Mercy Mercy Me Lyrics
Marvin Gaye
Lyrics
Woah, ah mercy mercy me
Ah things ain't what they used to be, no no
Where did all the blue skies go?
Poison is the wind that blows
From the north and south and east
Woah mercy, mercy me, yeah yeah
Ah things ain't what they used to be
Oil wasted on the ocean and upon our seas
Fish full of mercury
Oh Jesus yeah mercy, mercy me ah
Ah things ain't what they used to be, oh no
Radiation under ground and in the sky
Animals and birds who live nearby are dying
Hey mercy, mercy me oh
Ah things ain't what they used to be
What about this overcrowded land
How much more abuse from man can she stand?
Oh, na na na
Ohh baby hey ooh
Song & Lyrics Facts
Marvin Gaye's "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" is a soulful and socially conscious track from his 1971 album, What's Going On. It was written by Marvin Gaye himself and released on May 21, 1971.
The song has been described as an R&B/soul classic that speaks to the environmental issues of its time and still resonates today. Gaye was backed up by members of The Funk Brothers band including Jack Ashford on tambourine, Joe Messina and Robert White on guitar, Uriel Jones on drums, James Jamerson on bass, Earl Van Dyke on keyboards, Eddie Willis on electric guitar, and Johnny Griffith on organ. The lyrics for "Mercy Mercy Me" reflect Gaye's growing concern about pollution and other environmental problems in the early 1970s. The song peaked at number four on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart and won a Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance in 1972.