[Verse]
D                   B7
Joan was quizzical; studied pataphysical
Em
Science in the home.
A7
Late nights all alone with a test tube.
D           A
Oh, oh, oh, oh.
 
D               B7
Maxwell Edison, majoring in medicine,
Em
Calls her on the phone.
A7
"Can I take you out to the pictures,
D           A
Jo, oa, oa, an?"
 
 
[Chorus]
E7
But as she's getting ready to go,
  A7
A knock comes on the door.
 
D
Bang! Bang! Maxwell's silver hammer
     E7
Came down upon her head.
A7
Clang! Clang! Maxwell's silver hammer
     Em        A7      D
Made sure that she was dead.
 
 
[Instrumental]
| D F#/C# | Bm D7/A | G | D |
 
 
[Verse]
D                    B7
Back in school again Maxwell plays the fool again.
Em
Teacher gets annoyed.
A7
Wishing to avoid an unpleasant
D          A
Sce, E, E, ene,
 
D                     B7
She tells Max to stay when the class has gone away,
Em
So he waits behind
A7
Writing fifty times "I must not be
D         A
So, o, o, o.."
 
 
[Chorus]
    E7
But when she turns her back on the boy,
   A7
He creeps up from behind.
 
D
Bang! Bang! Maxwell's silver hammer
     E7
Came down upon her head.
A7
Clang! Clang! Maxwell's silver hammer
     Em        A7      D
Made sure that she was dead.
 
 
| D F#/C# | Bm D7/A | G | D |
 
 
[Verse]
D                B7
P. C. Thirty-one said, "We caught a dirty one."
Em
Maxwell stands alone
A7
Painting testimonial pictures.
D           A
Oh, oh, oh, oh.
 
D                 B7
Rose and Valerie, screaming from the gallery
Em
Say he must go free
    A7
The judge does not agree and he tells them
D         A
So, o, o, o.
 
 
[Chorus]
E7
But as the words are leaving his lips,
A7
A noise comes from behind.
 
D
Bang! Bang! Maxwell's silver hammer
     E7
Came down upon his head.
A7
Clang! Clang! Maxwell's silver hammer
Em             A7     D
Made sure that he was dead. (Wha-oh-a-oh-a-oh)
 
 
| D | % | E7 | % |
| A7 | % | Em7 A7 | D A D   |
 
 
D  F#/C# Bm  D7/A G    D A D
Silver   Ham-mer  Man