Barber won the Female Artist Recording of the Year award for her debut album "Oh Heart" at the 2005 Music Nova Scotia Awards. In 2007, Barber earned her fourth win as Best Female Local Solo Artist in The Coast’s annual "Best of Music Reader’s Poll", and her first win as Best Canadian Female Solo Artist for "For All Time".
Barber studied at Queen's University before pursuing her musical career full time. Her breakthrough "For All Time" was recorded & produced in Toronto by Les Cooper (who also performs as a multi-instrumentalist on the album), and features a number of Canada’s musicians; Bazil Donovan (Blue Rodeo) on bass and Blake Manning (Sarah Slean, Kim Stockwood) on drums. Guest appearances include a vocal performance by Jim Cuddy (Blue Rodeo) on Don’t Go Easy, guitar by singer/songwriter Luke Doucet, piano and clarinet performances by Spencer Evans (Sarah Harmer) and a duet with her brother Matthew Barber. The album was mixed by Andre Wahl (Hawksley Workman, Anne Murray) and mastered by Chris Potter (Sarah McLachlan, Rufus Wainwright). Further albums include "A Note to Follow So", "Oh Heart", and "For All Time".
In 2008, Barber released "Chances", a jazz album with full orchestral arrangements which was partially co-written with her producer Les Cooper, while also collaborating on several songs with Canadian musician Ron Sexsmith.
She followed up with the album ""Mischievous Moon", released through Outside Music in 2011. Barber won the SiriusXM 2012 Jazz Artist of the Year award, as well as the 2013 Western Canadian Francophone Album of the Year for ""Chansons".
Her solo album, ""Metaphora", was released in June 2018. She followed up with another French-language album, ""Entre nous", in 2020, and with ""Homemaker" in 2023.
Official site: http://www.jillbarber.com
Mercy
Jill Barber Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Fighting a battle of one
And every night it gets harder
To wait for the sun
I know you feel alone
Against a current that's strong
Between a rock and a storm
The one to pull you along
(You wanna feel alright)
You wanna see that light shining again
You wanna feel alright
(You wanna feel alright)
Show mercy
Show mercy
Show mercy to yourself
Show mercy
Show mercy
Show mercy to yourself
All I ever wanted to say to someone else
Show mercy to yourself
Pray to the stars from a barstool
Filling your tank from a glass
You bottle it up
That's what you do
So nobody can ask
You wanna feel alright
(You wanna feel alright)
You wanna see that light shining again
You wanna feel alright
(You wanna feel alright)
Show mercy
Show mercy
Show mercy to yourself
Show mercy
Show mercy
Show mercy to yourself
You don't have to go and break your back
I got you
I got you
Even if you fall right off the track
I got you
I got you
Show mercy
Show mercy
Show mercy to yourself
All I ever wanted to say to someone else
Show mercy to yourself
Jill Barber's song, "Mercy," is a touching reminder of the importance of showing compassion to oneself. Through the lyrics, we get a glimpse of someone who is struggling to keep up with life's demands and constantly fighting a personal battle. The imagery of a knight in armor fighting a battle of one stresses the idea that this person is faced with a never-ending fight alone.
Moreover, the song touches on how difficult it can be to ask for help and open up to others. The line "you bottle it up so nobody can ask" expresses that sentiment perfectly. It's a reminder that we all need to be gentle with ourselves and not be too hard on our shortcomings. The chorus repeats the phrase "show mercy to yourself" as a reminder of the importance of self-care.
The verse "pray to the stars from a barstool/filling your tank from a glass" speaks to the idea of finding comfort in vices, which is a common coping mechanism for those who are struggling. The song acknowledges that it's essential to recognize our own struggles, but it's also okay to lean on others and ask for help when we need it.
Overall, "Mercy" is a poignant reminder of the power of self-compassion and the need to be kind to oneself.
Line by Line Meaning
You're like a knight in armour
You are trying to protect yourself from pain and hardship, just like a knight would wear armor
Fighting a battle of one
You are fighting alone, against something that others may not be able to understand or help with
And every night it gets harder
As time goes on, your struggle becomes more difficult to bear
To wait for the sun
You are looking for a glimmer of hope, a source of light in the darkness
I know you feel alone
I understand that you are going through this on your own, and may not have anyone to turn to
Against a current that's strong
You are up against something powerful and hard to control, like a current in a river
Between a rock and a storm
You are caught between a very hard place and a very tough situation, like being stuck in the middle of a storm on a rocky beach
The one to pull you along
You need someone, or something, to help you move forward and make progress
You wanna feel alright
You want to be able to let go of your pain and suffering and feel good again
(You wanna feel alright)
Repeating the previous line for emphasis
You wanna see that light shining again
You want to find hope and positivity in your life again, and see the bright side of things
Show mercy
Be kind to yourself
Show mercy
Repeating the previous line for emphasis
Show mercy to yourself
Take care of yourself, and treat yourself with love and compassion
All I ever wanted to say to someone else
This is the message that the singer wants to share with others
Pray to the stars from a barstool
You are feeling lost and alone, and may turn to prayer or other coping mechanisms to deal with your pain
Filling your tank from a glass
You may turn to alcohol or other vices to help you get through the day
You bottle it up
You keep your pain and suffering to yourself, and don't share it with others
That's what you do
This has become a habit, and you may not know how to break out of it
You don't have to go and break your back
You don't need to suffer needlessly, or work too hard to overcome your challenges
I got you
The singer wants to support you and help you through your struggles
Even if you fall right off the track
Even if you stumble or make mistakes, the person singing this song still wants to be there for you
Contributed by Peyton E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
toni MJ
😢 my deepest inside emotions put in words . How deeply moved I am . Angelic voice and wow , what a beautiful and touching song 🙏🏼
grant smythe
Yes. Looks like we may be moving into a dark period for humanity. We'll need a lot of mercy but may stumble upon little. Well-wishes to you and all.