Somebody Have Mercy

Written by Sam Cooke    (Abkco Music Ltd 1962)

Information

• Some of the lyrics and chord changes sound like the song Match Box by Carl Perkins.
• When the song came out there was a rumor that Sam had leukemia (which he had not), the first line of the song did not help of course. On the Live at the Harlem Square Club Lp when he sings this song he adlibs "it ain't that leukemia"

Studio Version

Recorded on February 15, 1962 at RCA Hollywood, Studio 1, USA

Produced by Hugo Peretti and Luigi Creatore    Engineer: Al Schmitt

Orchestra Conducted by Rene Hall

Musicians:    Edward T. Beal - piano

Charts    #3 R&B 

Singles    

• RCA 1310 b/w Nothing Can Change This Love (UK)    
• RCA 8088 b/w Nothing Can Change This Love (Sep 11, 1962)

Albums    

• All Hits
• The Great Sam Cooke 
• Hits! 
• The Man And His Music
• The Man Who Invented Soul (Box)
• My Kind Of Soul - Late And Great Sam Cooke 
• 20 Golden Greats
• 20 Greatest Hits  
• Twisting The Night Away

Live Version

Albums    Live At The Harlem Square Club    /    The Man Who Invented Soul (Box)

Lyrics

Somebody have mercy and
tell me what is wrong with me (2x)
Sometimes I don't know how I stand
the things this woman do to me
Let me tell you
When I think about how she do me,
the tears fall down like rain, like rain (2x)
When I think I've got her chained down,
she starts actin' up again

Oh, let me tell you
I'm going down to the bus station
with a suitcase in my hand, yes I am (2x)
I'm gonna grab me an armful of greyhound
and ride just as close I can
do that thing for me know

Let me tell you one more time
Somebody have mercy,
I wonder what is wrong with me (2x)
Lord have mercy
Sometimes I don't know how I stand
the things this woman do to me

Do that one more time, my fellas
I'm standing here wondering baby
with a matchbox hole in my clothes
Standing wondering baby,
with a matchbox hole in my clothes
Oh I got a long way to get there
and I got-a some time to go

Covered By

• Gary P. Bass    ---    swing, different singing
• James Colin    ---    with bluesguitar solo
• Joanne Connor    ---    with blues mouthharp, singing is not too special
• Boo Boo Davis    ---    also with blues mouthharp, but better sung
• Ted Hawkins    ---    very nice acoustic solo performance
• Willie Hightower    ---    passionately but strained singing
• Wayne Jackson    ---    beat is stupid, horns are really good, but they are the Memphis Horns
• Luther "Guitar Junior" Johnson    ---    nice blues version of the song
• Shirley Johnson    ---    good singer, sounds a little like Tina Turner, nice piano
• Otis Rush    ---    good groove
• John "Broadway" Tucker    ---    mouthharp, acoustic blues guitar and stand-up bass, maybe the best version