Billy Ward (born Robert L. Williams, 19 September 1921, Savannah, Georgia—died 16 February 2002, Inglewood, California) grew up in Philadelphia, the second of three sons of Charles Williams and Cora Bates Williams, and was a child musical prodigy, winning an award for a piano composition at the age of 14. Following military service he studied music in Chicago, and at the Juilliard School of Music in New York. While working as a vocal coach and part-time arranger on Broadway, he met talent agent Rose Marks, who became his business and songwriting partner.
The pair set out to form a vocal group from the ranks of his students. The group was at first called the Ques, and comprised Clyde McPhatter (lead tenor), Charlie White (tenor), Joe Lamont (baritone), and Bill Brown (bass). Ward acted as their pianist and arranger. After the group made successful appearances on talent shows in the Apollo Theater and on the Arthur Godfrey show in 1950, Rene Hall recommended them to Ralph Bass of Federal Records, a subsidiary of King, where they were signed to a recording contract and renamed themselves the Dominoes. Their first single release, "Do Something For Me", with McPhatter’s lead vocal, reached the R&B charts in early 1951, climbing to #6.
After a less successful follow-up, the group released "Sixty Minute Man", on which Brown sang lead, and boasted of being able to satisfy his girls with fifteen minutes each of "kissin'" "teasin'" and "squeezin'", before "blowin'" his "top". It reached #1 on the R&B chart in May 1951 and stayed there for a 14 weeks. It was an important record in several respects—it crossed the boundaries between gospel singing and blues, its lyrics pushed the limits of what was deemed acceptable, and it appealed to many white as well as black listeners, peaking at #17 on the pop charts. In later years, it became a contender for the title of "the first rock and roll record".
The group toured widely, building up a reputation as one of the top R&B acts of the era, and an audience which crossed racial divides. However, Ward's strict disciplinarian approach, and failure to recompense the singers, caused internal problems. The name "The Dominoes" was owned by Ward and Marks, who had the power to hire and fire, and to pay the singers a salary. Clyde McPhatter was being paid barely enough to live on, and often found himself billed as "Clyde Ward" to fool fans into thinking he was Billy Ward's brother. White and Brown both left in 1951 to form The Checkers, and were replaced by James Van Loan and David McNeil (previously of The Larks).
In March 1952, the Dominoes were chosen to be the only vocal group at Alan Freed's "Moondog Coronation Ball". The hits continued, with "Have Mercy Baby" topping the R&B charts for 10 weeks in 1952. However, in early 1953, McPhatter also decided to leave, and soon formed a new group, The Drifters. His replacement in the Dominoes was Jackie Wilson, who had sung with the group on tour. Lamont and McNeil also left and were replaced by Milton Merle and Cliff Givens. With Wilson singing lead, singles such as "You Can't Keep A Good Man Down" continued to be successful.
In 1954, Ward moved the group to the Jubilee label and then to Decca, where they enjoyed a #27 pop hit with "St. Teresa of the Roses". However, the group were unable to follow that success in the charts, and there were a succession of personnel changes. They increasingly moved away from their R&B roots with appearances in Las Vegas and elsewhere. In late 1956, Wilson left for a solo career and was replaced by Gene Mumford of The Larks. The group then got a new contract with Liberty Records, and had a #13 pop hit with "Stardust". This proved to be their last major success, although various line-ups of the group continued recording and performing into the 1960s.
They were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2006.
Former members
Billy Ward
Clyde McPhatter
Charlie White
Joe Lamont
Bill Brown
James Van Loan
David McNeil
Jackie Wilson
Milton Merle
Cliff Givens
Have Mercy Baby
The Dominoes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Chasing some poor criminal
And I guess they're out to kill
Oh there must be shackles on his feet
And mother in his eyes
Stumbling through the Devil dark
With the hound pack in full cry
Have mercy on the criminal
Are you blind to the winds of change?
Don't you hear him anymore?
Saying, "Lord you gotta help me
Now I am never gonna sin again
Take these chains from around my legs
Sweet Jesus I'll be your friend"
Now have you ever seen the white teeth gleam
While you lie on a cold damp ground?
Taking in the face of a rifle butt
While the wardens hold you down
And you've never seen a friend in years
Oh it turns your heart to stone
You jump the wall and the dogs run free
And the grave gonna be your home
Have mercy on the criminal
Who is running from the law
Are you blind to the winds of change?
Don't you hear him anymore?
Saying, "Lord you gotta help me
Now I am never gonna sin again
Take these chains from around my legs
Sweet Jesus I'll be your friend"
Have mercy on the criminal
Who is running from the law
Are you blind to the winds of change?
Don't you hear him anymore?
Saying, "Lord you gotta help me
Now I am never gonna sin again
Take these chains from around my legs
Sweet Jesus I'll be your friend"
Somewhere on the hill?
Chasing some poor criminal
The Dominoes' song "Have Mercy Baby" is a poignant plea for mercy on behalf of a criminal who is running from the law. The lyrics describe the desperate situation of a man who is being pursued by law enforcement, and who is at the mercy of his captors. The song paints a vivid picture of a man who is in agony, and who is begging for help from anyone who will listen.
The first verse of the song describes the scene of a criminal fleeing from the law. The hounds are barking and the man is stumbling through the dark, his mother's face in his eyes. The second verse tells a story of an innocent man who is being held captive, beaten down by the wardens, and yearning for freedom. The refrain is a plea to "have mercy on the criminal" and to hear his cries for help and forgiveness.
The lyrics of "Have Mercy Baby" are particularly powerful, conveying the pain and suffering of those who are trapped in the criminal justice system. They ask the listener to take a moment to consider the humanity of those who are often seen as nothing more than criminals. The song is a reminder that even those who have been condemned by society deserve a second chance and a little bit of mercy and compassion.
Line by Line Meaning
Somewhere on the hill?
Do you know where they are searching for this criminal?
Chasing some poor criminal
They are pursuing someone who may not deserve it
And I guess they're out to kill
They seem determined to harm this person
Oh there must be shackles on his feet
The criminal is likely restrained and unable to escape
And mother in his eyes
He may be full of despair, as if watching his own mother die
Stumbling through the Devil dark
He is wandering through a sinister, evil place
With the hound pack in full cry
Dogs are hot on his heels, baying and yelping
Have mercy on the criminal
Please spare this person from their punishment
Who is running from the law
This person is trying to escape justice
Are you blind to the winds of change?
Can you not see that things are not always as they seem?
Don't you hear him anymore?
Have you lost the ability to listen and empathize with others?
Saying, "Lord you gotta help me
Please send help, God
Now I am never gonna sin again
I promise to turn my life around and be a better person
Take these chains from around my legs
Please free me from this bondage and restriction
Sweet Jesus I'll be your friend"
I promise to follow you and be loyal to you
Now have you ever seen the white teeth gleam
Have you witnessed the cruelty of someone wielding a weapon?
While you lie on a cold damp ground?
It can be a chilling, damp experience
Taking in the face of a rifle butt
Feeling the impact of a gun being struck against your face
While the wardens hold you down
Being restrained by those in power
And you've never seen a friend in years
Being alone and isolated for a long time
Oh it turns your heart to stone
This kind of treatment can harden your soul and emotions
You jump the wall and the dogs run free
Escaping from a place of confinement and being chased by dogs
And the grave gonna be your home
It seems like death is the inevitable outcome
Writer(s): Billy Ward
Contributed by Callie G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@thomashybiske5399
A number of years ago on one of my frequent trips between Massachusetts and South Jersey, I stopped at a cemetery in Paramus, NJ and visited the grave of Clyde. It was a very modest surface marker, and I wondered how many people had walked by his grave and never realized the impact this man had on modern music. He was only 39 at the time of his death, and had struggled for years with depression and alcoholism, and was broke and despondent over a mismanaged career that made him a legend but not a success. I placed a pebble on the carved bouquet of flowers on his marker and vowed to return again some day.
@Oliveras1943
My mother and father moved from a mountain in puerto rico when i was three yesrs old. We moved to a fourth floor apartment in harlem nyc. Our upstairs neighbors were black brother hugo and his sister omara. To me they were the kindest and most hospitable persons i ever met in my whole life. God bless them both. One day while i was visiting them i heard a record that sounded great to me. It was “mercy mercy baby” by clyde and billy and the boys. To me that will always be a great memory. I am now in my late seventies. Rene now from jersey.
@scienz
thank you for sharing 🇵🇷 🇵🇷 🇵🇷 ✊
@spoonful1018
Love Clyde McPhatter - This version of the Dominoes was the greatest R&B band ever
@jamesbitetto6040
ACTUALLY they weren't a band but an early Rythm and blues group with the some of the very most gifted vocalists of all time. Actually, In my 50 years plus I never heard group with such talented vocalist starting with the Julliard graduate, voice coach, musical arranger and gifted keyboard player BILLY WARD, then of course Jackie Wilson, the incredible CLYDE MCPHATTER and when Jackie left he was replaced by the Fantastic Eugene Mumford however, othe groups without such well known talents has surpassed the Dominos, for example, Platters, Orioles, HARPTONES, Flaimngoes, Solitares, Heartbeats, Five Keys, my late friend George GRANT and his Castels, Swallows, Ravens, Cloves, last but never the least The Larks just for a small example.
@lisapsalms9358
Billy Ward my talented father he had great singer love this song my mom used to play it ...❤
@bluenote824jones7
Yes yes yes .a genius . Great man
@lisapsalms9358
@@bluenote824jones7 thank you
@7884golfguru
Awesome brother
@AndrewVOdom
This band (and specifically Clyde McPhatter ) was one of Elvis Presley’s favorite acts and biggest influences.