Since 1990, Liebert has released a total of 23 albums, including live releases, Christmas CDs, 10 CDs of original music, a DVD and remixes. His debut album sold double-platinum and has become one of the best-selling guitar albums. His fans – hardcore guitarists and guitar fans, instrumental music aficionados and numerous lovers of his often poignant, always inspired sound – are ardent in their appreciation of Liebert.
Today, Liebert offers his own recordings and those of other artists, plus loops and individual tracks that make up some of the songs, in his newly created Listening Lounge, where one can find recordings unavailable elsewhere under a Creative Commons Sampling Plus 1.0 license.
Ten Piedad De Mi 'Mercy Mercy Me '
Ottmar Liebert Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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
Woo mercy, mercy me
Ah things ain't what they used to be, no, no
Our seas fish full of mercury, ah. oh
Ah things ain't what they used to be
What about this over crowded land
How much more abuse from man can she stand?
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,
Oh mercy, mercy me.
Ah things ain't what they used to be.
No, no, no, radiation underground and in the sky;
Animals and land how much more abuse from man can she stand?
In Ottmar Liebert's song Ten Piedad De Mi, he sings a cover version of Marvin Gaye's classic tune, "Mercy Mercy Me." The song is about the state of the environment and how it has changed for the worse. Throughout the lyrics, Ottmar points out how the environment is suffering due to the actions of humans, causing damage to the ocean, sky, and animals. The loss of blue skies is a metaphor for the pollution in the atmosphere, and the poison wind that blows from the north, south, and east could represent destruction and damage occurring from all directions.
Ottmar also points out how humans have abused the land by overpopulation and causing harm, which indicates that we need to be responsible for preserving our planet. He expresses his sadness and concern for the environment by repeatedly singing, "Oh mercy, mercy me," throughout the song. Ottmar's rendition of the song is no different from the original in terms of tone, melody or lyrics; it is just a translated version in Spanish. However, Liebert's version carries the same message as the original, warning of impending environmental disaster.
One interesting fact about the song is that in 1971, Marvin Gaye released this song as a part of his album, "What's Going On," which was his response to the war in Vietnam and the political and social issues of the time. Another fascinating fact is that Marvin was inspired to write the song after simply looking out his window upon the shores of Lake Michigan and witnessing the toxic sludge floating in the water from a nearby steel plant.
In conclusion, Ten Piedad De Mi is Ottmar Liebert's version of Marvin Gaye's classic protest song about environmental decline. It is a call to take responsibility for our actions and preserve the planet we live on. It is an essential song that speaks to the environmental issues that are still relevant today, forty-seven years after its original release.
Chords (as best as we could find): Verse:
Gm7 Cm7 Gm7 Cm7 Woo ah, mercy mercy me Gm7 Cm7 Gm7 Cm7 Ah things ain't what they used to be Chorus:
Bb Eb Woo mercy, mercy me Bb Eb/D Ab/C Bb Ah things ain't what they used to be Bb Eb No, no, where did all the blue skies go? Bb Eb/D Ab/C Bb Poison is the wind that blows from the north and south and east Bb Eb Oh mercy, mercy me Bb Eb/D Ab/C Bb Ah things ain't what they used to be Bb Eb What about this overcrowded land? Bb Eb/D Ab/C Bb How much more abuse from man can she stand? Bb Eb Oh mercy, mercy me Bb Eb/D Ab/C Bb Ah things ain't what they used to be.
Line by Line Meaning
Woo ah mercy, mercy me
Expressing the pain and sorrow with a sense of cry for mercy.
Ah, things ain't what they used to be.
The current situation is entirely different from what was in the past.
No, no, where did all the blue skies go,
The beautiful blue skies we once had, are nowhere to be found.
Poison is the wind that blows
The wind now carries harmful substances which are poisoning the environment.
From the north and south and east
The toxic wind is spreading all around from the different directions.
Woo mercy, mercy me
Reiterating the pain and calling for mercy.
Oil wasted on the ocean and upon
The oil has been carelessly dumped in large quantities, causing damage to the oceans.
Our seas fish full of mercury, ah. oh
The water in which the fishes swim is polluted with mercury which is also harmful to human beings.
What about this over crowded land
The increasing population is causing landmass to become too crowded.
How much more abuse from man can she stand?
Inquiring how much more destruction can the environment handle from human beings.
No, no, no, radiation underground and in the sky;
Radiation from the earth and the sky is causing harm to all living creatures.
Animals and birds who live near by are dying oh,
Wildlife living in proximity to areas with radiation are experiencing death.
Animals and land how much more abuse from man can she stand?
Asking how much more damage can the environment endure from human activities.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Marvin Gaye
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind