Have Mercy Baby
Dominos Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Have you seen my baby
On the avenue
You know she's drivin' me crazy
With the funny things she do
I've seen her with the milkman
Ridin' down the street
I said "please mister milkman
Send my baby home to me"
Hold on hold on hold on
Hold on hold on hold on
You know it's been so long
Since she has been gone
Hold on hold on hold on

Seen her with a gypsy
Dancin' in the woods
She's always been unfaithful to me
she ain't never been no good
I said "please don't talk to strangers baby"
But she always do
She said, "I could talk to strangers if I want
'Cause I'm a stranger too"
Hold on hold on hold on
Hold on hold on hold on
You know it's been so long
Since she has been gone
Hold on hold on hold on
Hold on hold on ohh, hold on
Ohh hold on hold on yeah hold on





Mmmmm hmmm...hold on...

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Domino's song Have Mercy Baby tell the story of a man who is desperately searching for his wayward lover on the avenue. He is being driven crazy by the strange things she does and was last seen with the milkman riding down the street. He pleads with the milkman to send his baby home to him. He has been holding on for so long, ever since she has been gone. He has seen her with a gypsy, dancing in the woods, and knows that she has always been unfaithful to him, she ain't never been no good. He implores her not to talk to strangers, but she disregards his warning, saying that she is a stranger too, and can do what she wants. The song ends with the repeated refrain of "hold on", as the man continues to hold on and hope for her return.


Line by Line Meaning

Have you seen my baby
I am looking for my girlfriend who has gone missing


On the avenue
I have been searching for her on the streets


You know she's drivin' me crazy
Her absence is making me very upset and anxious


With the funny things she do
She has a habit of doing strange and unusual things


I've seen her with the milkman
I have spotted her with another man


Ridin' down the street
They were traveling together


I said "please mister milkman
I politely asked the milkman


Send my baby home to me"
To return my girlfriend to my side


Seen her with a gypsy
I have also seen her with someone who appears to be a wandering fortune-teller


Dancin' in the woods
They were dancing together somewhere secluded


She's always been unfaithful to me
Throughout our relationship, she has been disloyal to me


she ain't never been no good
She has never been trustworthy or reliable


I said "please don't talk to strangers baby"
I asked her to be cautious and not speak to unfamiliar people


But she always do
However, she ignores my warnings and still engages with strangers


She said, "I could talk to strangers if I want
She argues that she has the right to converse with whomever she chooses


'Cause I'm a stranger too"
Because she herself feels like an outsider or unfamiliar person


You know it's been so long
It has been a considerable amount of time


Since she has been gone
Since my girlfriend has disappeared and I haven't been able to find her


Hold on hold on hold on
I am encouraging myself or others to hold on and keep trying


Ohh hold on hold on yeah hold on
Repeating the encouragement to not give up or lose hope




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: RANDY NEWMAN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Comments from YouTube:

@thomashybiske5399

A number of years ago on one of my frequent trips between Massachusetts and South Jersey, I stopped at a cemetery in Paramus, NJ and visited the grave of Clyde. It was a very modest surface marker, and I wondered how many people had walked by his grave and never realized the impact this man had on modern music. He was only 39 at the time of his death, and had struggled for years with depression and alcoholism, and was broke and despondent over a mismanaged career that made him a legend but not a success. I placed a pebble on the carved bouquet of flowers on his marker and vowed to return again some day.

@Oliveras1943

My mother and father moved from a mountain in puerto rico when i was three yesrs old. We moved to a fourth floor apartment in harlem nyc. Our upstairs neighbors were black brother hugo and his sister omara. To me they were the kindest and most hospitable persons i ever met in my whole life. God bless them both. One day while i was visiting them i heard a record that sounded great to me. It was “mercy mercy baby” by clyde and billy and the boys. To me that will always be a great memory. I am now in my late seventies. Rene now from jersey.

@scienz

thank you for sharing 🇵🇷 🇵🇷 🇵🇷 ✊

@spoonful1018

Love Clyde McPhatter - This version of the Dominoes was the greatest R&B band ever

@jamesbitetto6040

ACTUALLY they weren't a band but an early Rythm and blues group with the some of the very most gifted vocalists of all time. Actually, In my 50 years plus I never heard group with such talented vocalist starting with the Julliard graduate, voice coach, musical arranger and gifted keyboard player BILLY WARD, then of course Jackie Wilson, the incredible CLYDE MCPHATTER and when Jackie left he was replaced by the Fantastic Eugene Mumford however, othe groups without such well known talents has surpassed the Dominos, for example, Platters, Orioles, HARPTONES, Flaimngoes, Solitares, Heartbeats, Five Keys, my late friend George GRANT and his Castels, Swallows, Ravens, Cloves, last but never the least The Larks just for a small example.

@lisapsalms9358

Billy Ward my talented father he had great singer love this song my mom used to play it ...❤

@bluenote824jones7

Yes yes yes .a genius . Great man

@lisapsalms9358

@@bluenote824jones7 thank you

@7884golfguru

Awesome brother

@AndrewVOdom

This band (and specifically Clyde McPhatter ) was one of Elvis Presley’s favorite acts and biggest influences.

More Comments

More Versions