Songs that Changed Music: Peter Gabriel - Sledgehammer

Certainly, the next decade became a time of discovery for Gabriel – personal and musical. On the musical side, he began releasing a series of four self-titled albums , which his fans have since provided with their own nicknames (“Car” (1977), “Scratch” (1977), “Melt” (1979) and “Security” (1982)). While several of the solo albums include charting singles, it was Gabriel’s fifth album, So (1986), that gave him his first and only number one hit – “Sledgehammer.” With an irresistible groove, a horn part straight from Stax, and brilliant production, “Sledgehammer” transformed Gabriel from an edgy seventies rocker into a eighties pop superstar.

Although “Sledgehammer” would turn out to be a massive success, appealing to a large and diverse audience, Gabriel did not have such grand intentions with the track when he began.. Gabriel reflected on the song’s success in 2012 explaining:

“With “Sledgehammer,” everyone thinks, “Oh, he must have created that to get a hit.” And it wasn’t done that way. In fact, Tony Levin reminded me that he was packing his bags to go home, and I called him back into the studio, saying “I’ve got this one idea that maybe we can fool around with for the next record – but I like the feel.” That was “Sledgehammer.” It was late in the day and we just fell into the groove, landed a beautiful drum track on it, a great bass line and it all came together.”

The song certainly does come together, bringing innovative sounds and diverse influences into one incredible track. It opens with a synthesized Japanese shakuhachi flute sample, played on Gabriel’s Fairlight CMI. Pulling from his progressive rock roots, the free flowing flute sound draws the listener quietly in before the horn section dramatically announces the onset of the song’s magnetic groove. Drummer Manu Katche captures a funk influence with an eighties pop of the gated reverb snare. Tony Levin’s bass line is exciting and catchy, while also sounding impossibly smooth. The classic fretless tone is paired with the attack of a pic, giving it that bright and rhythmic edge. He runs this through an octave pedal, giving it that modern sound. The guitars provide the funky yet stable core that allow the active bassline to take center stage.

Undeniably critical to this entire mix is the soul influence and energy of the horn section. Expressing his excitement about having Wayne Jackson – who had played in the house band at Stax records and toured with Otis Redding – play trumpet for the track, Gabriel told WMMR Radio in 1986:

“as a teenager, soul music was one of the things that made me want to be a musician. It was really passionate and exciting… Wayne Jackson, who plays on that track, was also with Otis Redding and was touring with him when I saw them in London. So that was a thrill for me, just to get a whole lot of fan stories. But I think the song was more influenced by many of those Stax and Atlantic tracks rather than Otis particularly.”

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[georgesgauthier]

This is not meant as a slight, but having watched Rick Beato "What makes this song so great" videos for years and always feeling him fall short of what I wanted in a video essay, is is such a pleasure to have discovered your "Songs that Changed music" series. This focus on production, arrangement and influences as well as context is so much more illuminating than simply breaking down chord progression. What an absolute delight! Thank you and keep up the good work.

[schlaackmusic]

Tony Levin playing a fretless with a pick like an absolute S A V A G E.

[SlowhandGreg]

"Don't give up" makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up every time, the whole album is a masterpiece building on his previous work

[mrnelsonius]

When I was a little kid, pre-school, I was obsessed with Sledgehammer. First song I ever LOVED. Flash-forward to age 12-13, I wanted a bass. I hadn’t listened to Gabriel in years (listening to 90s grunge) but the first thing that came out of me with that bass, that I had to figure out, was this song. It was a part of my DNA. I’ve been playing bass for a living since :)

[barcellos]

Saw Peter Gabriel in Rio de Janeiro, 1993. Tony Levin on bass, David Rhodes on guitar, Manu Katché on drums and David Sancious on keyboards. Just picture that. What a band! What a show!

[jalabi]

Thanks to Rick Beato and the YouTube algorithm for making me aware of this channel. Subscribed!

[paniccleo]

That bass sound is so iconic. So intensely deep and liquid.

[budgreenwood]

I had the incredible honour of meeting the man himself at Real World Studios in 1992 when we were mixing some of our album there, he was an absolute gentleman !
I also got to play all his keyboards !

[Noone-of-your-Business]

Woah! 40% of the entire video's length dedicated to the fretless bass!

I *approve!!* 👍😁

[mattcambrian]

When the horns come rising in on verse two, this song becomes something special. Probably the best pop song ever.

[thelasthourgetready]

I always knew Peter Gabriel was special as a child Solbury Hill always moved me in a way I cant explain but I never realised how much detail went into sledgehammer amazing.

[SingaporeSkaterSam]

Don’t forget Games Without Frontiers, that did quite well too, 1980 - a magical time to be growing up music wise.

[lynette]

As a non-producer and non-musician, I have just subscribed...LOL..the musicality of these musicians is just mind-blowing.. Greetings from South Africa.

[toomanyjstoomanyrs]

Peter Gabriel not only has my all time favorite video with "Sledgehammer" but my all time favorite romantic song in "in your eyes."

[songlove]

You can tell that Sledgehammer wasn't contrived to be a hit. It's one of them classics that were a hit because they were brilliant. That's the holy grail. It combines all of Gabrielle's experimentation and innovation with spontaneous and powerful melody. It's also produced to hit the speakers big and relentless like a juggernaut, or, dare I say... sledgehammer.

[stereoroid]

Another vote for Owner Of A Lonely Heart by Yes. The whole dynamic with producer Trevor Horn - whose stint in the band just a few years earlier led him to switch to production - is fascinating. The story I heard is that he literally got on his knees to beg the band to finish it, that's how big he (correctly) thought it would be.

[silviopuertas]

This song was a huge hit here in Brazil in the late 80s, because it was the theme song of the TV series Sledge Hammer, which was broadcasted by Rede Globo, the largest Brazilian TV network.

[danielwilliamson]

Myself and my father love Sledgehammer. It is Peter Gabriel's best song ever.

[corbinh]

This song was my favorite in Highschool! The video was astounding, but it was the bass line, horns and and gospel like background groove that resignated with me that forever endears! Thank you for this breakdown!!!

[lisajohnson]

I LOVE me some PG. He has one of the best voices ever.