Leslie West (born Leslie Weinstein on 22 October 1945; died 22 December 20… Read Full Bio ↴Leslie West (born Leslie Weinstein on 22 October 1945; died 22 December 2020) was an American rock guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter best known as a founding member and co-lead vocalist of the hard rock band Mountain. He also produced two studio albums and a live release with Cream bassist Jack Bruce under the name West, Bruce and Laing. West released a number of solo albums and was highly respected for his guitar work.

West gained fame the world over during his long career as one of the most innovative and influential musicians in the history of rock music. He is most noted for his role as leader of the explosive hard rock trio, Mountain, which was named by VH-1 as one of the Top 100 Hard Rock Groups of all time. With Mountain, he climbed the heights of rock stardom on the strength of a unique, signature guitar sound and classic songs such as “Mississippi Queen”, “Never In My Life” and “Theme From An Imaginary Western”,and Nantucket Sleighride which are still staples of rock radio to this day. West earned the admiration of a long list of famous peers. During his career, he recorded or played with a litany of rock icons including Billy Joel, Van Halen, The Who, Mick Jagger and Jimi Hendrix, to name just a few. In fact, Eddie Van Halen, Michael Schenker and Richie Sambora have all cited West as an important influence on their own music.

West's bold, expressive and unique guitar style is really a mirror of his own personality. Spend a little time talking with this larger-than-life figure, and you’ll realize that he is as charismatic without a guitar in his hands as he is with one. Possessing a sharp sense of humor, he was at once gregarious and gruff while recounting stories from his legendary past. When discussing his music projects, he exuded an infectious enthusiasm and excitement. Such projects could take him outside his traditional roles of guitarist, singer and songwriter.

In 1986, he acted alongside Tom Hanks and Shelley Long in the hit comedy film, The Money Pit and has lent his distinctive voice to the popular animated series, Beast Wars Transformers which ran for three seasons on the WB network beginning in 1996 before going into syndication. He has also contributed the theme music to the new WB show, Mutant X.

West was a popular personality on the Howard Stern Radio Show and was Musical Director for the shock jock’s FOX series, as well as for the late comedian Sam Kinison. Most recently, he lent his production and songwriting skills to an album by Atlantic Records’ modern rock group, Clutch, and has just released his own instructional guitar DVD, Big Phat Ass Guitar.

Sinner's Prayer
Leslie West 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've Done Somebody Wrong, Lord, Have Mercy If You Please.
I Used To Have Plenty Of Money, The Finest Clothes In Town,
But Bad Luck And Trouble Overtaken Me, Bound To Get Me Down.
Please Have Mercy, Lord Have Mercy On Me.
Well If I've Done Somebody Wrong, Lord, Have Mercy If You Please.
Keep On Working Now, Child.

Lord Every Morning.
Well If I've Been A Bad Boy, Baby, I Declare I'll Change My Ways.
I Don't Want Bad Luck And Trouble To Follow Me All My Days.

Please Have Mercy, Lord Have Mercy On Me.
Well If I've Done Somebody Wrong, Lord, Have Mercy If You Please.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Leslie West's song "Sinner's Prayer" depict a plea to God for mercy and forgiveness. West acknowledges that he has done wrong, stating that he used to have money and fine clothes but bad luck and trouble have overtaken him. He asks God to have mercy on him and change his ways, declaring that he doesn't want to be followed by bad luck and trouble for the rest of his days.

In a broader sense, the song reflects the human experience of struggling with temptation, making mistakes, and seeking redemption. By asking for mercy and declaring a willingness to change, West demonstrates a sense of humility and a desire to grow as a person.

Overall, "Sinner's Prayer" is a poignant and heartfelt song that speaks to the universal human experience of striving for a better life and seeking forgiveness for past mistakes.

Line by Line Meaning

Lord Have Mercy, Lord Have Mercy On Me.
The author pleads to the Lord for mercy and forgiveness.

Well If I've Done Somebody Wrong, Lord, Have Mercy If You Please.
The author acknowledges that they may have wronged someone and requests mercy from the Lord.

I Used To Have Plenty Of Money, The Finest Clothes In Town, But Bad Luck And Trouble Overtaken Me, Bound To Get Me Down.
The author describes their past prosperity, but acknowledges their current struggles and misfortune.

Please Have Mercy, Lord Have Mercy On Me.
The author once again pleads for mercy and forgiveness from the Lord.

Keep On Working Now, Child. Lord Every Morning.
The author encourages the listener to keep working hard and to seek the Lord every day.

Well If I've Been A Bad Boy, Baby, I Declare I'll Change My Ways. I Don't Want Bad Luck And Trouble To Follow Me All My Days.
The author expresses a desire to change their ways and to avoid further misfortune, with the hope of receiving mercy.

Please Have Mercy, Lord Have Mercy On Me. Well If I've Done Somebody Wrong, Lord, Have Mercy If You Please.
The author repeats their pleas for mercy and forgiveness, acknowledging their past wrongdoing once again.

Writer(s): LLOYD C. GLENN, LOWELL FULSON

Contributed by Grayson K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS