If I Had A Hammer

I love this quote from Bertolt Brecht;

“Art is not a mirror held up to reality
 but a hammer with which to shape it.”

Brecht is a writer who lived through the first two world wars. He lived through much change and upheaval of society and was an outspoken critic of much that was going on.

He is probably chiefly known for the Threepenny Opera, a play with music that he collaborated on with Kurt Wiel.

Probably not as well known is the fact that he wrote ‘The Alabama Song,’ which was part of the paly with music called ‘Little  Mahagonny.’

The song itself is quite well known as The Doors and Bowie did very excellent covers of it.

“Well, show me the way
To the next whisky bar
Oh, don't ask why
Oh, don't ask why

Show me the way
To the next whisky bar
Oh, don't ask why
Oh, don't ask why

For if we don't find
The next whisky bar
I tell you we must die
I tell you we must die
I tell you, I tell you
I tell you we must die

Oh, moon of Alabama
We now must say goodbye
We've lost our good old mama
And must have whiskey, oh, you know why

Oh, moon of Alabama
We now must say goodbye
We've lost our good old mama
And must have whisky, oh, you know why, yeah

Well, show me the way
To the next little girl
Oh, don't ask why
Oh, don't ask why

Show me the way
To the next little girl
Oh,…”

Quite interesting that Google gives The Doors credit for this song, but it’s Bertolt Brecht!

As far as continuing our dialog, on this blog, of what is art? I like the idea of art as a hammer to shape reality. All I can say is;

“If I had a hammer
I’d hammer in the morning
I’d hammer in the evening
All over this land
I’d hammer out danger
I’d hammer out a warning
I’d hammer out love between
My brothers and my sisters
All over this land, uh” 

Peter Paul and Mary.