“Sledgehammer” was a massive hit. It topped four Billboard charts, including the Hot 100 itself. This marks the only time in Peter’s thus far 50-year career that he managed to score a number 1 on the Hot 100. It also topped Canada Top Singles and peaked at number four on the UK Singles Chart (in addition to being certified Silver in the UK). And overall it charted in over 15 countries, in virtually every case making the nation’s top 10. This track is from Peter Gabriel’s fifth-solo English-language studio album, which is entitled “So”. In fact Charisma Records released it on 25 April 1986 as the lead single from that project. Thus at the end of the day, saying this song is based on sensual lust may be a stretch. But what we do know is that the singer really, really, really wants to be intimate with the addressee. These terms are easier to apply to a sensual-based framework. These phrases are pretty difficult to decipher in a sensual context. However, said passage is indeed lengthy, and closer to the end he starts talking about ‘building that power’ and ‘feeding the rhythm’. Meanwhile the outro is a bit more ambiguous. Here, Peter refers to himself as ‘kicking the habit’ and ‘shedding the skin’. Gabriel comparing himself to the likes of “a steam train”, “an aeroplane flying”, the “Big Dipper” and “a bumper car” that is in the process of “bumping”. And all of this is in an attempt to persuade the addressee, a romantic interest, to give in to his desires. Or stated otherwise, he is trying to convince her that if she does capitulate, they will have a pleasurable experience together. And as we can see in the third verse, he is already anticipating how “sweet” having her will be.
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