Regarding the stars falling on Alabama: on November 12, 1833, there was a Leonid meteor shower in Alabama (visible other places, too) and people thought judgement day was coming. This was immortalized in the 1934 Perkins/Parrish jazz standard, "Stars Fell on Alabama," which has been recorded by numerous artists. Even Alabama license plates bore the "Stars Fell On" slogan from 2002-2009.
I think that the significance of the hammer comes from "hammer songs," mostly southern spiritual work songs that slaves and the free working poor would sing to make their difficult toil more pleasant.
This is my favorite Emmylou Harris song and it makes me cry every single time I hear it.
Regarding the stars falling on Alabama: on November 12, 1833, there was a Leonid meteor shower in Alabama (visible other places, too) and people thought judgement day was coming. This was immortalized in the 1934 Perkins/Parrish jazz standard, "Stars Fell on Alabama," which has been recorded by numerous artists. Even Alabama license plates bore the "Stars Fell On" slogan from 2002-2009.
I think that the significance of the hammer comes from "hammer songs," mostly southern spiritual work songs that slaves and the free working poor would sing to make their difficult toil more pleasant.
This is my favorite Emmylou Harris song and it makes me cry every single time I hear it.