A song featured on the masterpiece album Abbey Road was called a “typical” song in Paul McCartney‘s wheelhouse.
John Lennon would be dismissive of a handful of songs featured on The Beatles’ penultimate album, though he did have some praise for himself and George Harrison. In a track-by-track breakdown of Abbey Road, Lennon would suggest the song Maxwell’s Silver Hammer was “typical” filler for the album. Ultimately, Lennon would not perform on the song, citing ill health as a reason for missing the sessions where it was recorded. Between Maxwell’s Silver Hammer and Oh, Darling!, Lennon had mixed feelings on the two McCartney recordings found on the A-side of Abbey Road. Lennon would dismiss Maxwell’s Silver Hammer as nothing more than a “singalong” song.
While he may have been glad to have missed the recording of the album, Lennon was not entirely dismissive. He said: “It’s a typical McCartney singalong or whatever you call them. He did a lot of work on it but I was ill after the accident when they did most of that track and I believe he really drived [sic] George and Ringo into the ground recording it y’know.”
It’s a similar opinion Harrison would hold of the song, with the so-called quiet one discarding it as “something of Paul’s.” He also noted the band spent a “hell of a lot of time” recording it, which Lennon managed to get out of given his illness at the time.
Harrison said: “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer is just something of Paul’s. We spent a hell of a lot of time recording this one. It’s one of those instant, whistle-along tunes which some people will hate and others will love.
“It’s like Honey Pie, a fun sort of thing, but probably sick as well because the guy keeps killing everybody. We used my Moog Synthesizer on this track, and I think it came out effectively.”
Harrison seemed dismissive of McCartney’s songs, particularly Oh! Darling. He writes of the song in a piece for Rolling Stone Magazine: “Oh! Darling is another of Paul’s songs which is a typical 1950-1960 sort of period in its chord structure.
“It’s a typical 1955 song which thousands of groups used to make – The Moonglows, the Paragons, The Shells, and so on. We do a few ooh-oohs in the background, very quietly, but mainly, it’s Paul shouting.” The disinterest in Maxwell’s Silver Hammer and Oh, Darling!, extends to fans too, with many believing either of the two songs is a contender for weakest song on the album.
Though it was not mentioned in any of the top-rated comments in a discussion on the r/thebeatles subreddit, some fans went on not to name the worst but to defend an often disliked track, Maxwell’s Silver Hammer. One fan wrote: “I’ll tell you, I have even come to appreciate Maxwell’s Silver Hammer.”
Another added: “I’ve always liked it. Never understood why people didn’t, I think it’s more to do with the other Beatles not liking it so people didn’t like it.” A third replied: “I’m baffled about how people still claim that it is the worst music of the album. It’s a great sing-along.”
