Harry Belafonte (born Harold George Bellanfanti Jr. in Harlem, NYC, on 1 Ma… Read Full Bio ↴Harry Belafonte (born Harold George Bellanfanti Jr. in Harlem, NYC, on 1 March 1927; died 25 April 2023) was an American singer, activist, and actor. As arguably the most successful Caribbean-American pop star, he popularized Jamaican mento folk songs which was marketed as Trinbagonian Calypso musical style with an international audience in the 1950s. His breakthrough album Calypso, released in 1956, was the first million-selling LP by a single artist.

Belafonte is perhaps best known for singing the "Banana Boat Song", with its signature lyric "Day-O". Throughout his career, he was an advocate for civil rights and humanitarian causes.

Belafonte won three Grammy Awards (including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award), an Emmy Award, and a Tony Award. In 1989, he received the Kennedy Center Honors. He was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 1994. In 2014, he received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the Academy's 6th Annual Governors Awards and in 2022 was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the Early Influence category and was the oldest living person to have received the honor.

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Sinner's Prayer
Harry Belafonte Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy on me
Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy on me
Well, if I done somebody wrong
Lord have mercy if You please

I used to have plenty money
Finest clothes in town
Bad luck and trouble overtook me

Why did You let me down?

Please have mercy Lord, have mercy if You please
Well, if I done somebody wrong
Have mercy if You please

Keep on working that child
Oh, in a mourning heart
Well, if I've been a bad boy, baby I'll change my way
Don't bad luck and trouble worry me

Oh, love my days
Please have mercy, Lord have mercy on me

Well, if I done somebody wrong
Oh, have mercy if You please, oh Lord

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Harry Belafonte's "Sinner's Prayer" speak of a person who has experienced a reversal of fortune. The singer acknowledges wrongdoing and asks for forgiveness from God. He has fallen from a position of success and prosperity to one of hardship and misfortune. He wonders why he has been let down and is in need of mercy. The song speaks to the idea of redemption and the power of prayer as a means of seeking it.

The first two lines are a plea for mercy, emphasizing the singer's need for forgiveness. The following lines express regret for past actions and a willingness to change. The repetition of the phrase "have mercy if you please" throughout the song underscores the singer's humility and his recognition of his own inadequacy. The final lines suggest a sense of hope and a belief that, with God's help, things can improve.

Overall, the song is a sincere expression of contrition and the need for redemption. It reflects a universal human experience of facing adversity and seeking spiritual guidance and strength through prayer.

Line by Line Meaning

Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy on me
A plea for forgiveness and mercy from God.

Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy on me
Reiteration of the plea for mercy in a humbling and remorseful manner.

Well, if I done somebody wrong
Acknowledgement of guilt and wrongdoing.

Lord have mercy if You please
A plea for divine intervention in order to rectify the wrongs committed.

I used to have plenty money
Reflecting on past wealth and prosperity.

Finest clothes in town
Boasting about luxuries and material possessions.

Bad luck and trouble overtook me
Expressing feelings of misfortune and hardship.

Why did You let me down?
A question of disappointment and loss of faith in God.

Please have mercy Lord, have mercy if You please
Reiteration of the plea for mercy, now with a sense of urgency and desperation.

Well, if I done somebody wrong
Continuation of the earlier admission of guilt.

Keep on working that child
A call for perseverance and dedication in difficult times.

Oh, in a mourning heart
Referring to feelings of sadness and grief that may accompany hardships.

Well, if I've been a bad boy, baby I'll change my way
A promise to make amends and improve one's behavior.

Don't bad luck and trouble worry me
A reminder to remain resilient and hopeful even in trying circumstances.

Oh, love my days
Expressing gratitude and appreciation for the good times in life.

Please have mercy, Lord have mercy on me
Final plea for forgiveness and mercy, with an added emphasis on the humility and remorsefulness of the artist.

Well, if I done somebody wrong
Reiteration of earlier admission of wrongdoing as a demonstration of honesty and accountability.

Oh, have mercy if You please, oh Lord
Final plea for mercy and divine intervention to rectify the mistakes made.

Contributed by Tyler I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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