Hard Hat and a Hammer
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| "Hard Hat and a Hammer" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Alan Jackson | ||||
| from the album Freight Train | ||||
| Released | May 3, 2010 | |||
| Genre | Country | |||
| Length | 2:50 | |||
| Label | Arista Nashville | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Alan Jackson | |||
| Producer(s) | Keith Stegall | |||
| Alan Jackson singles chronology | ||||
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"Hard Hat and a Hammer" is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Alan Jackson. It was released in May 2010 as the second single from his sixteenth studio album Freight Train, which was released on March 30, 2010.
"Hard Hat and a Hammer" is a song which praises blue collar workers in general for their hard work.[1] The song includes the sound of Jackson striking an anvil owned by his father, who died in 2000.[2]
Critical reception
Kyle Ward of Roughstock gave the song three-and-a-half stars out of five, comparing its theme to Zac Brown Band's "Chicken Fried" and Alabama's "40 Hour Week (For a Livin')," but saying that it " ultimately falls short of the down-home charm of the former and the narrative connection of the latter. Still, Jackson makes this an easy, enjoyable listen[.]"[3] Wade Jessen of Billboard, in his review of the album, referred to the song as a "blue-collar tribute[…]which could be a giant radio hit, given the current economic woes in the heartland."[4] Engine 145 reviewer Karlie Justus gave the single a thumbs-up, saying that "Jackson routinely succeeds with spot-on renderings of those aforementioned demographics without succumbing to simply sucking up."[1] Kevin John Coyne, reviewing the song for Country Universe, gave it a B+ rating. He said that it features "a delightful fiddle, rhythmic hammer sounds and typical Keith Stegall production" Coyne also adds that "while it sits precariously on the edge of simply being ear candy, it still works as an unpretentious tribute that is fun and always topically relevant."[5]