Sarah Menescal is a rising star in the world of contemporary Bossa Nova. Th… Read Full Bio ↴Sarah Menescal is a rising star in the world of contemporary Bossa Nova. The artist began her singing career as a participant on the acclaimed Jazz and 90s where her take on the No Doubt hit Don't Speak set the bar for jazz versions. She soon realized that her true calling lay in the swinging beats of the Brazilian musical genre. Her first album released in 2014 found her applying bossa touches to a number of contemporary pop classics and the results were astounding. Sarah has since released two studio albums including 2016Çs Consequence of Love and plans to head out on tour for the first time. While she mainly works alone, Sarah can be found in the studio recording with James Farrelli , with whom she has worked on versions of Africa and Eye in the Sky.

Mercy Mercy Me
Sarah Menescal Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Ah, mercy, mercy me,
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.

Ah, mercy, mercy me,
Ah, things ain't what they used to be, no, no.
Oil wasted on the ocean and upon

Our seas fish full of mercury

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?

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Sarah Menescal's cover of Marvin Gaye's "Mercy Mercy Me" expresses a poignant message about the state of the environment and how it has been plagued with challenges. The song highlights the changes in the world that negatively affect our environment, and how it is slowly deteriorating. The opening lines, "Ah, mercy mercy me, things ain't what they used to be", set the tone of the song as the singer laments on the change in the world from what it used to be in the past. The reference to missing blue skies and winds carrying poison from all directions suggests a world that no longer supports life.

The second verse concentrates on the challenges in the water bodies, with oil waste in the ocean and mercury in the seawater. The third verse laments the unimaginable pollution and radiation that animals in the sky and underground are exposed to, which has caused their deaths. It culminates with a question as to how much longer Earth can survive with the continued abuse and overpopulation.

Line by Line Meaning

Ah, mercy, mercy me,
Expressing a feeling of sadness and despair towards the current state of the world.

Ah, things ain′t what they used to be, no, no.
Acknowledging that the world has changed and not for the better.

Where did all the blue skies go?
Questioning the disappearance of clear blue skies due to pollution.

Poison is the wind that blows from the north and south and east.
Highlighting the fact that the winds blowing from various directions are carrying harmful pollutants.

Oil wasted on the ocean and upon
Referring to the excessive use of oil on the oceans that leads to pollution.

Our seas fish full of mercury
Drawing attention to the dangerous levels of mercury in fish due to industrial waste dumped in the sea.

Radiation underground and in the sky;
Identifying the presence of dangerous radiation underground and in the air.

Animals and birds who live near by are dying.
Observing the death of animals and birds due to environmental pollution.

What about this over crowded land?
Questioning the consequences of overcrowding on the environment and society.

How much more abuse from man can she stand?
Questioning the human tendency to exploit the environment and how much more of it can the earth bear.

Writer(s): Gaye Marvin P

Contributed by Juliana O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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