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 

MP3 at Amazon.com

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
• The Best Of (Paradiso)

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
James Colin	National Steel (1998)
Joanne Connor	The Joanna Connor Band (2002)	Get it at Amazon.com
Boo Boo Davis	East St. Louis (2001)	Get it at Amazon.com
Guitar Ray & the Gamblers	Poorman Blues	Get it at Amazon.com
Terry Hanck	Night Train (2005)	Get it at Amazon.com
Ted Hawkins	Songs From Venice Beach (1995)
Willie Hightower	Willie Hightower (2005)
Wayne Jackson
Luther "Guitar Junior"  Johnson	Living Chicago Blues, Vol. 4	Get it at Amazon.com
Shirley Johnson
Lil Aaron Mosby		Get it at Amazon.com
Michael Packer Blues Band	Sweet Rhythm (2006)	Get it at Amazon.com
John Primer	Teardrops Blues Jam
Lou Rawls		Get it at Amazon.com
Otis Rush	Ain't Enough Coming In (1994)
Sulo & Louise Hoffsten	Soul Folks: The Sam Cooke Concerts	Get it at Amazon.com
John Broadway Tucker	Broadway: Mississippi to Monterey (1999)