Mercy Mercy Me
Marvin Gaye(마빈 게이) Lyrics
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Ah, things ain't what they used to be, no, no.
Where did all the blue skies go?
Poison is the wind that blows from the north and south and east.
Mercy, mercy me,
Ah, things ain't what they used to be, no, no.
Oil wasted on the ocean and upon
Oh, mercy, mercy me.
Ah, things ain't what they used to be, no, no, no.
Radiation underground and in the sky;
Animals and birds who live near by are dying.
Oh, mercy, mercy me.
Ah, things ain't what they used to be.
What about this over crowded land?
How much more abuse from man can she stand?
Marvin Gaye's "Mercy Mercy Me" is a poignant and powerful protest song that laments the state of the environment and the damage that human beings have inflicted upon it. Gaye opens with the refrain "Ah, mercy, mercy me," surrounding his words with mournful, ethereal harmonies. He then repeats the line "Ah, things ain't what they used to be, no, no," underscoring his sense of loss and longing for a time when the environment was healthier and more stable.
Gaye uses powerful metaphors throughout the song to convey the scope and severity of environmental degradation. He asks, "Where did all the blue skies go?" and describes poison winds blowing in from all directions, carrying toxins that harm both humans and other living beings. He laments the damage that oil spills have inflicted on marine life, singing of "seas fish full of mercury," and he calls attention to the dangers of radiation from nuclear weapons testing and other sources.
Through all of these powerful images, Gaye makes it clear that the health of the environment is intimately tied to the health and well-being of all living things. He ends the song by asking a question that is just as relevant today as it was when the song was first recorded: "What about this overcrowded land? How much more abuse from man can she stand?" Through his lyrics, Gaye demands that we start taking responsibility for the damage we have inflicted upon the environment and work to build a more sustainable and just future for all.
Line by Line Meaning
Ah, mercy, mercy me,
Oh, how I pray for mercy, mercy on this world,
Ah, things ain't what they used to be, no, no.
The world has changed, and it's not for the better,
Where did all the blue skies go?
I long for the blue skies of the past,
Poison is the wind that blows from the north and south and east.
The wind is no longer refreshing but filled with poison,
Oil wasted on the ocean and upon Our seas fish full of mercury,
Oil spills and pollution have destroyed our oceans and poisoned our fish,
Radiation underground and in the sky;
Radiation is present everywhere, underground and in the sky,
Animals and birds who live near by are dying.
The animals and birds that once thrived are now dying off,
What about this over crowded land?
What about the world, now overpopulated and struggling,
How much more abuse from man can she stand?
How much more can this world take from the constant abuse by man?
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MARVIN GAYE, MARVIN P GAYE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@timmy841212
@Alex Atuh What are you even talking about? I got the In Our Lifetime album. He was basically talking about nuclear war in one track. I meant for an ENTIRE ALBUM. I call IOL more of an introspective album. But I won't deny he did SOME socially conscious work on it. I meant FULL album, not songs. I'll break it down:
1.) Praise - funky song about God and love
2.) Life Is for Learning - basically breaks down what makes an artist
3.) Love Party - I can argue that there's a social message in it. Like "let's love one another before the world ends"
4.) Funk Me - not a social song
5.) Far Cry - the infamous unfinished track
6.) Love Me Now or Love Me Later - a personal song about good vs. evil
7.) Heavy Love Affair - song about Janis
8.) In Our Lifetime - funky song that mentions Armageddon
9.) Nuclear Juice - instrumental but the title indicates he was thinking about the potential nuclear war
Lol "not a real fan"? Please. 😂
@bobfreuden
Whoa, oh, mercy mercy me
Oh, things ain't what they used to be, no no
Where did all the blue skies go?
Poison is the wind that blows from the North and South and East
Whoa mercy, mercy me
Oh, things ain't what they used to be, no no
Oil wasted on the oceans and upon our seas, fish full of mercury
Oh, oh, oh mercy, mercy me
Oh things ain't what they used to be, no no
Radiation underground and in the sky
Animals and birds who live nearby are dying
Oh mercy, mercy me
Oh things ain't what they used to be
What about this overcrowded land
How much more abuse from man can she stand?
Oooh, oooh, oh no no, na, na na, na
My sweet Lord, na, na, na
My, my Lord, my sweet Lord
Breathe
@timmy841212
People often ask why he never created another socially conscious album when in reality, he SAID IT ALL in this album...
@stevepafford5501
exactly. I've said exactly that in my album at 50 feature https://www.stevepafford.com/whatsgoingon50/
@AlexAtuh
Uhh he made in our lifetime ? Y’all not real fans though lol
@timmy841212
@Alex Atuh What are you even talking about? I got the In Our Lifetime album. He was basically talking about nuclear war in one track. I meant for an ENTIRE ALBUM. I call IOL more of an introspective album. But I won't deny he did SOME socially conscious work on it. I meant FULL album, not songs. I'll break it down:
1.) Praise - funky song about God and love
2.) Life Is for Learning - basically breaks down what makes an artist
3.) Love Party - I can argue that there's a social message in it. Like "let's love one another before the world ends"
4.) Funk Me - not a social song
5.) Far Cry - the infamous unfinished track
6.) Love Me Now or Love Me Later - a personal song about good vs. evil
7.) Heavy Love Affair - song about Janis
8.) In Our Lifetime - funky song that mentions Armageddon
9.) Nuclear Juice - instrumental but the title indicates he was thinking about the potential nuclear war
Lol "not a real fan"? Please. 😂
@jamuga60
Fucking nailed it.............................................this makes a huge statement. Touche'.
@riyadhrafique8377
"Mercy, mercy, me!!! Things aint what they used to be!!!"- Things weren't the same in 1971 when Marvin composed this & believe me when I say things aren't what they used to be pre 2020, pre pandemic- a year later, and all of our lives collectively has changed- not exactly for the better (families have lost loved ones, people are struggling to pay their bills, put food on the table- you name it)!!! Times change- or as some people believe, nothing changes, EVER!!!
@Redeyedvideo
Been listening to this for 50 years and if I lived another 50 years I'd still be listening. Mercy, Mercy Me.
@jeraldford3494
One of my all time favorite song of 1971🎵🎶🎧🎤
@mileswalcott7241
I love the horns and listen to the percussion top class
@henrylouis8601
Considering the album has been out 52 years, I find this hard to believe.