MAXWELL'S SILVER HAMMER
                        (Lennon/McCartney)
                           The Beatles
                         Abby Road (1969)



  D        D/C#       B7                   Em
Joan was quizzical, studied pataphysical science in the home,
 A7                                     D        A
late nights all alone with a test tube, oh oh oh oh.
  D      D/C#      B7                  Em
Maxwell Edison, majoring in medicine, calls her on the phone.
 A7                                  D       A
"Can I take you out to the pictures, Jo-o-o-oan?"
     E7                               A7
But, as she's getting ready to go, a knock comes from the door.


[chorus: note that the guitar solo plays behind the chorus each time]

  D                                       E7
Bang! Bang! Maxwell's silver hammer came down upon her head.
 A7                                         Em       A7       D   A   D
Clang! Clang! Maxwell's silver hammer made sure that she was dead.


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


  D      D/C#           B7                            Em
Back in school again, Maxwell plays the fool again, teacher gets annoyed.
 A7                             D       A  (riff 2: see below)
Wishing to avoid an unpleasant sce-e-e-ene.
 D        D/C#         B7                           Em
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."
      E7                                      A7              
But, when she turns her back on the boy, he creeps up from behind.


 D                                        E7
Bang! Bang! Maxwell's silver hammer came down upon her head.
 A7                                         Em                A7
Clang! Clang! Maxwell's silver hammer made sure that she was dead.


(guitar solo: see below)
D   E7   A7   Em A7 D  A  D

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



 D     D/C#     B7                                 Em
P.C. thirtyone said "We've caught a dirty one.", Maxwell stands alone.
 A7                            D           A  (riff 2)
Painting testimonial pictures, oh, oh, oh, oh.
 D        D/C#       B7                       Em
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.
     E7                                    A7     
But, as the words are leaving his lips, a noise comes from behind.


 D                                        E7
Bang! Bang! Maxwell's silver hammer came down upon her head.
 A7                                         Em               A7
Clang! Clang! Maxwell's silver hammer made sure that he was dead.

(repeat solo)
D  E7  A7  Em A7 D  A  D

D  F#/C#  Bm  D7   G   D  A  D
Sil-ver   Ham-mer man!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

riff 2:

|--5----5-----3--2--|
|--5h3--3p5---3--3--|
|-------------------|
|-------------------|
|-------------------|
|-------------------|


solo: this is TWO guitars!

guitar 1:
|---------5--------------------------------------------12-
|--7--7---7-----------------7--9---5h7--5-----10--12------
|--7--7------7/9--7-----9---------------------------------
|--------------------9------------------------------------
|---------------------------------------------------------
|---------------------------------------------------------

guitar 2:
|---------------------------------------------------------
|------------------------------------------------------10-
|--7------7--------------------9--------------9---9-------
|-----7------7/9--7---------9------9h11--9----------------
|--------------------9--11--------------------------------
|---------------------------------------------------------



guitar 1:
--9h10--9-------3----3----3----3----2-----10\------------|
-----------8----5----5----5----5----3-----10\------------|
---------------------------------------------------------|
---------------------------------------------------------|
---------------------------------------------------------|
---------------------------------------------------------|

guitar 2:
---------------------------------------------------------|
--10---10---------------------------------7\-------------|
----------------7h9---7--b(11)9-7h9--7-------------------|
---------------------------------------------------------|
---------------------------------------------------------|
---------------------------------------------------------|


transcribed by Chris Sears
cts@mail.utexas.edu