Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)
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| "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" | ||
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| Single by Marvin Gaye | ||
| from the album What's Going On | ||
| Released | June 10, 1971 | |
| Format | vinyl record (7", 45 RPM) | |
| Recorded | Hitsville USA (Studio A); March 1971 | |
| Genre | Soul | |
| Length | 3:14 | |
| Label | Tamla | |
| Producer(s) | Marvin Gaye | |
| Chart positions | ||
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| Marvin Gaye singles chronology | ||
| "What's Going On" (1971) |
"Mercry Mercy Me (The Ecology)" (1971) |
"Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)" (1971) |
"Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" was the second single from Marvin Gaye's legendary 1971 album, What's Going On.
Following the breakthrough of the title track's success, this song, written solely by Gaye, became one of his most poignant anthems of sorrow at the world dealing with the environment. Led by Gaye playing piano, strings conducted by Paul Riser, multi-tracking vocals from Gaye and additional background vocals by The Andantes, the instrumentals provided by The Funk Brothers and a leading sax solo by Wild Bill Moore, the song rose to #4 on Billboard's Pop Singles chart and #1 for two weeks on the R&B singles charts on August 14 through to August 27, 1971. As the single became his second million seller from What's Going On the album crashed on the soul album charts in the top five, and began charging up the pop rankings. "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" soon became one of Gaye's most famous songs in his extensive catalogue. In 2002 it was his third single recording to win a "Grammy Hall of Fame" Award.
[edit] Covers
- The Strokes recorded a cover of the song with Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder and Queens of the Stone Age's Josh Homme and released it as a B-side for their 2006 You Only Live Once single.
It was also covered by Robert Palmer.
[edit] Credits
- Lead and background vocals by Marvin Gaye
- Additional background vocals by The Andantes
- Saxophone solo by "Wild" Bill Moore
- Piano played by Marvin Gaye
- Strings conducted by Paul Riser
- Other instrumentation by The Funk Brothers
