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Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)
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"Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)"
Single by Marvin Gaye
from the album What's Going On
B-side
"Sad Tomorrows"
Released
June 10, 1971
Format
Vinyl record (7", 45 RPM)
Recorded
Hitsville USA (Studio A); March 1971
Genre
Soul
Length
3:14 (LP version)
2:39 (7" version)
Label
Tamla
Songwriter(s)
Marvin Gaye
Producer(s)
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye singles chronology
"What's Going On"
(1971) "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)"
(1971) "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)"
(1971)
"What's Going On"
(1971) "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)"
(1971) "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)"
(1971)
What's Going On track listing
"God is Love"
(5) "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)"
(6) "Right On"
(7)
"Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" was the second single from Marvin Gaye's 1971 album, What's Going On. Following the breakthrough of the title track's success, the song, written solely by Gaye, became regarded as one of popular music's most poignant anthems of sorrow regarding the environment. Led by Gaye playing piano, strings conducted by Paul Riser and David Van De Pitte, multi-tracking vocals from Gaye and The Andantes, multiple background instruments provided by The Funk Brothers and a leading sax solo by Wild Bill Moore, the song rose to number 4 on Billboard's Pop Singles chart and number one for two weeks on the R&B Singles charts on August 14 through to August 27, 1971.[1] The distinctive percussive sound heard on the track was a wood block struck by a rubber mallet, drenched in studio reverb.[2] The song also brought Gaye one of his rare appearances on the Adult Contemporary chart, where it peaked at number 34. In Canada, "Mercy Mercy Me" spent two weeks at number 9.[3]
In 1991, a music video of the song was released by Motown Records, featuring appearances by celebrities such as Smokey Robinson, Johnny Gill, Big Daddy Kane, Holly Robinson Peete, Ralph Tresvant, Bobby Brown, Rosie Perez, Bell Biv Devoe, Wesley Snipes, Tyler Collins (singer), Malcolm Jamal Warner, Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, David Bowie, Stephanie Mills, Debbie Harry and Vanessa L. Williams.
As the single became his second million-seller from What's Going On, the album started on the soul album charts in the top five and began charging up the pop rankings. "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" soon became one of Gaye's most famous songs in his extensive catalogue. In 2002 it was his third single recording to win a "Grammy Hall of Fame" Award. As on "Inner City Blues", Bob Babbitt, not James Jamerson, plays the bass line.
Contents
[hide]
1 B-side
2 Personnel
3 Cover versions
4 References
5 External links
B-side[edit]
The B-side, "Sad Tomorrows", was the early version of "Flying High". This song featured on the 40th-anniversary edition of the album. Lyrically, the songs are both the same except "Sad Tomorrows" is a quick two-minute snippet.*
Personnel[edit]
Marvin Gaye – lead and background vocals, piano, mellotron
The Andantes – additional background (harmony) vocals
William "Wild Bill" Moore – tenor saxophone solo
David Van DePitte – string conduction
The Funk Brothers – other instrumentation
Cover versions[edit]
In 1991, Robert Palmer combined the song in a medley with Gaye's 1976 hit "I Want You". Palmer's single reached number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 4 on the Adult Contemporary chart in early 1991. It also hit number 9 on the UK chart.
References[edit]
Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–2004. Record Research. p. 226.
Jump up ^ The Percussive Sound of 'Mercy Mercy Me'
Jump up ^ RPM Top Singles, August 14, 1971
External links[edit]
Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics
Preceded by
"Hot Pants (Pt. 1)" by James Brown Billboard's Hot Soul number one single
August 14–21, 1971 Succeeded by
"Spanish Harlem" by Aretha Franklin
[show]
v
t
e
Marvin Gaye
Studio
albums
The Soulful Moods of Marvin Gaye (1961)
That Stubborn Kinda Fellow (1962)
When I'm Alone I Cry (1964)
Hello Broadway (1964)
How Sweet It Is to Be Loved by You (1965)
A Tribute to the Great Nat "King" Cole (1965)
Moods of Marvin Gaye (1966)
In the Groove/I Heard It Through the Grapevine! (1968)
M.P.G. (1969)
That's the Way Love Is (1970)
What's Going On (1971)
Trouble Man (1972)
Let's Get It On (1973)
I Want You (1976)
Here, My Dear (1978)
In Our Lifetime (1981)
Midnight Love (1982)
Posthumous
albums
Dream of a Lifetime (1985)
Romantically Yours (1986)
Vulnerable (1997)
Duet albums
Together (with Mary Wells, 1964)
Take Two (with Kim Weston, 1966)
United (with Tammi Terrell, 1967)
You're All I Need (with Tammi Terrell, 1968)
Easy (with Tammi Terrell, 1969)
Diana & Marvin (with Diana Ross, 1973)
Compilations
Greatest Hits (1964)
Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 (1967)
Marvin Gaye and His Girls (1969)
Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell's Greatest Hits (1970)
Super Hits (1970)
Anthology (1974)
Marvin Gaye's Greatest Hits (1976)
Motown Remembers Marvin Gaye: Never Before Released Masters (1986)
The Marvin Gaye Collection (1990)
The Norman Whitfield Sessions (1994)
Love Starved Heart: Rare and Unreleased (1994)
The Very Best of Marvin Gaye (1994)
The Master (1961–1984) (1995)
Marvin Gaye: The Love Songs (2000)
The Complete Duets (2001)
The Very Best of Marvin Gaye (2001)
Live albums
Marvin Gaye Recorded Live on Stage (1963)
Marvin Gaye Live! (1974)
Live at the London Palladium (1977)
Marvin Gaye at the Copa (2005)
Video albums
Greatest Hits Live (Live in Holland 1976) (2000)
Live In Montreux 1980 (2003)
The Real Thing: In Performance (1964–1981) (2006)
Live In Belgium 1981 (2006)
US/UK Top
Ten singles
"Pride and Joy"
"How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)"
"I'll Be Doggone"
"Ain't That Peculiar"
"Your Precious Love"
"If I Could Build My Whole World Around You"
"Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing"
"You're All I Need to Get By"
"I Heard It Through the Grapevine"
"Too Busy Thinking About My Baby"
"That's the Way Love Is"
"Abraham, Martin and John"
"The Onion Song"
"What's Going On"
"Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)"
"Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)"
"Trouble Man"
"Let's Get It On"
"You Are Everything"
"Got to Give It Up"
"Sexual Healing"
Family
Marvin Gay Sr. (father)
Alberta Gay (mother)
Anna Gordy Gaye (first wife)
Denise Gordy (son's birth mother)
Nona Gaye (daughter)
Frankie Gaye (brother)
Gordon Banks (brother-in-law)
Related
topics
Discography
Songs
Albums
Songs by Marvin Gaye
Albums produced by Marvin Gaye
Songs in memory
Songs produced by Marvin Gaye
Personal life
Death
Tributes
The Marquees
Harvey Fuqua
Tammi Terrell
Leon Ware
Marvin's Room
Marvin Is 60: A Tribute Album
Book
Category
Portal
[show]
v
t
e
Marvin Gaye singles discography
1960s: (Tamla)
1961
"Let Your Conscience Be Your Guide"
1962
"Sandman"
"Soldier's Plea"
"Stubborn Kind of Fellow"
"Hitch Hike"
1963
"Pride and Joy"
"Can I Get a Witness"
1964
"You're a Wonderful One"
"Once Upon a Time"
"What's the Matter with You Baby"
"Try It Baby"
"Baby Don't You Do It"
"What Good Am I Without You"
"How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)"
1965
"I'll Be Doggone"
"Pretty Little Baby"
"Ain't That Peculiar"
1966
"One More Heartache"
"Take This Heart of Mine"
"Little Darling (I Need You)"
"It Takes Two"
1967
"Ain't No Mountain High Enough"
"Your Unchanging Love"
"Your Precious Love"
"You"
"If I Could Build My Whole World Around You"/"If This World Were Mine"
1968
"Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing"
"You're All I Need to Get By"
"Chained"
"Keep On Lovin' Me Honey"
"You Ain't Livin' till You're Lovin'"
"His Eye Is on the Sparrow"
"I Heard It Through the Grapevine"
1969
"Good Lovin' Ain't Easy to Come By"
"Too Busy Thinking About My Baby"
"That's the Way Love Is"
"Abraham, Martin and John"
"What You Gave Me"
"How Can I Forget"
1970s: (Tamla)
1970
"Gonna Give Her All the Love I've Got"
"The Onion Song"
"California Soul"
"The End of Our Road"
1971
"What's Going On"
"Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)"
"Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)"
"Save the Children"
1972
"You're the Man"
"Trouble Man"
"I Want to Come Home for Christmas"
1973
"Let's Get It On"
"You're a Special Part of Me"
"Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart)"
"Come Get to This"
1974
"You Sure Love to Ball"
"My Mistake (Was to Love You)"
"Don't Knock My Love"
"You Are Everything"
"Distant Lover"
1976
"I Want You"
"After the Dance"
"Since I Had You"
1977
"Got to Give It Up"
1978
"Pops, We Love You (A Tribute to Father)"
1979
"A Funky Space Reincarnation"
"Anger"
"Ego Tripping Out"
1980s: (Tamla/
Columbia)
1981
"Praise"
"Heavy Love Affair"
1982
"Sexual Healing"
1983
"My Love Is Waiting"
"'Til Tomorrow"
"Joy"
Posthumous
1985
"Sanctified Lady"
"It's Madness"
"Just Like"
1986
"The World Is Rated X"
1991
"My Last Chance"
1994
"Lucky, Lucky Me"
1995
"This Love Starved Heart Of Mine(It's Killing Me)"
2001
"Music"
2005
"Let's Get It On (The M.P.G. Groove Remix)"
2015
"Where Are We Going"
Book
Category
Portal
[show]
v
t
e
Robert Palmer
Studio albums
Sneakin' Sally Through the Alley (1974)
Pressure Drop (1975)
Some People Can Do What They Like (1976)
Double Fun (1978)
Secrets (1979)
Clues (1980)
Pride (1983)
Riptide (1985)
Heavy Nova (1988)
Don't Explain (1990)
Ridin' High (1992)
Honey (1994)
Rhythm & Blues (1999)
Drive (2003)
Live albums
Maybe It's Live (1982)
Live at the Apollo (2001)
At the BBC (2010)
Compilations
Addictions: Volume 1 (1989)
Addictions: Volume II (1992)
Very Best of Robert Palmer (1995)
Woke Up Laughing (1998)
20th Century Masters (1999)
Singles
"Every Kinda People"
"Best of Both Worlds"
"Bad Case of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor)"
"Can We Still Be Friends"
"Johnny and Mary"
"Looking for Clues"
"Some Guys Have All the Luck"
"Discipline of Love"
"Addicted to Love"
"Hyperactive"
"I Didn't Mean to Turn You On"
"Sweet Lies"
"Simply Irresistible"
"Early in the Morning"
"She Makes My Day"
"Tell Me I'm Not Dreamin' (Too Good to Be True)"
"Change His Ways"
"Life in Detail"
"I'll Be Your Baby Tonight"
"You're Amazing"
" Mercy Mercy Me" / "I Want You"
"Happiness"
"Girl U Want"
"Know by Now"
"You Blow Me Away"
"True Love"
Related articles
Discography
The Power Station
[show]
v
t
e
Boyz II Men
Nathan Morris
Shawn Stockman
Wanya Morris
Marc Nelson
Michael McCary
Studio albums
Cooleyhighharmony
II
Evolution
Nathan Michael Shawn Wanya
Full Circle
Throwback, Vol. 1
The Remedy
Motown: Hitsville USA
Love
Twenty
Collide
Compilation albums
Christmas Interpretations
The Remix Collection
The Ballad Collection
Legacy: The Greatest Hits Collection
Winter/Reflections
Covered: Winter
The Millennium Collection: The Best of Boyz II Men
Singles
"Motownphilly"
"It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday"
"Uhh Ahh"
"Please Don't Go"
"End of the Road"
"In the Still of the Nite (I'll Remember)"
"Let It Snow"
"I'll Make Love to You"
"On Bended Knee"
"Thank You"
"Water Runs Dry"
"One Sweet Day"
"Brokenhearted"
"Hey Lover"
"4 Seasons of Loneliness"
"A Song for Mama"
"Doin' Just Fine"
"I Will Get There"
"Pass You By"
"Thank You in Advance"
"The Color of Love"
"Relax Your Mind"
"What You Won't Do for Love"
"The Tracks of My Tears"
"Just My Imagination"
"War"
"Mercy Mercy Me"
"I Can't Make You Love Me"
"Iris"
"If You Leave Me Now"
Related topics
Discography
Babyface
The Package Tour
Total Package Tour
Book
Category
Source: Spotify
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mercy_Mercy_Me_(The_Ecology)&oldid=838214727"
Categories:
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