According to Rudder's website, The Hammer is

 "a story of the deceased Trinidadian pannist Rudolph Charles".

 

 

The Hammer

 

David Rudder - 1981

 

 

Act 1. The Beginning

 

Somewhere up in Lavantille

Many years ago

A man had a hammer

Used to follow him to and fro

He used to use it to pound a pan

Or sometimes a stupid man

All in the savannah

Never miss Panorama

One day the old hammer just disappear

Some say that it vanish into thin air

 

Where de man wid de hammer gone

Tell me, tell me wher he gone

Anybody know where de hammer gone

Tell me, tell where he gone

Can you tell we what going on

Tell me, tell where he gone

Ah want to know where de hammer gone

Tell me, tell where he gone

 

Why you up and leave, trail

Why you make me grieve, trail

Hammer tell me flat, trail

Why you do we dat, trail

Well the dragon doh walk the trail no more,

Well the dragon doh walk the trail no more.

 

 

Act 2. The Passing

 

From April of 85

Hammer went to sleep

After years of making noise,

Not even a peep

He used to move wid de dragon man

All through this soca land

Always on the scene

They used to control the barber-greene

But the dragon doh walk the trail no more

Who holding the hammer I want to know.

 

Where de man wid de hammer gone

Tell me, tell where he gone

Look Thunderbolt Williams, what going on

Tell me, tell where he gone

This thing like a police boot on meh corn,

Tell me, tell where he gone

And now ah hear it by Y'De Lima on pawn

Tell me, tell where he gone

 

Look children

Search under yuh bed, trail

All above yuh head, trail

Look behind the door, trail,

What yuh waiting for, trail

Well the dragon doh walk the trail no more,

Well the dragon doh walk the trail no more.

 

 

Act 3. The Funeral Scene

 

On a silver chariot

Riding to the sun

Leaving fire in its wake

Spirits on the run

As we gather round that day

Ah hear sister Sheila say

How last night she see a sign

She see the hammer and it doing fine

Same time thunder roll she bawl out "You see!"

He done start to tune a pan already

 

Where de man wid de hammer gone

Tell me, tell where he gone

Sister Sheila darling, what going on

Tell me, tell where he gone

This hammer giving we a heavy horn,

Tell me, tell where he gone

This thing like a police boot on meh corn,

Tell me, tell where he gone

 

Children

Search all through the town, trail

Turn it upside down, trail

Check on top de hill, trail,

On dat window sill, trail

Well the dragon doh walk the trail no more,

Well the dragon doh walk the trail no more.

 

 

Act 4. The Dream

 

I want to hear the hammer ringing out

>From every panyard

>From Europe to Africa

Just like here in Trinidad

This hammer must never die

Let me tell you why

Anytime the music dead

Is then life go buss we hed

So the children start singing the refrain

Begging me to ask the question again

 

Where the man wid de hammer gone

tell me, tell me where he gone

Search up in Whitehall

Ransack de town hall

And if we eh find it deh

Mus be Millette who take it away

Well the dragon doh walk the trail no more,

Well the dragon doh walk the trail no more.