Sledgehammer, Lagu Peter Gabriel Yang Berjaya di MTV

Sledgehammer adalah sukses besarnya Peter Gabriel. Video lagu ini menjadi video yang paling banyak diputar di MTV, bersaing dengan 3 lagu lain, Thriller – Michael Jackson, Vogue – Madonna, dan Smells Like Teen Spirit – Nirvana.

Sledgehammer sesungguhnya bercerita tentang sex. Kata Peter Gabriel: "Sometimes sex can break through barriers when other forms of communication are not working too well." Tapi ia mengemas dalam lirik yang unik. Bahkan ia memasukkan frasa ‘An ax in a frozen sea’ yang adalah pendapat filsuf Jerman terkenal, Friedrich Nietzsche. Untuk musiknya, Gabriel mencoba membuat komposisi dengan musik soul yang terinspirasi era 60an. Konon memang pada tahun 60an ia menyukai Otis Redding.

Sledgehammer berjaya di tangga lagu. Nomor satu di Billboard Hot 100 dan nomor 4 di UK Singles Chart. Sedangkan videonya yang digarap oleh Stephen R. Johnson disebut-sebut sebagai video musik yang mempengaruhi perkembangan video musik dunia. Video ini memenangkan 9 penghargaan pada MTV video music awards tahun 1987. Memenangkan Best British Video di tahun yang sama. Video ini juga masuk dalam daftar 100 Greatest Music Videos yang rilis tahun 1999.

Sledgehammer

you could have a steam train
if you'd just lay down your tracks
you could have an aeroplane flying
if you bring your blue sky back

all you do is call me
I'll be anything you need

you could have a big dipper
going up and down, all around the bends
you could have a bumper car, bumping
this amusement never ends

I want to be your sledgehammer
why don't you call my name
oh let me be your sledgehammer
this will be my testimony
show me round your fruitcage
'cos I will be your honey bee
open up your fruitcage
where the fruit is as sweet as can be

I want to be your sledgehammer
why don't you call my name
you'd better call the sledgehammer
put your mind at rest
I'm going to be-the sledgehammer
this can be my testimony
I'm your sledgehammer
let there be no doubt about it

sledge sledge sledgehammer

I've kicked the habit
shed my skin
this is the new stuff
I go dancing in, we go dancing in
oh won't you show for me
and I will show for you
show for me, I will show for you
yea, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, I do mean you
only you
you've been coming through
going to build that powerr
build, build up that power, hey
I've been feeding the rhythm
I've been feeding the rhythm
going to feel that power, build in you
come on, come on, help me do
yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, you
I've been feeding the rhythm
I've been feeding the rhythm
it's what we're doing, doing
all day and night