Maxwell's Silver Hammer

By John T. Marck

The Beatles generally didn't care much for this song, except McCartney, who wrote it. What does it mean? It's a novelty song about a serial killer, Maxwell Edison, a medical student who first kills his girlfriend with a silver hammer, then a teacher, followed by a judge. The "pataphysical," is an avant-garde word invented by Alfred Jarry, a French pioneer of the absurd theatre, which describes a branch of metaphysics.

Joan was quizzical, studied pataphysical science in the home

Late nights all alone with her a test tube, oh, oh, oh, oh

Maxwell Edison, majoring in medicine, calls her on the phone

"Can I take you out to the pictures Jo-o-o-oan?"

But as she's getting ready to go, a knock comes on the door

Bang! Bang! Maxwell's silver hammer came down upon her head

Clang! Clang! Maxwell's silver hammer made sure that she was dead

Back in school again Maxwell plays the fool again, teacher gets annoyed

Wishing to avoid and unpleasant scene-e-e-ene

She tells Max to stay when the class has gone away, so he waits behind

Writing fifty times "I must not be so-o-o-o"

But when she turns her back on the boy, he creeps up from behind

Bang! Bang! Maxwell's silver hammer came down upon her head

Clang! Clang! Maxwell's silver hammer made sure that she was dead

P.C. thirty one said "we've caught a dirty one"

Maxwell stands alone, painting testimonial pictures, oh, oh, oh, oh

Rose and Valerie screaming from the gallery, say he must go free

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

But, as the words are leaving his lips, a noise comes from behind

Bang! Bang! Maxwell's silver hammer came down upon her head

Clang! Clang! Maxwell's silver hammer made sure that he was dead

Silver hammer man

NOTE: All lyrics contained herein are © Copyright Northern Songs. All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured. The lyrics contained herein are for the sole use of educational reference for the readers of this article. All other uses are in violation of international copyright laws. This use for educational reference, falls under the "fair use" sections of U.S. copyright law. Copyright © 2000-2022 by John T. Marck. All Rights Reserved. This article and their accompanying pictures, photographs, and line art, may not be resold, reprinted, or redistributed for compensation of any kind without prior written permission from the author, or the registered copyright holders. Except as otherwise stated above, all information contained in this article, EXCEPT song titles, lyrics, and photographs © John T. Marck.