Sledgehammer (Peter Gabriel song)

"Sledgehammer"
Single by Peter Gabriel
from the album So
B-side	"Don't Break This Rhythm" "I Have the Touch" (mix) "Biko" (ext)
Released	25 April 1986
Format	7" 12" CD cassette
Recorded	1985 at Ashcombe House (Bath, England)
Genre	Dance-rock[1] blue-eyed soul[2] funk[3]
Length	5:12 (Album version) 4:58 (7" single edit)
Label	Charisma (UK) Geffen (US)
Writer(s)	Peter Gabriel
Producer(s)	Peter Gabriel Daniel Lanois
Peter Gabriel singles chronology
"Walk Through the Fire" (1984) "Sledgehammer" (1986) "Don't Give Up" (1986)
Audio sample file info · help Music video "Sledgehammer" on YouTube

"Sledgehammer" is a song by English rock musician Peter Gabriel, which appeared on his 1986 album So, and was produced by Gabriel and Daniel Lanois. It hit No. 1 in Canada on 21 July 1986, where it spent four weeks; No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States on 26 July 1986;^[4] and No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart, thanks in part to a popular and influential music video. It was his biggest hit in North America and ties with "Games Without Frontiers" as his biggest hit in the United Kingdom.

The song's music video won a record nine MTV Awards at the 1987 MTV Video Music Awards^[5] and Best British Video at the 1987 Brit Awards.^[6][7] Gabriel was also nominated for three Grammy Awards: Best Male Rock Vocal Performance, Song of the Year and Record of the Year.^[8] As of 2011, "Sledgehammer" is the most played music video in the history of MTV.^[6]

History

The song was influenced by 1960s soul music, in particular the music made by the Memphis label Stax. The distinctive horn track was provided by a horn section led by Wayne Jackson of the Memphis Horns, the Stax Records label's house musicians. The song also features a synthesised shakuhachi flute generated with an E-mu Emulator II sampler.^[9] The backing vocals were done by P. P. Arnold, Coral "Chyna Whyne" Gordon, and Dee Lewis, who also did the backing vocals for "Big Time".

"Sledgehammer" is Gabriel's only No. 1 hit in the US. Coincidentally, it replaced "Invisible Touch" by his former band Genesis, which had been the group's only US number-one hit the previous week as well. "Sledgehammer" also achieved chart success on other Billboard charts in 1986, spanning the range between Album Rock Tracks (two weeks at the summit in May and June)^[10] and Hot Dance Club Play (one week atop this chart in July).^[11]

The single release also included a previously unreleased track called "Don't Break This Rhythm" and an "'85 Remix" of his 1982 single "I Have the Touch". US versions of the single contained an extended dance remix of "Sledgehammer".

Music video

"Sledgehammer" had a music video commissioned by Tessa Watts at Virgin Records, directed by Stephen R. Johnson and produced by Adam Whittaker. Aardman Animations (of Wallace and Gromit fame) and the Brothers Quay provided claymation, pixilation, and stop motion animation that gave life to images in the song. The video ended with a large group of extras jerkily rotating around Gabriel, among them: Gabriel's daughters Anna and Melanie, the animators themselves and director Stephen Johnson's girlfriend. Also included were six women who posed as the back-up singers of the song. Gabriel lay under a sheet of glass for 16 hours while filming the video one frame at a time.^[12] Two oven-ready chickens, headless and featherless, were animated using stop-motion and shown dancing along to the synthesised flute solo in the middle of the song. This section was animated by Nick Park, of Aardman Animations, who was refining his work in plasticine animation at the time.

Many of these techniques had been employed in earlier music videos, such as Talking Heads's 1985 hit "Road to Nowhere", also directed by Johnson. The style was later used in the video for another single from the album So, "Big Time".

The "Sledgehammer" video won nine MTV Video Music Awards in 1987,^[5] the most awards a single video has won.^[6] It ranked at number four on MTV's 100 Greatest Music Videos Ever Made (1999). MTV later announced that "Sledgehammer" is the most played music video in the history of the channel.^[6] "Sledgehammer" has also been declared to be MTV's number one animated video of all time.^[13]

The video was voted number seven on TMF's Ultimate 50 Videos You Must See, which first aired 24 June 2006. It ranked at number 2 on VH1's "Top 20 Videos of the '80s" as well as being named the No. 1 "Amazing Moment in Music" on the Australian TV show 20 to 1 in 2007. The video won Best British Video at the 1987 Brit Awards. Also, the video was nominated for the Best Music Video category for the first annual Soul Train Music Awards in that same year.

Musicians

• Peter Gabriel – vocals, CMI, piano, synthesizer
• Manu Katché – drums
• Tony Levin – bass
• David Rhodes – guitar
• Daniel Lanois – guitar, tambourine
• Wayne Jackson – trumpet
• Mark Rivera – tenor saxophone
• Don Mikkelsen – trombone
• P. P. Arnold – backing vocals
• Coral Gordon – backing vocals
• Dee Lewis – backing vocals

Awards and nominations

1987 MTV Video Music Awards

• Won (9)^[5]
  • Video of the Year
  • Best Art Direction
  • Best Concept Video
  • Best Direction in a Video
  • Best Editing
  • Best Male Video
  • Best Overall Performance
  • Best Special Effects
  • Most Experimental Video

1987 BRIT Awards

• Won (1)^[7]
  • Best British Video

29th Grammy Awards

• Nominated (3)^[8]
  • Best Male Rock Vocal Performance
  • Song of the Year
  • Record of the Year

Chart performance

Weekly charts Chart (1986-1987) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report)[14] 3 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[15] 2 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[16] 9 Belgium (VRT Top 30 Flanders)[17] 7 Canada (CHUM)[18] 14 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[19] 1 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[20] 4 Germany (Official German Charts)[21] 7 Ireland (IRMA)[22] 3 Italy (FIMI)[23] 8 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[24] 10 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[25] 6 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[26] 3 Norway (VG-lista)[27] 3 Poland (LP3)[28] 4 South Africa (Springbok Radio)[29] 3 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[30] 9 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[31] 4 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[32] 4 US Billboard Album Rock Tracks[33] 1 US Billboard Hot 100[33] 1 US Billboard Hot Black Singles[33] 61 US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play[33] 1 US Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales[33] 3 US Cash Box[34] 1

Year-end charts Chart (1986-1987) Position Australia (Kent Music Report)[35] 34 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[36] 10 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[37] 59 Canada (RPM Top Singles)[38] 7 Italy (FIMI)[23] 34 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[39] 42 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[40] 56 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[41] 7 US Billboard Hot 100[42] 23 US Cash Box[43] 14 Certifications Region Certification Certified units/Sales United Kingdom (BPI)[44] Silver 250,000^^ ^*sales figures based on certification alone ^^shipments figures based on certification alone

Covers and parodies

• In 1986, "Weird Al" Yankovic covered this song as the first song from his polka medley "Polka Party!" from the 1986 album of the same name. He also imitated the video in the music video for "UHF" in 1989, and used the song's style as the basis for his song "Waffle King" from Alapalooza in 1993.
• The Trey Anastasio Band covered "Sledgehammer" on 4 May 2005.^[45]
• In 2005, progressive rock band Umphrey's McGee did a rendition of "Sledgehammer" on the Wrapped Around Chicago – New Year's Eve at The Riviera DVD. The band occasionally covers the song in live performances.
• In 2007, Finnish symphonic metal supergroup Northern Kings covered the song on their album Reborn.
• In 2008, R&B singer Maiysha did a sensual rendition of "Sledgehammer" for her album This Much Is True.
• The Dave Matthews Band covered the song during their 2008 tour.^[46]
• Artist Gavin Castleton covered the song in 2009, in his style of live looping.^[47]

Samples

• "Sledgehammer" was sampled for the 1991 3rd Bass hit song "Pop Goes the Weasel".
• The 1993 Naughty by Nature song "Hip Hop Hooray" also samples the shakuhachi intro.
• In 2000, the song was sampled for "I've Got to Have It" by Jermaine Dupri, Monica and Nas, which appeared on the soundtrack for the motion picture Big Momma's House.

Soundtrack appearances

• The song appeared on a 1993 British television commercial for the Vauxhall Cavalier, followed by the guitar riff from Eric Clapton's "Layla".^[48]
• The song appeared in the 1987 Miami Vice episode "Better Living Through Chemistry", during a scene inside a biker bar. A slightly altered version of the shakuhachi refrain in the opening was used by background musician Jan Hammer at appropriate moments.
• In 2012, radio commentator Rush Limbaugh played "Sledgehammer" on his show during his commentary on Sandra Fluke's crusade for free birth control, during which he called her "a slut". Consequently, Gabriel demanded that the program stop using his music.^[49]

References

1. Staunton, Terry (December 2012). "Peter Gabriel: So". Classic Rock (178): 103.
2. Reed, Ryan (13 October 2011). "Peter Gabriel: The Darwin of Pop". Paste. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
3. Grant, Steven; Robbins, Ira. "Peter Gabriel". Trouser Press. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
4. Dean, Maury (2003). Rock N' Roll Gold Rush. Algora. p. 160. ISBN 0-87586-207-1.
5. "VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS – Biggest Winners". MTV. Viacom. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
6. Peter Gabriel, 'Sledgehammer' (1986) at the Wayback Machine (archived 28 February 2012). Time. 28 July 2011.
7. "The BRITs 1987". Brit Awards. 9 February 1987. Retrieved 19 November 2011.
8. "29th Grammy Awards - 1987". Grammy Awards. Rock On The Net. Retrieved 19 November 2011.
9. "Famous Sounds". Synthmania.com. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
10. Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits (8th ed.). Billboard Publications. p. 246.
11. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco 1974-2003. Record Research Inc. p. 106.
12. Cross, Alan (7 October 2001). The Impact Of The Music Video. Corus Radio.
13. Episode Guide – Transcript of MTV's "Top 10 Animated Videos Countdown" at the Wayback Machine (archived 10 July 2012). Outpost Daria. 28 June 1998.
14. "Hits of the World". Billboard. 98 (27): 69. 5 July 1986. ISSN 0006-2510.
15. "Austriancharts.at – Peter Gabriel – Sledgehammer" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
16. "Ultratop.be – Peter Gabriel – Sledgehammer" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
17. "Radio 2 Top 30 : 7 juni 1986" (in Dutch). Top 30. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
18. CHART NUMBER 1538 – Saturday, June 14, 1986 at the Wayback Machine (archived 7 November 2006). CHUM.
19. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0704." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
20. Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin - levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
21. "Offiziellecharts.de – Peter Gabriel – Sledgehammer". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
22. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Sledgehammer". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
23. "I singoli più venduti del 1986" (in Italian). Hit Parade Italia. Creative Commons. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
24. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Peter Gabriel - Sledgehammer search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
25. "Dutchcharts.nl – Peter Gabriel – Sledgehammer" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
26. "Charts.org.nz – Peter Gabriel – Sledgehammer". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
27. "Norwegiancharts.com – Peter Gabriel – Sledgehammer". VG-lista. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
28. "SLEDGEHAMMER – Peter Gabriel" (in Polish). LP3. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
29. "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (G)". Rock.co.za. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
30. "Swedishcharts.com – Peter Gabriel – Sledgehammer". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
31. "Swisscharts.com – Peter Gabriel – Sledgehammer". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
32. "Archive Chart: 1986-05-24" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
33. "So – Awards". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
34. CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending JULY 26, 1986 at the Wayback Machine (archived 2 October 2012). Cash Box magazine.
35. "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts – 1980s". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
36. "Jahreshitparade 1986" (in German). Austriancharts.at. Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
37. "Jaaroverzichten 1986" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
38. "Top Singles – Volume 45, No. 14, December 27, 1986". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
39. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1986" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
40. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1986" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
41. "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1986" (in German). Hitparade.ch. Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
42. "Top 100 Hits for 1986". The Longbored Surfer. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
43. The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1986 at the Wayback Machine (archived 2 October 2012). Cash Box magazine.
44. "British single certifications – Peter Gabriel – Sledgehammer". British Phonographic Industry. Enter Sledgehammer in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select single in the field By Format. Select Silver in the field By Award. Click Search
45. "Sledgehammer Every Time Play". Phish.net. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
46. "DMBAlmanac". DMBAlmanac.com. Retrieved 25 August 2008.
47. Sledgehammer - live looping Peter Gabriel cover with Ableton Live on YouTube
48. Cauxhall Cavalier advert on YouTube
49. Schillaci, Sophie A.; Zakarin, Jordan (5 March 2012). "Peter Gabriel Withdraws Music From Rush Limbaugh Show Following Sandra Fluke Controversy". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 30 March 2012.

External links

• Music video on YouTube
• Sledgehammer at MusicBrainz
• "Episode 8: Music Videos", aardman.com. Retrieved 19 October 2013.
• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics