Hey Jude to the one on Maxwell. And compare Back in the USSR or Jet to Dear Prudence. Particularly the fills towards the end of Dear Prudence are so spectacularly Ringo-ish and much better than any other drumpart ever recorded by McCartney, I wouldn’t be surprised if it tuned out that Ringo did do those after all. By the way, that’s also a fine example of a bass line that could have been a Hofner, but also a Fender Jazz.

But if the official version is correct then I guess Paul and George must have been incredibly motivated to sound like another Beatle when they recorded those lines.

By: Stuart grundy

Stuart grundy — Wed, 03 Jan 2018 05:18:36 +0000

Maybe Paul conciously(or unconsciously or both) was processing his thoughts re:ending the band ,the song symbolically acting as a metaphor for his (or a possible) future reality?
Might then explain the reactions of the other band members to his work.
Maybe at this point they all really knew (or sensed (at this point) that the end was coming(or at least a possability in his own mind) The question is why does it currently resound so strongly in my own mind ? That said I consider it to be a particularly stand out and significant track for whatever reasons and would rate it as one of their best (despite Lennons absence who I might add I’ve always considered to be my fav band member) Again that said in this case ‘hats off to Paul – you are a true genius’ and thanks for sharing the Love!?

By: John Sheppard

John Sheppard — Sun, 12 Nov 2017 22:26:54 +0000

Funny how we interpret what artists create. A few years ago my young Beatles fan daughter asked me about Maxwell, and I told her it is a social commentary how rich brats get away with murder, that the silver hammer is like a silver spoon. If you use that analogy and listen again, you will get it. My daughter accepted that explanation and moved on. Finally, IMO, it was worth the three days of work, especially if it was indeed about rich brats and their privilege.

By: Sherri Epperson Griffith

Sherri Epperson Griffith — Sat, 11 Nov 2017 06:43:58 +0000

I think the song is pure genius. All the words rhyme, the instrumentation is unbelievable. Paul’s voice on it is so mellow, like he is telling a story. The chorus is so catchy, if you hear the song it will be on your mind all day long. I am a serious Beatles fan, and I think this is one of the most dripping with talent songs Paul ever did. He is under-rated for this song.

By: Trixie

Trixie — Fri, 13 Oct 2017 19:14:50 +0000

I don’t hate this song it is not worth the effort. Skip it like “honey pie” and “your mother should know.

By: Robert

Robert — Fri, 13 Oct 2017 13:16:07 +0000

Really ? You’re replacing Maxwell with the A and
b sides of what has to be the worst Beatles single ever . That would make Abbey Road side one unlistenable.

By: Water Falls

Water Falls — Thu, 24 Aug 2017 07:30:06 +0000

As I’ve said before, I love this little comedy singalong. It’s Heavy, Dark and Light all at the same time. Part of its genius. I also now believe,(because of the clues sprinkled throughout), that it’s a song about The Beatles, who at one time were; The Silver Beatles. And the purpose of a hammer? To beat!
Since Paul wrote the song, he is Maxwell Edison…(ME)…and he gets away with “murder” by making the others rehearse MSH “to death”, and it’s “killling” them to do it (“Again fellas, from the top!”).
Joan/John is his intellectual equal/science rival/songwriting partner.
Teacher/George is the grump who doles out character building punishment.
Judge/Ringo is wise and fair but doesn’t see what’s coming at him.
P.C.31/ are the police security. Screaming Rose & Valerie/ are fans.
Showbiz slang “kill the people” & “killed” means “win over big” & “great success”, and The Beatles had overwhelming success everywhere worldwide. Bang Bang/is the availability and frequency of sex. The absurdity of the song is the craziness that was Beatlemania.
Maxwell…Mac’s well (Macca’s well) and not insane for writing the macabre song. That’s my take on it.

By: Dark Overlord

Dark Overlord — Tue, 15 Aug 2017 22:45:28 +0000

According to The Beatles Book Monthly George plays acoustic guitar on this song.

By: Charlie Burns

Charlie Burns — Tue, 25 Jul 2017 21:59:54 +0000

Sounds a LOT like John singing the high falsetto harmony on “Maxwell must go free”

By: Paul Beaulieu

Paul Beaulieu — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 18:55:02 +0000

I’ve never had a problem with this song. As for the others’ antipathy towards it, the subtext seems to be Paul’s fussy perfectionism and his rather clear arranging ideas (in short: he told them what to play and to keep at it until they got it just to his satisfaction), which by this point was seriously running them the wrong way.

By: Jared DiCarlo

Jared DiCarlo — Sat, 03 Jun 2017 15:43:12 +0000

The synth in this song is wild!

By: Eric

Eric — Sun, 14 May 2017 13:06:08 +0000

I agree with you

By: Tony_M_1956

Tony_M_1956 — Sat, 15 Apr 2017 03:06:09 +0000

Having just listened to the version of Maxwell on Anthology 3 I can hear segments which sound similar to Elton John’s Good Bye Yellow Brick Road, but of course Maxwell was written and recorded years earlier. There are just so many notes and chords. Eventually they will be repeated unintentionally or deliberately by someone else. At the time the Abbey Road LP was released I was 13yo and It sounded fine to me, but it isn’t one of the very best Beatles songs. We do hold the Beatles up to higher standards than any other recording group. I have imagined this song would have been perfect for one the groups in the Apple stable of artists, but it is a bone fide Beatles song, which still has a well earned place on their last recorded album.

By: Angelica

Angelica — Sat, 08 Apr 2017 04:25:32 +0000

Love the song… however, it and Octopus’s Garden on the same album AND same side is perhaps a tad much. And I love Octopus’s Garden too. I probably would’ve cut one of these two and added a different song, and saved the one that was cut for a different album…… assuming they didn’t break up.