Mama Get Your Hammer - Bobby Peterson Quintet

Mama Get Your Hammer - Bobby Peterson Quintet

2:00

single, 1961

Written by Bobby Peterson, Joe Pyatt, Emmett Simmons

Know mostly as a novelty polka by Homer & Jethro, this original version is a rollicking piano boogie with buzzing horns and an urgent, shouting, growling vocal.  The titular mama is urged to get the hammer to squash an invading fly.  Peterson is concerned: "there's a fly on the baby's head" (Homer and Jethro changed it to "Daddy's head").  It's a throwaway lyric, but a the music is fun R&B rock.