Maxwell's Silver Hammer Chords

KeyD CapoNone TuningStandard Difficulty Plays913

Maxwell's Silver Hammer by The Beatles is a moderately challenging guitar song played in the key of D. It uses the chords D, B7, Em, A7, A and E7. Use the transpose and diagram tools on this page to change the key, see each shape, or simplify the chords.

Transpose
D
Text
16
Speed
  			D                   B7                   Em
Joan was quizzical, studied pataphysical science in the home,
A7                                     D           A
late night all alone with a test tube, oh, oh, oh, oh.
D               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:

D                                        E7
Bang! Bang! Maxwell's silver hammer came down upon her head.
A7                                         Em        A7      D
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 an unpleasant sce-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:

{Chorus}

P.C. thirtyone 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 came from behind:

{Chorus}
    	

Chord diagrams

Guitar tuner

--
Start the tuner and play a string

Reference tones

Standard tuning, lowest to highest. Click a string to play it; the string the mic hears is highlighted.

Click Start tuner and allow microphone access. The needle centers and turns green when a string is in tune (within 5 cents).
No microphone? You can still tap any string above to hear its exact reference pitch.

Metronome

100 BPM Andante