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"Sledgehammer" is the second single by Fifth Harmony included in their first studio album, Reflection, which debuted on February 3, 2015.
Background[]
Sledgehammer takes on a fun pop vibe, vastly different from the girls' hip-hop banger "BO$$" and 2013's "Miss Movin' On". It's about the kind of love that just can't be contained and forces you to let go. On the behind-the-scenes of the song's music video, they said they "decided to with Sledgehammer for our second single because our album has such a variety of sounds, and we all like completely different genres... the transition from 'Bo$$' to 'Sledgehammer' just shows how eclectic our sound is. And it's a relatable concept, just being with the person that you like, and feeling your heart beat like a sledgehammer."
Critical Response[]
Mike Wass of Idolater called it "a sugary sweet synth-pop anthem with serious radio appeal". Jessica Hyndman of MTV gave a positive review, saying "Sledgehammer takes on a fun pop vibe, vastly different from the girls’ hip-hop banger Bo$$ and last year’s Miss Movin’ On". Billboard gave a positive review saying, "With an EDM-meets-new-wave beat and an immediate hook, ‘Sledgehammer’ is the best pop track about the physical effects of lovesickness since Demi Lovato’s Heart Attack’”. Teen Vogue called it their "favorite song the girl group's released....ever". Lucas Villa of AXS favorably compared the song to Ciara's "Overdose" and added that "'Sledgehammer' fittingly sounds like it could be [Fifth Harmony's] true breakthrough."
Music Video[]
The music video for Fifth Harmony's second single of their debut album Reflection, Sledgehammer, was released on November 25, 2014 on VEVO. As of October 2015, the video has gotten over 70 million views on VEVO.
Background[]
It was directed and choreographed by Fatima Robinson, who also directed the music video for 'BO$$'. Scenes in the video include a swing set, an unicorn sculpture, and a silhouetted man swinging a sledgehammer.
Lyrics[]
Camila:
If you could take my pulse right now
It would feel just like a sledgehammer
Fifth Harmony:
If you could feel my heartbeat now
It would hit you like a sledgehammer
Camila (with Fifth Harmony):
I don't admit it, I play it cool
But every minute that I'm with you
(I feel the fever) and I won't lie, (I break a sweat)
(My body's telling) all the secrets (I ain't told you yet)
Ally (Fifth Harmony):
(Oh oh) I struggle to contain
(Whoah) The love that's in my veins
(Oh oh) And how it circulates (Whoah)
Fifth Harmony:
If you could take my pulse right now
It would feel just like a sledgehammer
Woah, oh, oh, o-oh
Woah, oh, oh, o-oh
If you could feel my heartbeat now
It would hit you like a sledgehammer
Woah, oh, oh, o-oh
Woah, oh, oh, o-oh
You're takin' over the beat of my body
You just don't let up, don't let up
You're takin' over the beat of my body
But you lift me up, lift me up
If you take my pulse right now
It would feel just like a sledgehammer
Woah, oh, oh, o-oh
Woah, oh, oh, o-oh
Lauren with Fifth Harmony:
So close together
So far apart
You're turning me on
And my fire's waitin' for your spark
Ally (with Camila in the live version) (Fifth Harmony):
(Oh oh) I struggle to contain
(Whoah) The love that's in my veins
(Oh oh) And how it circulates (Whoah)
Fifth Harmony:
If you could take my pulse right now
It would feel just like a sledgehammer
Woah, oh, oh, o-oh
Woah, oh, oh, o-oh
If you could feel my heartbeat now
It would hit you like a sledgehammer
Woah, oh, oh, o-oh
Woah, oh, oh, o-oh
You're takin' over the beat of my body
You just don't let up, don't let up
You're takin' over the beat of my body
But you lift me up, lift me up
If you take my pulse right now
It would feel just like a sledgehammer
Woah, oh, oh, o-oh
Woah, oh, oh, o-oh
Normani:
The truth is out
No stopping now
I'm getting closer
Fifth Harmony:
Ah, ah, ah, a-ah
Ally:
I've had enough
Undress my love
I'm coming over
Fifth Harmony:
Ah, ah, ah, a-ah
Camila (with Fifth Harmony):
If you could take my pulse right now
It would (feel just like a sledgehammer)
Oh, yeah
And if you could take my pulse right now
It would (feel just like a sledgehammer)
Hammer, oh!
Ally:
If you take my pulse!
Fifth Harmony:
If you could take my pulse right now
It would feel just like a sledgehammer (Ally: Oh woah!)
Woah, oh, oh, o-oh
Woah, oh, oh, o-oh
If you could feel my heartbeat now (Ally: If you could feel my heartbeat now)
It would hit you like a sledgehammer (Ally: Hammer!)
Woah, oh, oh, o-oh
Woah, oh, oh, o-oh
You're takin' over the beat of my body
You just don't let up, don't let up
You're takin' over the beat of my body
But you lift me up, lift me up
If you take my pulse right now
It would feel just like a sledgehammer
Fifth Harmony:
If you could take my pulse right now
It would feel just like a sledgehammer
If you could feel my heartbeat now
It would hit you like a sledgehammer
Dinah (with Fifth Harmony):
I don't admit it, I play it cool
But every minute that I'm with you
(I feel the fever) and I won't lie, (I break a sweat)
(My body's telling) all the secrets (I ain't told you yet)
Ally (Fifth Harmony):
(Oh oh) I struggle to contain
(Whoah) The love that's in my veins
(Oh oh) And how it circulates (Whoah)
Fifth Harmony:
If you could take my pulse right now
It would feel just like a sledgehammer
Woah, oh, oh, o-oh
Woah, oh, oh, o-oh
If you could feel my heartbeat now
It would hit you like a sledgehammer
Lauren with Ally:
So close together
So far apart
You're turning me on
And my fire's waitin' for your spark
Ally (Fifth Harmony):
(Oh oh) I struggle to contain
(Woah) The love that's in my veins
(Oh oh) And how it circulates (Woah)
Fifth Harmony:
If you could take my pulse right now
It would feel just like a sledgehammer
If you could feel my heartbeat now
It would hit you like a sledgehammer
You're takin' over the beat of my body
You just don't let up, don't let up
You're takin' over the beat of my body
But you lift me up, lift me up
If you take my pulse right now
It would feel just like a sledgehammer
Normani:
The truth is out
No stopping now
I'm getting closer
Fifth Harmony:
Ah, ah, ah, a-ah
Ally:
I've had enough
Undress my love
I'm coming over
Fifth Harmony:
Ah, ah, ah, a-ah
Dinah (with Fifth Harmony):
If you could take my pulse right now
It would (feel just like a sledgehammer)
And if you could take my pulse right now
It would (feel just like a sledgehammer)
Hammer, no no!
Ally:
If you take my pulse!
Fifth Harmony:
If you could take my pulse right now
It would feel just like a sledgehammer (Ally: Woaaaaah!)
If you could feel my heartbeat now (Ally: If you could feel my heartbeat now)
It would hit you like a sledgehammer (Ally: Hammer!)
You're takin' over the beat of my body
You just don't let up, don't let up
You're takin' over the beat of my body
But you lift me up, lift me up
If you take my pulse right now
It would feel just like a sledgehammer
Fun Facts[]
- The dance that Dinah and Lauren do on stage, wasn’t really meant to a part of the routine. Dinah just did thing for no reason and Lauren follow pursuit, as she thought it was a part of the choreography. According to Dinah as she and Lauren, decided do that. A part of their signature move, during live performance. (They don’t the dance in every performance, every time Sledgehammer play.)
- Dinah is the only member that doesn’t sing in the song. This is one of two songs she didn’t sing in, the other being "BO$$".
- Meghan Trainor who wrote the song has being leak, a demo version released on the June 9, 2024.
Chart Performance and Certifications[]
Chart Name | Peak Position | ||
---|---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA) | 88 | ||
Belgium (Ultratip Flanders) | 49 | ||
Belgium (Ultratip Wallonia) | 21 | ||
Canada (Canadian Hot 100) | 63 | ||
Canada CHR/Top 40 (Billboard) | 34 | ||
Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100) | 27 | ||
Ireland (IRMA) | 83 | ||
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) | 36 | ||
Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100) | 30 | ||
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) | 75 | ||
UK Singles (Official Charts Company) | 112 | ||
US Billboard Hot 100 | 40 | ||
US Adult Top 40 (Billboard) | 36 | ||
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard) | 21 | Platinum | 1.5 million |