Skip to song content

Peter, Paul and Mary - If I Had a Hammer Chords

ChordsC, Am, F, G7
Strumming↓-↓↑-↑↓↑

Before you play, tune your guitar and use the tools below to set up your view and flow. Using the Transpose tool, switch to E,G keys to play this song with easier chords.

COoooAmooooFooooG7oooo
COoooAmooooFooooG7oooo
COoooAmooooFoooo
IfG7IhadaChaammer
I’dG7hammerintheCmoorning
I’dG7hammerintheCeeveningalloverthisG7land
G7I’dhammeroutCdanger,I’dhammeroutaAmwarning
AmI’dhammeroutFlove CbetweenmyFbrothersandmyCsisters
FAllG7lloverthisClandAmFG7
COoooAmooooFoooo
IfG7IhadaCbellAmF
I’dG7ringitintheCmoorning
I’dG7ringitintheCeeveningalloverthisG7land
G7I’dringoutCdanger,I’dringoutaAmwarning
AmI’dringoutFlove CbetweenmyFbrothersandmyCsisters
FAllG7lloverthisClandAmFG7
COoooAmooooIFoooo
IfG7IhadaCsongAmF
I’dG7singitintheCmoorning
I’dG7singitintheCeeveningalloverthisG7land
G7I’dsingoutCdanger,I’dsingoutaAmwarning
AmI’dsingoutFlove CbetweenmyFbrothersandmyCsisters
FAllG7lloverthisClandAmFG7
COoooAmooooFoooo
WellG7IgotaChaammer
AndG7IgotaCbellAmF
AndG7IgotaCsongtosing,FalloverthisG7land
G7It’sthehammerofCjustice,it’sthebellofAmfreeeedom
It’sthesongaboutFlove CbetweenmyFbrothersandmyCsisters
FAllG7lloverthisClandAmF
It’stheG7hammerofCjustice,it’sthebellofAmfreeeedom
It’sthesongaboutFlove CbetweenmyFbrothersandmyCsisters
FAllG7lloverthisClaaandCG7C
AlbumPeter, Paul and Mary
GenresFolk
Year1962
KeyC
DifficultyIntermediate

How to play If I Had a Hammer on Guitar (Step-by-step)

Peter, Paul and Mary - If I Had a Hammer on guitar requires 4 chords and 5 core chord transitions. You can find the full step-by-step guide below. Before you start, tune your instrument. The song uses the ↓-↓↑-↑↓↑ pattern; practice it muted first, or simplify to downstrokes while you learn the changes.

If I Had a Hammer uses these transitions most often: G7 → C (28), Am → F (26), and C → Am (26). These transitions may feel a little challenging at first, but with steady practice you can play this song quickly.When you are ready, begin with C - Am chord transition.

1. C → Am chord transition

To move from C to Am:

  1. Keep index finger on B string fret 1.
  2. Keep middle finger on D string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on G string fret 2.

This transition appears in the verse, played 26 times.

C to Am

2. Am → F chord transition

To move from Am to F:

  1. Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on E string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to G string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from G string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 3.
  4. Place pinky on D string fret 3.

This transition appears in the verse, played 26 times.

Am to F

3. F → G7 chord transition

To move from F to G7:

  1. While playing F, lift your pinky from D string fret 3.
  2. Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 2.
  3. Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
  4. Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on E string fret 1.

This transition appears in the verse, played 22 times.

F to G7

4. G7 → C chord transition

To move from G7 to C:

  1. Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on B string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to D string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from E string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 3.

This transition appears in the verse, played 28 times.

G7 to C

5. F → C chord transition

Switching from F to C:

  1. While playing F, lift your pinky from D string fret 3.
  2. Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on B string fret 1.
  3. Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to D string fret 2.
  4. Keep ring finger on A string fret 3.

This transition appears in the verse, played 16 times.

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in If I Had a Hammer.

  • If I Had a Hammer includes 136 chord transitions, 5 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.04% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • If I Had a Hammer contains 2 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how If I Had a Hammer connects to the rest of Chordier. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.
    After C, the most likely next chords across Chordier are G (35%), F (16%), and D (11%).
    • C → F: 16%
    • C → Am: 10%
    After F, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (40%), G (21%), and Am (11%).
    • F → C: 40%
    • F → G7: 3%