"The Hammer Holds" by Bebo Norman
From the album "The Fabric Of Verse"
Words and music by Bebo Norman
Copyright 1996 Bebo Norman


Capo 4 on a standard-tuned six-string acoustic.  Pick at a moderately
slow tempo in 4/4 time and in the key of D major relative to the capo
(which is concert F#).  I play fingerstyle, I think Bebo might use a
pick (it's arranged for flat-picking, and I don't hear any finger
squeaks).  Leave your ring finger on the second string, third fret
throughout the song except momentarily for the A7 chords.  A great solo
piece, but the harmony vocals and shaker don't hurt.  The studio
version even has a second guitar and bass.


[riff A]
1                               2
|------------0------------------|------------0------------------|
|--------3---------------3------|--------3---------------3------|
|----2---------------2-------0--|----0---------------0-------0--|
|0------------------------------|-------------------------------|
|----------------4--------------|2---------------0--------------|
|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
 D9............ (C#)........... (B)............ (A).............

[riff B]
3                               4
|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
|------------3------------------|--------2-------3-------2------|
|--------0-------------------0--|--------0-------0-------0------|
|----0-------------------0------|----2-------2-------2-------2--|
|----------------0--h2----------|0------------------------------|
|3------------------------------|-------------------------------|
 G.............................. A7.............................

5                               6
|------------0------------------|------------0------------------|
|--------3---------------3------|--------3---------------3------|
|----2---------------2-------0--|----0---------------0-------0--|
|0------------------------------|-------------------------------|
|----------------4--------------|2---------------0--------------|
|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
 D9............ (C#)........... (B)............ (A).............

7                               8 (one 2/4 measure)
|-------------------------------|---------------|
|------------3------------------|------------3--|
|--------0---------------2--p0--|--------0------|
|----0---------------0----------|----0----------|
|-------------------------------|---------------|
|3---------------2--------------|3--------------|
 G.............. D/F#........... G..............

9
|------------------------0------|
|--------2-------3--------------|
|--------0-------0-------0------|
|----2-------2-------2-------2--|
|0------------------------------|
|-------------------------------|
 A7.............................


     That's the intro, and the rest of the song is composed of four
different 2-bar riffs.  We'll call measures 1-2 riff A.  This is the
main riff of the song; every 4-bar segment of the song is composed of
riff A followed by one of the other three riffs.  Riff B is measures
3-4; riff C first appears at measures 16-17; and riff D is first played
at measures 32-33.  Each verse is ABACABAC; each chorus is ACADACAC.
The outro is A, the first measure of C, A and E.


[riff C]
16                              17
|-------------------------------|----------------0h2---------2--|
|------------3---------------3--|--------3-----------3----------|
|--------0---------------0------|----2-------2-----------2------|
|----0---------------2----------|0------------------------------|
|----------------0--------------|-------------------------------|
|3------------------------------|-------------------------------|
 flame       it  melts   my          dreams.


[riff D] (similar to measures 7-9, but without the extra half-measure)
32                              33
|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
|------------3------------------|------------3-----------2------|
|--------0---------------2--p0--|--------0---------------0------|
|----0---------------0----------|----0---------------2-------2--|
|-------------------------------|----------------0--------------|
|3---------------2--------------|3------------------------------|
 I           can bear    the flames.


[riff E] (just for the outro)
111                             112
|-------------------------------|--------0---0---0h2------------|
|-------------------------------|----3-------3---3--------------|
|--------------------0----------|2-----------2---2--------------|
|----0-------------------0---0--|----------------0--------------|
|--------0--h2---0--------------|-------------------------------|
|3------------------------------|-------------------------------|
 G.............. A7..... D......................................


Transcribed 2/28/1998 by tstilwel@comp.uark.edu
More songs available at http://www.engr.uark.edu/~tks/tab/

**********************************************************

[verse 1]
A shapeless piece of steel
That's all I claim to be
This hammer pounds to give me form
This flame it melts my dreams
I glow with fire and fury
As I'm twisted like a vine
My final shape my final form
I'm sure I'm bound to find

[chorus]
So dream a little dream for me
In hopes that I'll remain
And cry a little cry for me
So I can bear the flames
And hurt a little hurt for me
My future is untold
But my dreams are not the issue here
For Thee the hammer holds

[verse 2]
And the water cools me great
And the hurt subdued somehow
I have my shape this sharpened point
What is my purpose now
The question it still remains
What am I to be
Perhaps some perfect piece of art
Displayed for all to see

[repeat chorus]

[verse 3]
And a hammer pounds again
But flames I do not feel
This force that drives me helplessly
Through flesh and wood reveals
A burn that burns much deeper
It's more than I can stand
The reason for my life was to take the life
Of a guiltless man

[repeat chorus] ("so bold" in place of "untold")

[outro]
This task before me may seem unclear
But it my Maker holds