From wiki...."If I Had a Hammer (The Hammer Song)" is a song written by Pete Seeger and Lee Hays. It was written in 1949 in support of the progressive movement, and was first recorded by The Weavers, a folk music quartet composed of Seeger, Hays, Ronnie Gilbert and Fred Hellerman, and then by Peter, Paul and Mary.
The song was first performed publicly by Pete Seeger and Lee Hays on June 3, 1949 at St. Nicholas Arena on W. 66th Street in New York at a testimonial dinner for the leaders of the Communist Party of the United States, who were then on trial in federal court, charged with violating the Smith Act by advocating the overthrow of the U.S. government.[1] It was not particularly successful when it was first released, likely due in part to the political climate of the time.[citation needed] It fared notably better when it was recorded by Peter, Paul and Mary more than a decade later. Their cover of the song, released in August 1962, became a Top 10 hit.
It really is amazing what I learn here at FR!
Seeger was quite the leftist.
Hmmm, interesting that it was a political statement.
But lots of songs were/are.
In that video I posted to you, Seeger says the song didn't get popular until PP&M re-wrote it.
Wow, written in 1949!
I'll have to dig up my albums and play it! (love the old vinyl)