If I Were a Carpenter (song)

"If I Were a Carpenter"
1967 French EP
Song by Tim Hardin
from the album Tim Hardin 2
Released	April 1967
Genre	Folk
Length	2:41
Label	Verve Forecast
Songwriter(s)	Tim Hardin
Producer(s)	Charles Koppelman, Don Rubin

"If I Were a Carpenter" is a folk song written by Tim Hardin in the 1960s, and re-recorded with commercial success by various artists including Bobby Darin, The Four Tops and Johnny Cash.^[1] Hardin's own recording of the piece appeared on his 1967 album Tim Hardin 2. It was one of two songs from that release (the other being "Misty Roses") performed by Hardin at Woodstock in 1969.^[2] The song, believed by some to be about male romantic insecurity, is rumored to have been inspired by his love for actress Susan Morss, as well as the construction of Hardin's recording studio (in the home of Lenny Bruce).^[3][1]

Bobby Darin version

"If I Were a Carpenter"
Artwork for German, Swedish, and French releases
Single by Bobby Darin
from the album If I Were a Carpenter
B-side	"Rainin'"
Released	September 1966
Genre	Folk rock[4]
Length	2:22
Label	Atlantic
Songwriter(s)	Tim Hardin
Producer(s)	Charles Koppelman, Don Rubin
Bobby Darin singles chronology
"Merci Cherie" (1966) "If I Were a Carpenter" (1966) "The Girl Who Stood Beside Me" (1966)

The first notable version of "If I Were a Carpenter" was released by Bobby Darin in September 1966.^[5] The song was produced by Charles Koppelman and Don Rubin at Darin's insistence. Darin played the acoustic guitar on the recording. Darin took some time to record the song in his recording session, and did not finish the recording until 7 o'clock in the morning.^[6] The song was released by Atlantic Records, whose executives were reluctant to release the song until it received enthusiastic response by radio audience on the West Coast when Koppelman managed to get the song played there.^[6]

The song became the biggest hit for Darin since his 1963 song "You're the Reason I'm Living", reaching No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100.^[7] It also peaked at No. 9 in the UK.^[8] Darin's recording received a Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Rock and Roll Solo Vocal Performance at the 9th Annual Grammy Awards, but lost to Paul McCartney’s vocal performance on The Beatles’ "Eleanor Rigby".^[6]

The song is the title song of Bobby Darin's album If I Were a Carpenter, also produced by Koppelman and Rubin.

Charts

Four Tops version

"If I Were a Carpenter"
Single by Four Tops
from the album Reach Out
B-side	"Wonderful Baby"
Released	April 11, 1968
Genre	Folk, soul
Length	2:47
Label	Motown
Songwriter(s)	Tim Hardin
Producer(s)	Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier
Four Tops singles chronology
"Walk Away Renée" (1968) "If I Were a Carpenter" (1968) "Yesterday's Dreams" (1968)

In 1968, The Four Tops hit the Top 20 on both the pop and soul charts with their version, released as the seventh and final single from their 1967 studio album, Reach Out.^[15] It also reached No. 7 in the UK charts in 1968 staying in the charts for 11 weeks.^[16] It reached No. 4 in the Netherlands.^[17]

Cash Box said that "Excellent arrangements put a punch into the rhythmic serving, and the vocal brilliance of the quartet transforms the ballad into molten blues with monster potential."^[18]

Personnel

• Lead vocals by Levi Stubbs
• Background vocals by Duke Fakir, Obie Benson and Lawrence Payton
• Additional background vocals by The Andantes
• Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers

Charts

Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash’s duet version

"If I Were a Carpenter"
Artwork for Norwegian and Japanese releases
Single by Johnny and June Carter Cash
from the album Hello, I'm Johnny Cash
B-side	"'Cause I Love You"
Released	Decmber 22, 1969
Recorded	1969
Studio	Columbia, Nashville, U.S.
Genre	Folk, country
Length	3:00
Label	Columbia
Songwriter(s)	Tim Hardin
Producer(s)	Bob Johnston
Johnny Cash singles chronology
"See Ruby Fall" (1969) "If I Were a Carpenter" (1969) "Rock Island Line" (1970)
June Carter Cash singles chronology
"Long-Legged Guitar Pickin' Man" (1967) "Don't Know Much" (1969) "A Good Man" (1971)

In 1969, Johnny Cash and June Carter recorded a duet of the song, which went to No. 2 on the country chart and No. 36 on pop, released as the third and final single off of Cash's thirty-third studio album, Hello, I'm Johnny Cash.^[26] Their recording won Cash and June a Grammy Award for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group at the 1971 Grammys.^[27]

Charts

Robert Plant version

"If I Were a Carpenter"
Single by Robert Plant
from the album Fate of Nations
B-side	"Ship of Fools" (Live from Montreaux) "Tall Cool One" (Live from Montreaux)
Released	December 1993[34]
Genre	Rock
Length	3:45
Label	Fontana Es Paranza
Songwriter(s)	Tim Hardin
Producer(s)	Chris Hughes Robert Plant
Robert Plant singles chronology
"Calling To You" (1993) "If I Were a Carpenter" (1993) "The Battle of Evermore" (1994)

In 1993 former Led Zeppelin vocalist Robert Plant released a version on his studio album Fate of Nations, released as the fourth and final single off that record. Plant's version reached No. 63 on the UK Singles Chart.^[35]

Personnel

• Robert Plant – lead vocals
• Kevin Scott MacMichael – guitar
• Charlie Jones – bass guitar
• Chris Hughes – drums
• Phil Johnstone – harmonium
• Maartin Allcock – mandolin
• Lynton Naiff – string arrangement

Charts

Johnny Hallyday version (in French)

"Si j'étais un charpentier"
Single by Johnny Hallyday
Language	French
Released	December 7, 1966
Recorded	late 1966
Genre	Progressive rock
Length	2:15
Label	Philips
Songwriter(s)	French adaptation: Long Chris
Producer(s)	Lee Hallyday
Johnny Hallyday singles chronology
"Noir c'est noir" (1966) "Si j'étais un charpentier" (1966) "Hey Joe" (1967)

French singer Johnny Hallyday covered the song in French in December 1966. His version, titled "Si j'étais un charpentier", reached No. 3 in Wallonia (French Belgium).^[36]

Track listings

7-inch EP Philips 437.281 BE (1966)

A1. "Si j'étais un charpentier" – 2:15

A2. "On s'est trompé" – 2:40

B1. "Je veux te graver dans ma vie" – 2:50

B2. "La fille à qui je pense" – 2:57^[36]

Charts

"Si j'étais un charpentier" / "Je veux te graver dans ma vie" / "La fille à qui je pense"^[36][37][38]

Other versions

• In 1967, Dutch-Swedish singer-songwriter Cornelis Vreeswijk wrote a Swedish translation of the song entitled "Om jag vore arbetslös", which he released as a single.^[39]
• In 1969, Yugoslav band Crveni Koralji released a Serbo-Croatian version, entitled "Da sam drvosječa", on their EP Sam, the song becoming a nationwide hit for the band.^[40]
• In 1972, a cover by Bob Seger reached No. 76 on the Billboard Hot 100.^[41] The single was released from his album Smokin' O.P.'s.^[42]
• In 1974, Leon Russell released a version with a funk tempo and his own rewritten lyrics from the perspective of a "rock star".^[1] His single reached No. 73 on the Billboard Hot 100^[43] and was included on his album Stop All That Jazz.^[44]
• In 1982, Swanee released a version. It peaked at number 5 on the Kent Music Report and was the 33rd biggest selling single in Australia in 1981.^[45]
• In 1989, John Holt released a version on the label Live And Love.

References