Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)

Marvin Gaye

Death has been hovering this past week — and with the election results trickling in today, I can’t help but meditate on this life we get to live in 2022.

How many days/months/years will we get — and how will we actually become stewards of this planet? Is it too late? How will we care for this world, so our children and our children’s children get lives and their liberties? How will we ensure they actually get to pursue love and happiness?

I’m not a big fan of mixing art and politics. Often the result is didactic, ineffective, off-putting. And in worst cases, you get propaganda, which is never good.

Sometimes it works though, like in this incredible song from 1971. Such beautiful, melodic vocals from Marvin — a top 5 Marvin Gaye song for me. I love how his ideas are built on a kind of approachable humility. It’s not an angry song. He comes on his knees asking for mercy.

I love how he brings in that saxophone at 1:53 and then the music gradually evolves into these minor chords. And then? He leaves us with a sort of requiem to mediate on.

Woah, ah, mercy, mercy me
Ah, things ain't what they used to be (ain't what they used to be)
Where did all the blue skies go?
Poison is the wind that blows
From the north and south and east

Woah mercy, mercy me, yeah
Ah, things ain't what they used to be (ain't what they used to be)
Oil wasted on the ocean and upon our seas
Fish full of mercury

Oh Jesus, yeah, mercy, mercy me, ah
Ah, things ain't what they used to be (ain't what they used to be)
Radiation underground and in the sky
Animals and birds who live nearby are dying

Hey, mercy, mercy me, oh
Hey, things ain't what they used to be
What about this overcrowded land?
How much more abuse from man can she stand?

Oh, na, na, na
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Hey, ooh, woo