Kae Tempest-A Hammer (Song Analysis)
Full Song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehPS1BuEsQA&ab_channel=KaeTempest-Topic
Dale was Pete's Mum's new boyfriend's son
He had a mouth that was too small for his tongue
Teeth like a ladder that was missing a rung
Chin looked like it was trying to run
He had a laugh like a car crash
Eyes like Potholes in tarmac
Complexion the colour of chewed up bar snacks
Kinda guy spent his life getting laughed at
When all you've got is a hammer, everything looks like nails
If you bow to the hand that damns ya, everything fails
The things you do, do you
The plans you hatch, hatch monsters
Unless you watch your moves
Your own fists will knock you unconscious
Pete took him to the pub, and the conversation dragged
So Pete got pissed, pretty soon, he had more than his usual
Approaching legless
He found himself opening-up
I got to get this off my chest, he said
With his head in his hands
I got this girlfriend, but I can't stand the way things are going
Right, she's got this job, but I don't like it
It pisses me off!
I don't even know what we're fightin' for, but these days
Me and her, we are fightin' more than I'd like
And then out comes the white, and Dale looks at him in the clinical light of the toilets.
"Why, what does she do?"
Pete looks at his shoes and says, "She's a masseuse."
When all you've got is a hammer, everything looks like nails
If you bow to the hand that damns ya, everything fails
The things you do, do you
The plans you hatch, hatch monsters
Unless you watch your moves
Your own fists will knock you unconscious
"You could call her up, you could book a session
You could push her, see if she responds and then
You can tell me everything, and we will both see that I was wrong
To have ever doubted that she would be anything but the mother of
Pure modesty cause I know she loves me; she just does this to pay the bills
And to exist in a way that will give her the means to live for more than a dull routine."
Dale nods
Bells ring in Pete's head
But he looks at Dale: those clumsy legs, that sunken chest, that spotty neck.
This is the perfect man to do the test.
When all you've got is a hammer, everything looks like nails
If you bow to the hand that damns ya, everything fails
The things you do, do you
The plans you hatch, hatch monsters
Unless you watch your moves
Your own fists will knock you unconscious
END OF SONG
Who is Dale, and what happened to him?
Well, Kae let us know that Dale is "Pete's Mum's new boyfriend's son". Barely in reach, the thinnest of connections. The exterior of the exterior. We are told that Dale is basically fucking disgusting looking. Presumably overweight or just has an unfortunate sagging chin.
"He had a mouth that was too small for his tongue."
Complexion the colour of chewed up bar snacks."
You see, his mouth actually suits him just fine. He is a fragile, insecure man who does not have a big mouth. He has spent his life life "getting laughed at". He wouldn't dare act the cunt, never had the bravery to shout. Couple this with his bland, nameless complexion, which we have been told mirrors the colour of chewed up bar snacks. Ironically, bar snacks are one of the few foods that would fit comfortably in his smallmouth. A bag of nuts quickly consumed and effortlessly forgotten whilst downing a pint, Dale is Pete's Mum's new boyfriend's son…he is no one.
Pete and Dale arrive at a pub, and after a few drinks, Pete's mouth widens. He has to "get something off his chest." He has been arguing with his girlfriend non-stop because she is a masseuse. Now, it is heavily implied she might be a prostitute. However, this could easily be the pornographic, perverted persona that plagues masseuses. Regardless, Pete is jealous and bitter. Hoping for the best, he tries to get Dale to book a session with her. Let Dale fill the pit in Pete's stomach.
Pete seems apprehensive at first, "bells ring in Pete's head" however, he seems to be game. Looking Dale up and down, "those clumsy legs, that sunken chest, that spotty neck." Pete appears to be comforted by Dale's miserable appearance; the lack of outward intimidation suggests Dale is an ugly, bitter but, most importantly, harmless man.
"This is the perfect man to do the test." This is the last line before the chorus plays for the third and final time. Dale is perfect for this because he is the bottom of the barrel. If she fucks him, she will fuck everyone and Pete at least will have a cruel clarity. The plan is set, and the chorus ends the song. Before dissecting the chorus, now that the whole story has been analysed, it is essential to note the song's first line. Specifically, Dale "was". Yes, perhaps Pete's Mum is frequently in and out of relationships; maybe Dale's expiration is due to a fallen relationship. However, I believe Pete's plan has gone horribly wrong, and Dale had enough with his lifetime of bitterness.
(Chorus)
When all you've got is a hammer, everything looks like nails
If you bow to the hand that damns ya, everything fails
The things you do, do you
The plans you hatch, hatch monsters
Unless you watch your moves
Your own fists will knock you unconscious
(Chorus ends)
We don't know much about Pete, but Dale, on the other hand, does fit this sparse toolbox analogy. Well, he does, and he doesn't. He would hold the mould of a consistently one-dimensional character who was bullied all his life, which produced a permanently defensive disposition. However, hammering a nail is an attack; it takes a bravery that is alien to Dale. Although, crucially, Kae claims everything looks like nails. This is pent up aggression. Everyone he sees is a symbol of his trauma. The human face is smothered in poisonous memories, and Dale is searching for an antidote.
"The plans you hatch, hatch monsters" The plan has awakened an overdue demon in Dale.
"Unless you watch your moves, your own fists will knock you unconscious." Pete has hired someone he does not know well to try and solicit sex from his masseuse girlfriend. Dale is Pete's hired hand, and the fists are unexpectedly packed with venom. My theory is Dale has faced yet another rejection from a female. A woman he believes is refusing to do her job due to his sorrowful appearance. Whatever happened that day, Dale is now gone. Perhaps, in prison for a crime he committed against Pete's girlfriend or the rejection was the last straw, and indeed his own fists have knocked him unconscious indefinitely.
Cheers