One of the "Three Kings of the Blues Guitar" (along with B.B. King and Freddie King), Albert King stood 6' 4", weighed 250 lbs and was known as "The Velvet Bulldozer". He was born Albert Nelson on a cotton plantation in Indianola, Mississippi. During his childhood he would sing at a family gospel group at a church. One of 13 children, King grew up picking cotton on plantations near Forrest City, Arkansas where the family moved when he was eight years old. He began his professional work as a musician with a group called In The Groove Boys in Osceola, Arkansas. He had also briefly played drums for Jimmy Reed's band and on several early Reed recordings. Influenced by blues musicians Blind Lemon Jefferson and Lonnie Johnson, but also interestingly Hawaiian music, the electric guitar became his signature instrument, his preference being the Gibson Flying V, which he named "Lucy".
King was a left-handed "upside-down/backwards" guitarist. He was left-handed, but usually played right-handed guitars flipped over upside-down so the low E string was on the bottom. In later years he played a custom-made guitar that was basically left-handed, but had the strings reversed (as he was used to playing). He also used very unorthodox tunings (i.e., tuning as low as C to allow him to make sweeping string bends). Some believe that he was using open E minor tuning (C-B-E-G-B-E) or open F tuning (C-F-C-F-A-D). A "less is more" type blues player, he was known for his expressive "bending" of notes, a technique characteristic of blues guitarists.
He recorded his first record in 1953 for Parrot Records in Chicago, but it had no impact. His first minor hit came in 1959 with Lonely Man written by Bobbin Records A&R man and fellow guitar hero Little Milton, responsible for King's signing with the label. However, it was not until his 1961 release Don't Throw Your Love on Me So Strong that he had a major hit, reaching number fourteen on the U.S. Billboard R&B chart. In 1966 he signed with the Stax record label. Produced by Al Jackson, Jr., King with Booker T. & the MG's recorded dozens of influential sides, such as Crosscut Saw and As The Years Go Passing By, and in 1967 Stax released the album, Born Under a Bad Sign. The title track of that album (written by Booker T. Jones and William Bell) became King's best known songs and has been covered by many other artists.
Another landmark album followed in Live Wire/Blues Power from one of many dates King played at promoter Bill Graham's Fillmore venues. It had a wide and long-term influence on Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Robbie Robertson, and later Gary Moore and Stevie Ray Vaughan (Criminal World, on David Bowie's 1983 release Let's Dance, features a guitar solo copied note-for-note from his hero Albert King by young session musician Stevie Ray Vaughan).
In the 1970s, King was teamed with members of The Bar-Kays and The Movement (Isaac Hayes's backing group), including bassist James Alexander and drummer Willie Hall adding strong funk elements to his music. Adding strings and multiple rhythm guitarists, producers Allen Jones and Henry Bush created a wall of sound that contrasted the sparse, punchy records King made with Booker T. & the MG's. Among these was another of King's signature tunes with I'll Play the Blues For You in 1972.
Recorded in December 1983, In Session captures an in-concert jam between Albert King and Stevie Ray Vaughan
As he hit his mid-sixties King began to muse about retirement, not unreasonable given that he had health problems. Nevertheless, when near to death, he was planning yet another overseas tour.
King died on December 21, 1992 from a heart attack in Memphis, Tennessee.
Angel of Mercy
Albert King Lyrics
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My foreman looked me in the eye
He said, "Fella I don't know what's wrong with ya,
But you look sick enough to die"
He sent me to the company doctor
And he examined from head to toe
"Whatever's wrong with ya, young man,
I say, angel of mercy
Won't you please look down on me?
Angel of mercy
A little mercy is all I need
The finance company
They just don't receive my check
They say they want a payment by Friday
Or they want all-a the furniture back
I went to the credit union
To try to get myself a loan
They said, "I would let ya have it young man,
But we hear that you won't be workin' here much longer
Angel of mercy
Won't you please look down on me?
Oh, angel of mercy
A little mercy is all I need
Lord have mercy! Oh angel! Oh!
Oh!
Cut my lights off this mo'nin'
They set my furniture out doors
I was listenin' to the weatherman 'while ago
An' he's says it's gonna rain an'snow
My daughter's got pneumonia
An' my son is down with the flu
My whole family's sufferin' from malnutrition
And I can't even 'fford them soup
I say, angel of mercy
Won't you please look down on me?
Oh, angel of mercy
A little mercy is all I need
The song "Angel of Mercy" by Albert King is a blues ballad about a man who is facing a series of difficult situations in his life, such as illness, financial troubles, and family hardships. The song starts with the singer going to work, where he is told by his foreman that he looks so sick that he might die. The company doctor cannot find anything wrong with him, leaving him feeling desperate for help. The chorus kicks in, where the singer begs for an angel of mercy to come to his aid.
As the song progresses, we learn that the singer is struggling to make ends meet, with his finance company threatening to take back his furniture if he does not pay his bills soon. He turns to a credit union for a loan, but they refuse to give him one because they fear he might lose his job soon. To make matters worse, the singer has to deal with the fact that his daughter is sick and his son has the flu. The family is also suffering from malnutrition, adding to the sense of desperation in the song.
The song "Angel of Mercy" is a testament to the power of the blues to capture the struggles of everyday people in a way that is both visceral and poignant. Through his powerful guitar playing and soulful vocals, Albert King manages to convey a sense of longing, pain, and hope that resonates with audiences to this day.
Line by Line Meaning
I went to work this mo'nin'
The singer started his day by going to work.
My foreman looked me in the eye
The foreman spoke to the singer directly, eye to eye.
He said, "Fella I don't know what's wrong with ya,
But you look sick enough to die"
The foreman noticed that something was wrong with the singer and expressed concern for his health.
He sent me to the company doctor
The foreman instructed the artist to visit the company doctor.
And he examined from head to toe
The doctor conducted a thorough examination of the artist's entire body.
"Whatever's wrong with ya, young man,
My x-rays just won't show"
The doctor could not identify the cause of the singer's illness or injury through x-rays.
I say, angel of mercy
The singer is calling out to the "angel of mercy" for help.
Won't you please look down on me?
The artist is asking the angel of mercy to pay attention to him and his predicament.
Angel of mercy
The artist repeats his plea for help from the angel.
A little mercy is all I need
The artist only requires a small amount of help and assistance to get through his difficulties.
The finance company
The singer is now talking about a finance company.
They just don't receive my check
The finance company has not accepted the artist's payment.
They say they want a payment by Friday
Or they want all-a the furniture back
The finance company has given the singer a deadline to pay his debt or they will repossess his furniture.
I went to the credit union
The singer went to a credit union for help.
To try to get myself a loan
The singer hoped to secure a loan from the credit union.
They said, "I would let ya have it young man,
But we hear that you won't be workin' here much longer
The credit union denied the artist's loan request because they heard that he will not have a job for much longer.
Lord have mercy!
The artist is again calling out for help.
Oh angel!
The singer repeats his plea for an angel's assistance.
Cut my lights off this mo'nin'
The singer's electricity has been shut off.
They set my furniture out doors
As the finance company threatened, the artist's furniture has been repossessed.
I was listenin' to the weatherman 'while ago
An' he's says it's gonna rain an'snow
The artist is concerned about the upcoming weather.
My daughter's got pneumonia
The artist's daughter is ill with pneumonia.
An' my son is down with the flu
The singer's son is also sick with the flu.
My whole family's sufferin' from malnutrition
And I can't even 'fford them soup
The artist's family is malnourished, and he cannot afford to feed them properly.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: HOMER BANKS, RAYMOND E. JACKSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind