Chords + Lyrics | Mercy Mercy Me
Intro
| G#/A# | G#/A# | A/B | Amaj7/B |
Verse 1
| Emaj7 Emaj9 | Emaj9 Emaj7 |
Woah, oh, mercy, mercy me.
| C#m7 C#m9 | C#m9 C#m7 |
Oh, things ain’t what they used to be, no, no.
| F#m7 F#m9 | F#m9 F#m7 |
Where did all the blue skies go?
| B9 B11 | B11 Amaj7/B |
Poison is the wind that blows from the north and south and east.
Verse 2
Woah, 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.
Verse 3
Oh, oh, mercy, mercy me.
Ah, things ain’t what they used to be, no more.
Radiation underground and in the sky.
Animals and birds who live nearby are dying.
Verse 4
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?
Outro
| Am7 A7sus4 | A7sus4 Am7 |
| Dm7 Dm9 | Dm9 Dm7 |
| Gm7 Gm9 | Gm9 Gm7 |
| Bb/C | Bbmaj7/C |
||: Bbm7 Bbm9 :||
End (free time)
| Bbm9 | Cm9 | Fdim7/G | Cmmaj7 |
Mercy Mercy Me Chords: A Deep Dive into Marvin Gaye’s Harmony
Marvin Gaye‘s Mercy Mercy Me shares similarities with another iconic track from the same album, What’s Going On.
Like What’s Going On, the main chord progression is I – VI – II – V.
What’s particularly interesting about Mercy Mercy Me is how the chord extensions move from maj7 to maj9, and min7 to min9, particularly in the keyboard parts!
The guitar part doesn’t include all these extensions, so it’s best explained using TAB. Here’s a link: Mercy Mercy Me – Guitar Lesson with TAB.
In that section of the lesson, we go further and develop the guitar part to incorporate the keyboard’s extensions.
Once you’ve checked out the TAB, you can use the chord progression as a helpful reminder, like this:
||: Emaj7 (I) Emaj9 | Emaj9 Emaj7 |
| C#m7 (VI) C#m9| C#m9 C#m7 |
| F#m7 (II) F#m9 | F#m9 F#m7 |
| B9 (V) B11 | B11 Amaj7/B :||
As a jazz standard, Mercy Mercy Me will likely be part of your repertoire for years to come. There’s a wealth of harmony to explore, and the deeper you dive into it, the more rewarding it becomes.
After spending hours working on it, having a simple chord chart can be invaluable as you head to gigs—whether it’s a Motown/Soul gig or a jazz jam. Here’s a one I created for you.
Mercy Mercy Me Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro Download
Should you want to download this chart, here’s a PDF: Mercy Mercy Me chord chart PDF.
This chord chart was created using iReal Pro, here’s a link to that file: Mercy Mercy Me iReal Pro.
Using this and the iRealPro app, you can change the key, which is a great idea if you’re using Mercy Mercy Me’s chords to practise soloing.
Mercy Mercy Me TAB | Course Preview
In the course, we cover all sections of Mercy Mercy Me, there’s TAB showing you how to play it with a band using tasteful voicings and smooth chord transitions.
As a preview, here’s the first half of the verse. The idea here is to use the smallest possible movement.
An Environmental Protest Song Half a Century Before Greta Went on a School Strike!
Long before Greta Thunberg became famous for her Friday school strikes and later a global spokesperson for the environment, Marvin Gaye had already put the message in a song.
Solely written by Marvin himself, Mercy Mercy Me was brought to life by the Funk Brothers. What’s remarkable is that, despite its masterpiece status, the Funk Brothers were fired a year later when Berry Gordy relocated to L.A.
Another striking fact is that Mercy Mercy Me and the album’s other big hit, What’s Going On, essentially share the same chord progression, and both were released as consecutive singles, each charting successfully.
Mercy Mercy Me has since become a jazz standard, ideal for endless soloing. If you get the chance, give it a try! As you do, aim to target the chord notes and extensions—they’ll give you a deeper connection to the song’s harmony!
Mercy Mercy Me Chords: Continue Learning
Want to master this song? Check out the full TAB lesson here: Mercy Mercy Me (Marvin Gaye) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Alternatively, here are five similar tunes you might enjoy:
