Paul McCartney's handwritten lyrics for "Maxwell's Silver Hammer"
Maker
Paul McCartney
(English, born 1942)
Maker
Mal Evans
(English, 1935 - 1976)
Musician
The Beatles
(English, 1960 - 1970)
Date1968-1969
ClassificationsMusic
DimensionsLyrics: 12 3/4 x 8 in. (32.4 x 20.3 cm)
DescriptionA page of working lyrics for the Beatles song "Maxwell's Silver Hammer," 1968. The lyrics are primarily in the hand of The Beatles road manager Mal Evans, with additional lines in Paul McCartney's hand. The sheet is framed with a beige mat and gray frame. At bottom of the mat is an inset label. These working lyrics represent the first two verses and the chorus, with the majority of the 20 lines written in black ink by Mal Evans. The final line "You will wait behind" has been corrected by McCartney to "So he waits behind" and the final three lines of the second verse were added in red ballpoint pen by McCartney, writing: "50 (a HUNDRED) times I must not be so...But as she turns her back to the board, He creeps up from behind." McCartney also added the first line from the third verse "P.C. 31 said they'd caught a dirty one" with "Maxwell" scored out.
The song appeared on The Beatles album Abbey Road (1969). The song was originally intended to be used on The Beatles (1968), but the recording of this song was difficult, with the other three members of the band claiming this song was “too complicated” to play.
