Mercy (song)
Encyclopedia
"Mercy" is a soul
song performed by Welsh blue-eyed soul
singer Duffy
, released as the second single
from her debut album, Rockferry
(2008). Co-written by Duffy and Steve Booker
and produced by Booker, it was released over 2008 worldwide to critical acclaim and unprecedented chart success. As Duffy's first international release, the song is credited with firmly establishing the singer's career and is now considered her signature song. "Mercy" received comparisons to Duffy's previous single, "Rockferry
". Critical reviewers of "Mercy" noted similarities between the song to releases by Aretha Franklin
, Dusty Springfield
and The Supremes
, as well as contemporaries such as fellow British singer Amy Winehouse
.
"Mercy" was nominated for several awards in 2008, including the Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
at the 51st Grammy Awards
. Well-received by the public, "Mercy" went on to become the third-best-selling-single of 2008 in the United Kingdom, with sales of over 500,000 copies in the UK that year. The song achieved worldwide chart success, with Duffy attributing this to the fact that "everyone is searching for liberty ... from themselves or from the world they’ve created around them" and "everyone would like to be set free". It is Duffy's best-selling single to date.
The song has since been covered
several times since its original release, most notably by the cast of musical television series Glee
as well as by both The Fratellis
and OneRepublic
on BBC Radio 1
's Live Lounge
. The Glee version reached music charts in the United Kingdom and Ireland, and Duffy herself performed the song for the Live Lounge. The song was performed live at various music festival
s as well as on Duffy's 2008-2009 tour. The main-release music video, directed by Daniel Wolfe, has been viewed on video sharing website YouTube
over 30 million times.
during the final stages of completion for Rockferry. In an interview with Mojo
, Duffy noted that she "felt something was missing and 'Mercy' was that missing thing", saying that herself and Booker were "writing it literally at the end, when the strings were being put on 'Rockferry
' and 'Warwick Avenue
". Duffy first met Booker by chance because she bought the flat in Ladbroke Grove
that Booker had been renting. Booker's girlfriend met Duffy and then introduced the pair. Duffy has later noted of the experience:
Duffy had already written the lyrics to "Mercy" before her meeting with Steve Booker, although she has since said that she "never [has] a plan as that always fails", in reference to the writing of the song. Duffy has noted that during recording with Booker, "Mercy" "was like this melodic poem in my mind, which I just had to get out, and I knew exactly what I wanted it to sound like". She has also said that they "built the song from the bottom up", also noting that it is "very important that my songs start from an organic source, rather than a drum loop". When asked of the lyrical meaning of the song, Duffy said:
According to Duffy, "Mercy" is autobiographical and is about "sexual liberty" and "not doing something somebody else wants you to do". The singer has also said in an interview with Observer Music Monthly that she sings "Mercy" "several times a day and it's just like having sex every time". However, the singer has expressed fear "about saying what a song is about" because she felt that the lyrical interpretation is her "issues and baggage and when someone else listens to the song it isn’t about my baggage anymore it’s about their baggage". According to Mark Edward Nero of About.com
, the song is "a tale of lust".
In an interview with HitQuarters
Booker said he searching for a song that you could imagine sending the audience crazy on the 1960s UK pop show Ready Steady Go!
. After first trying to match "Stepping Stone" with this idea he then sang the fledgling "Mercy" and found it fit.
, with a tempo of 130 beats per minute and is written in the key of G Major
. Duffy's vocal range
spans from C4 to C6.
Lyrically, "Mercy" is about "intense longing for an attractive guy". Mark Edward Nero of About.com noted that "[although] the song sets the stage for who Duffy is as an artist as well as a person" it was "still fairly tame, lyrically". The BBC
Chart Blog compared the song to Aretha Franklin
's "Chain Of Fools
" and "Where Are You Baby?
" by Betty Boo
.
The introduction to "Mercy" is similar to the opening bars of "Stand by Me
" by Ben E. King
. The sound is slightly different to that of "Stand by Me", however, because "Mercy" uses 1 5 and b7, instead of 1 5 and major 7. This change creates a "bluesey" sound. The song is written in the style of a 12 bar blues, using the chords I, IV and V.
gave the single a positive review, noting that the single was "a catchy, danceable Northern soul pastiche" and that the "baseline practically reeks of sweat and stale cigarette smoke". The Times
in a review for Rockferry
said that "Mercy" is "a slight but darned catchy number" and "a classic radio hit". The reviewer also drew comparisons between "Mercy" and Amy Winehouse
's critically acclaimed single "Rehab". The Independent
said that "Mercy" and "Rockferry
" "are tracks that stand out as something special", whilst noting that the "uptempo organ funk" provides "the album's one truly memorable groove". PopMatters
said that the song was "still grounded in a bouncing Motown rhythm but [with] the added colour of jaunty keyboards", whilst again comparing the song to "Rehab".
The Observer
, in an extremely positive review for Rockferry, said that "Mercy" "is a big, booming, finger-wagging sashay worthy of the Supremes
". In a positive review for Rockferry, American music magazine Billboard
said that "Mercy" "is about as summery as summery gets". NME
, giving Rockferry a negative review, had a mixed attitude towards "Mercy", comparing the song's "Austin Powers organ" to work by Aretha Franklin
. Slant
said that the song has a "bass-heavy syncopated beat, "Yeah, yeah, yeah" refrain [and an] obvious '60s-pop frame of reference". However, the song was given negative comparisons to Amy Winehouse
. "Mercy" also appeared on various critic's "Top" lists. Bill Lamb of About.com
placed "Mercy" at number 29 in a list of his favourite 100 songs of 2008. Fred Bronson of Billboard
placed "Mercy" at number two, whilst the magazine's Keith Caulfield placed "Mercy" in an alphabetical list of his favourite songs of 2008.
Awards and other recognition
"Mercy" won the 2008
MOJO Award
for Song of the Year. MOJO editor Phil Alexander called the song a "timeless" classic that "could really have come from any period in time over the last 50 years". The single was nominated for a BRIT Award
in 2009, for Best British Single. Duffy's performance of "Warwick Avenue
" at the ceremony helped to increase sales of "Mercy" by double the market average before the broadcast. The song was also nominated for a Grammy Award
in the category "Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
". The song was also nominated during various award ceremonies including the MTV Europe Music Awards
(Most Addictive Track), Q Awards
(Best Track) and the 2009 Music Producers Guild Awards (UK Single of the Year). "Mercy" was also nominated for PRS for Most Performed Work and Best-selling British Song at the 2008 Ivor Novello Awards
, winning in the former category. The song was the fourth most played anywhere in the United Kingdom in 2009, revealed in a list compiled by music body PRS.
due to digital downloads alone on 17 February 2008, three weeks before the physical release of the single. The song eventually remained at the top of the chart for five consecutive weeks, eventually becoming the year's third-best-selling single in the UK, selling 536,000 copies in 2008 alone. The song remained inside the UK Singles Chart for over one year. One of the B-sides to the song, titled "Tomorrow", reached a peak position of 192 on the UK Singles Chart.
Internationally, "Mercy" became Duffy's first single to chart on the American Billboard
charts. "Mercy" debuted on the Billboard Hot 100
at number 87. On the chart date 22 May 2008, the single reached its peak of 27 on the Hot 100, becoming the chart's greatest digital gainer of that week, selling 59,000 downloads. The song also topped the magazine's Eurochart Hot 100, spending in total six weeks atop the chart, including four consecutive weeks. "Mercy" also reached other Billboard charts, including number 3 on the Japan Hot 100
, number 27 on the Pop 100
and 13 on the Hot Digital Songs
. The single was also a minor dance
crossover success, reaching a peak of 35 on Billboards Hot Dance Club Play
chart, as well as peaking at a position of sixteen on the Adult Pop Songs
chart. In the United States overall, "Mercy" was certified Platinum for sales of one million copies by the American recording industry association, the RIAA
. In Canada, "Mercy" debuted at number 94 on the Canadian Hot 100
on 12 April 2008, eventually peaking at 11 on 23 April 2008.
"Mercy" entered the Australian ARIA Singles Chart
at number 50 on the issue date of 4 May 2008, reaching a peak of 26 nearly five months later, on 14 September 2008, after staying on the chart for eighteen weeks. Despite its small impact on the Australian charts, the single was the 72nd-best-selling single of 2008, and was certified Platinum for sales of 70,000 copies. "Mercy" debuted on New Zealand's RIANZ
singles chart at 40, eventually peaking at number four. The single was the 30th-best-selling song of 2008 in New Zealand, where the song carries Gold certification, for sales of 7,500 copies.
In Europe, "Mercy" was a chart success, reaching number-one in at least eight countries in the region alone. In Ireland, "Mercy" proved very successful, spending two separate runs at number one in 2008. "Mercy" also topped the Hungarian Airplay Chart
, Dutch Top 40
, German Singles Chart
, Greek IFPI Singles Chart
, Norwegian Singles Charts
, Swiss Singles Chart
and the Ö3 Austria Top 40
, amongst others.
dancers who dance to "Mercy". Choreographed by Natricia Bernard, the dancing involves elaborate moves, including the use of fire. "Mercy" was nominated for two awards at the UK Music Video Awards, for "People’s Choice Award
" and "Best Pop Video". The music video was released to the UK iTunes Store on 26 January 2008, being the first release of "Mercy". In reaction to the video, RealMusic noted that Duffy "does manage to stand atop those platforms very well and sing without falling off in [the] video, so top marks for that".
A second music video release was made for the United States market, directed by Adria Petty. It shows Duffy performing live on stage whilst people dance to the song. The US version was given a positive review by Nick Levine of Digital Spy, who wrote that "It's glossy, full of young, good-looking types and proudly features a drum with Duffy's name printed on its skin - hey, that's success for you."
several times since its release. In 2008, American band OneRepublic
recorded a version of the song which was first heard as a live
cover on the BBC Radio 1
Live Lounge
. Their version of the song later appeared, in live format, on the band's third single "Say (All I Need)
". OneRepublic then recorded a studio version of "Mercy" as a bonus track for their second album Waking Up
. Note that the track is not to be confused with another OneRepublic song and single, also titled "Mercy" and released on their first studio album, Dreaming Out Loud
.
The Fratellis
also recorded "Mercy", mixed with the Minder
theme tune, specially for broadcast on the Live Lounge. Duffy herself also recorded "Mercy" live for the Live Lounge. In the broadcast, the singer also sung a cover of Hot Chip
's single "Ready for the Floor
". British production team The Third Degree recorded a version, released 9 March 2009 on the Acid Jazz
label as a 7" vinyl record. Singer John Mayer
also covers the song as a slow blues in many of his live shows.
The cast of the US "musical comedy" television series Glee
covered the song for the third episode of the first series, "Acafellas
". The cover was called "leg-splits-over-shoulders exciting" by The Wall Street Journal
. The Glee cast's cover version was released as a single worldwide to promote the series, and reached numbers 94 and 49 on the UK and Irish singles charts, respectively.
"Mercy" has featured heavily on worldwide television talent competitions. It was performed as a "group cha cha cha
" on the seventh series
of U.S. dancing talent show, Dancing with the Stars
. Actress Jennifer Grey
and her dancing partner Derek Hough
also performed a cha cha cha to the song on the eleventh series
of the same show. Singapore Idol
runner-up Sylvia Ratonel
covered it twice over the course of the third series of the competition. It was performed on American Idol
(2008) by Team Compromise. Singer Lloyd
covered the song with Andre 3000
for his song Dedication to My Ex (Miss That)
that contains samples from the chorus and ending chorus.
CD single
UK 7" vinyl single
Australian digital download
UK B-Side digital download
Premium CD single
that her favourite remix of the song is The Roots remix, calling it "amazing" and saying it "blew [her] away".
The following have been released for purchase:
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Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
song performed by Welsh blue-eyed soul
Blue-eyed soul
Blue-eyed soul is a media term that was used to describe rhythm and blues and soul music performed by white artists, with a strong pop music influence. The term was first used in the mid-1960s to describe white artists who performed soul and R&B that was similar to the music of the Motown and...
singer Duffy
Duffy (singer)
Aimée Ann Duffy , known as Duffy, is a Welsh singer-songwriter. Her 2008 debut album Rockferry entered the UK Album Chart at number one. It was the best-selling album in the United Kingdom in 2008 with 1.68 million copies sold...
, released as the second single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
from her debut album, Rockferry
Rockferry
Rockferry is the debut studio album by Welsh blue-eyed soul singer Duffy, released on 3 March 2008 in the United Kingdom by A&M Records. It was released in the United States by Mercury Records. Duffy worked with several producers and writers on the album, including Bernard Butler, Steve Booker,...
(2008). Co-written by Duffy and Steve Booker
Steve Booker (producer)
Steve Booker is an award-winning British music producer and songwriter best known for "Mercy", "Stepping Stone" and "Rain on Your Parade", three hits he produced and co-wrote for Duffy's Brit and Grammy award winning debut album "Rockferry"...
and produced by Booker, it was released over 2008 worldwide to critical acclaim and unprecedented chart success. As Duffy's first international release, the song is credited with firmly establishing the singer's career and is now considered her signature song. "Mercy" received comparisons to Duffy's previous single, "Rockferry
Rockferry (song)
"Rockferry" is the debut single by Duffy, written by Duffy and Bernard Butler. It is the first track on the album Rockferry.-Song information:...
". Critical reviewers of "Mercy" noted similarities between the song to releases by Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
, Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
Mary Isobel Catherine Bernadette O'BrienSources use both Isabel and Isobel as the spelling of her second name. OBE , known professionally as Dusty Springfield and dubbed The White Queen of Soul, was a British pop singer whose career extended from the late 1950s to the 1990s...
and The Supremes
The Supremes
The Supremes, an American female singing group, were the premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s.Originally founded as The Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, The Supremes' repertoire included doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway show tunes, psychedelic soul, and disco...
, as well as contemporaries such as fellow British singer Amy Winehouse
Amy Winehouse
Amy Jade Winehouse was an English singer-songwriter known for her powerful deep contralto vocals and her eclectic mix of musical genres including R&B, soul and jazz. Winehouse's 2003 debut album, Frank, was critically successful in the UK and was nominated for the Mercury Prize...
.
"Mercy" was nominated for several awards in 2008, including the Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance is the latest in a series of awards recognizing superior vocal performance by a female in the pop category, the first of which was presented in 1959. The award goes to the artist...
at the 51st Grammy Awards
51st Grammy Awards
The 51st Annual Grammy Awards took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA on February 8, 2009. Robert Plant and Alison Krauss were the biggest winners of the night, jointly winning five awards including Album of the Year and Record of the Year...
. Well-received by the public, "Mercy" went on to become the third-best-selling-single of 2008 in the United Kingdom, with sales of over 500,000 copies in the UK that year. The song achieved worldwide chart success, with Duffy attributing this to the fact that "everyone is searching for liberty ... from themselves or from the world they’ve created around them" and "everyone would like to be set free". It is Duffy's best-selling single to date.
The song has since been covered
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
several times since its original release, most notably by the cast of musical television series Glee
Glee (TV series)
Glee is an American musical comedy-drama television series that airs on Fox in the United States, and on GlobalTV in Canada. It focuses on the high school glee club New Directions competing on the show choir competition circuit, while its members deal with relationships, sexuality and social issues...
as well as by both The Fratellis
The Fratellis
The Fratellis were an indie rock band from Glasgow, Scotland. The band consisted of lead vocalist and guitarist Jon Fratelli , bass guitarist Barry Fratelli , and drummer and backing vocalist Mince Fratelli .The band released 2 albums during their career, Costello Music in 2006 and Here We Stand in...
and OneRepublic
OneRepublic
OneRepublic is an American pop rock band from Colorado Springs, Colorado. Formed in 2002 by Ryan Tedder and Zach Filkins, the band achieved massive success on MySpace, becoming the most prominent unsigned act on the website then...
on BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
's Live Lounge
Live Lounge
The Live Lounge is a segment on the British radio station BBC Radio 1. Originally hosted by Jo Whiley on her mid-morning radio show and now hosted by Fearne Cotton, it exhibits well-known artists usually performing one song of their own and one by another artist, in an acoustic format...
. The Glee version reached music charts in the United Kingdom and Ireland, and Duffy herself performed the song for the Live Lounge. The song was performed live at various music festival
Music festival
A music festival is a festival oriented towards music that is sometimes presented with a theme such as musical genre, nationality or locality of musicians, or holiday. They are commonly held outdoors, and are often inclusive of other attractions such as food and merchandise vending machines,...
s as well as on Duffy's 2008-2009 tour. The main-release music video, directed by Daniel Wolfe, has been viewed on video sharing website YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
over 30 million times.
Writing and inspiration
"Mercy" was written by Duffy and Steve BookerSteve Booker (producer)
Steve Booker is an award-winning British music producer and songwriter best known for "Mercy", "Stepping Stone" and "Rain on Your Parade", three hits he produced and co-wrote for Duffy's Brit and Grammy award winning debut album "Rockferry"...
during the final stages of completion for Rockferry. In an interview with Mojo
Mojo (magazine)
MOJO is a popular music magazine published initially by Emap, and since January 2008 by Bauer, monthly in the United Kingdom. Following the success of the magazine Q, publishers Emap were looking for a title which would cater for the burgeoning interest in classic rock music...
, Duffy noted that she "felt something was missing and 'Mercy' was that missing thing", saying that herself and Booker were "writing it literally at the end, when the strings were being put on 'Rockferry
Rockferry (song)
"Rockferry" is the debut single by Duffy, written by Duffy and Bernard Butler. It is the first track on the album Rockferry.-Song information:...
' and 'Warwick Avenue
Warwick Avenue (song)
"Warwick Avenue" is the third single from the album Rockferry by Duffy. The title refers to Warwick Avenue tube station in London. It was written by Jimmy Hogarth, Eg White, and Duffy and produced by Hogarth. It was released in May 2008, but had already charted by March and April due to download...
". Duffy first met Booker by chance because she bought the flat in Ladbroke Grove
Ladbroke Grove
Ladbroke Grove is a road in west London, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. It is also sometimes the name given informally to the immediate area surrounding the road. Running from Notting Hill in the south to Kensal Green in the north, it is located in North Kensington and straddles...
that Booker had been renting. Booker's girlfriend met Duffy and then introduced the pair. Duffy has later noted of the experience:
"We went for coffee and I had this gut feeling that we should write together. I asked JeanetteJeanette Lee (musician)Jeannette Lee is a British filmmaker, musician, and music businesswoman. A retail worker at the Acme Attractions store that, along with the SEX boutique run by Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood, was instrumental in spawning punk in the UK,...
[Lee] what she thought and she just said, we’ve made this record so go and have fun, be creative. By the end of hanging out in the studio for two weeks we had 'Mercy' and 'Stepping StoneStepping Stone (Duffy song)"Stepping Stone" is the fourth single by Duffy from her debut album Rockferry. The single was officially released as both a digital download and CD single on September 1, 2008 in the United Kingdom. Although it followed the massive success of previous singles "Mercy" and "Warwick Avenue", it did...
'."
Duffy had already written the lyrics to "Mercy" before her meeting with Steve Booker, although she has since said that she "never [has] a plan as that always fails", in reference to the writing of the song. Duffy has noted that during recording with Booker, "Mercy" "was like this melodic poem in my mind, which I just had to get out, and I knew exactly what I wanted it to sound like". She has also said that they "built the song from the bottom up", also noting that it is "very important that my songs start from an organic source, rather than a drum loop". When asked of the lyrical meaning of the song, Duffy said:
"The lyrics were about having a feeling towards someone, whether it’s a romantic feeling or just some chemistry that you don’t want, and you desperately want to be released from that feeling."
According to Duffy, "Mercy" is autobiographical and is about "sexual liberty" and "not doing something somebody else wants you to do". The singer has also said in an interview with Observer Music Monthly that she sings "Mercy" "several times a day and it's just like having sex every time". However, the singer has expressed fear "about saying what a song is about" because she felt that the lyrical interpretation is her "issues and baggage and when someone else listens to the song it isn’t about my baggage anymore it’s about their baggage". According to Mark Edward Nero of About.com
About.com
About.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....
, the song is "a tale of lust".
In an interview with HitQuarters
HitQuarters
HitQuarters is an international music industry publication and contact database founded in 1999. It is noted for in-depth interviews with industry figures, with past subjects including Simon Cowell, Martin Kierszenbaum, Jason Flom, Diane Warren, Peter Edge, Ron Fair and RedOne, as well as its A&R...
Booker said he searching for a song that you could imagine sending the audience crazy on the 1960s UK pop show Ready Steady Go!
Ready Steady Go!
Ready Steady Go! or simply RSG! was one of the UK's first rock/pop music TV programmes. It was conceived by Elkan Allan, head of Rediffusion TV. Allan was assisted by record producer/talent manager Vicki Wickham, who became the producer. It was broadcast from August 1963 until December 1966...
. After first trying to match "Stepping Stone" with this idea he then sang the fledgling "Mercy" and found it fit.
Music structure and composition
"Mercy" is set in common timeCommon Time
"Common Time" is a science fiction short story written by James Blish. It first appeared in the August 1953 issue of Science Fiction Quarterly and has been reprinted several times: in the 1959 short-story collection Galactic Cluster; in The Testament of Andros ; in The Penguin Science Fiction...
, with a tempo of 130 beats per minute and is written in the key of G Major
G major
G major is a major scale based on G, with the pitches G, A, B, C, D, E, and F. Its key signature has one sharp, F; in treble-clef key signatures, the sharp-symbol for F is usually placed on the first line from the top, though in some Baroque music it is placed on the first space from the bottom...
. Duffy's vocal range
Vocal range
Vocal range is the measure of the breadth of pitches that a human voice can phonate. Although the study of vocal range has little practical application in terms of speech, it is a topic of study within linguistics, phonetics, and speech and language pathology, particularly in relation to the study...
spans from C4 to C6.
Lyrically, "Mercy" is about "intense longing for an attractive guy". Mark Edward Nero of About.com noted that "[although] the song sets the stage for who Duffy is as an artist as well as a person" it was "still fairly tame, lyrically". The BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
Chart Blog compared the song to Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
's "Chain Of Fools
Chain of Fools
Chain of Fools is a 2000 heist comedy/romance film about a hapless barber named Kresk .-Plot:...
" and "Where Are You Baby?
Where Are You Baby?
"Where Are You Baby?" was a 1990 single released by Betty Boo from her album Boomania. It peaked at #3 in the UK Singles Chart in September 1990. The main verse hook line is the tune of the saxophone riff that leads in to the middle 8 section of the James Brown track I Got You...
" by Betty Boo
Betty Boo
Alison Moira Clarkson better known as Betty Boo, is an English singer, songwriter and pop-rap artist...
.
The introduction to "Mercy" is similar to the opening bars of "Stand by Me
Stand by Me (song)
"Stand by Me" is the title of a song originally performed by Ben E. King and written by King, Jerry Leiber, and Mike Stoller, based on the spiritual "Lord Stand by Me,", plus two lines rooted in Psalms 46:2-3...
" by Ben E. King
Ben E. King
Benjamin Earl King , better known as Ben E. King, is an American soul singer. He is perhaps best known as the singer and co-composer of "Stand by Me", a U.S...
. The sound is slightly different to that of "Stand by Me", however, because "Mercy" uses 1 5 and b7, instead of 1 5 and major 7. This change creates a "bluesey" sound. The song is written in the style of a 12 bar blues, using the chords I, IV and V.
Critical reception
"Mercy" garnered almost unanimously positive reviews from critics, often being praised for its catchy bass line and "summery", jazzy themes. Digital SpyDigital Spy
Digital Spy is a British entertainment and media news website. According to Alexa Internet traffic statistics, as of February 2011, Digital Spy is the 93rd most popular website in the United Kingdom, with an overall Alexa ranking of 2,088....
gave the single a positive review, noting that the single was "a catchy, danceable Northern soul pastiche" and that the "baseline practically reeks of sweat and stale cigarette smoke". The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
in a review for Rockferry
Rockferry
Rockferry is the debut studio album by Welsh blue-eyed soul singer Duffy, released on 3 March 2008 in the United Kingdom by A&M Records. It was released in the United States by Mercury Records. Duffy worked with several producers and writers on the album, including Bernard Butler, Steve Booker,...
said that "Mercy" is "a slight but darned catchy number" and "a classic radio hit". The reviewer also drew comparisons between "Mercy" and Amy Winehouse
Amy Winehouse
Amy Jade Winehouse was an English singer-songwriter known for her powerful deep contralto vocals and her eclectic mix of musical genres including R&B, soul and jazz. Winehouse's 2003 debut album, Frank, was critically successful in the UK and was nominated for the Mercury Prize...
's critically acclaimed single "Rehab". The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
said that "Mercy" and "Rockferry
Rockferry (song)
"Rockferry" is the debut single by Duffy, written by Duffy and Bernard Butler. It is the first track on the album Rockferry.-Song information:...
" "are tracks that stand out as something special", whilst noting that the "uptempo organ funk" provides "the album's one truly memorable groove". PopMatters
PopMatters
PopMatters is an international webzine of cultural criticism that covers many aspects of popular culture. PopMatters publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, books, video games, comics, sports, theater,...
said that the song was "still grounded in a bouncing Motown rhythm but [with] the added colour of jaunty keyboards", whilst again comparing the song to "Rehab".
The Observer
The Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
, in an extremely positive review for Rockferry, said that "Mercy" "is a big, booming, finger-wagging sashay worthy of the Supremes
The Supremes
The Supremes, an American female singing group, were the premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s.Originally founded as The Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, The Supremes' repertoire included doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway show tunes, psychedelic soul, and disco...
". In a positive review for Rockferry, American music magazine Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
said that "Mercy" "is about as summery as summery gets". NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
, giving Rockferry a negative review, had a mixed attitude towards "Mercy", comparing the song's "Austin Powers organ" to work by Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
. Slant
Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine is an online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York Film Festival.- History :...
said that the song has a "bass-heavy syncopated beat, "Yeah, yeah, yeah" refrain [and an] obvious '60s-pop frame of reference". However, the song was given negative comparisons to Amy Winehouse
Amy Winehouse
Amy Jade Winehouse was an English singer-songwriter known for her powerful deep contralto vocals and her eclectic mix of musical genres including R&B, soul and jazz. Winehouse's 2003 debut album, Frank, was critically successful in the UK and was nominated for the Mercury Prize...
. "Mercy" also appeared on various critic's "Top" lists. Bill Lamb of About.com
About.com
About.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....
placed "Mercy" at number 29 in a list of his favourite 100 songs of 2008. Fred Bronson of Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
placed "Mercy" at number two, whilst the magazine's Keith Caulfield placed "Mercy" in an alphabetical list of his favourite songs of 2008.
Awards and other recognition
"Mercy" won the 2008
2008 MOJO Awards
The 2008 MOJO Honours List Winners were announced at a ceremony at The Brewery in London, England on June 16, 2008.-Nominees:Complete list of nominees :*Song of the Year**LCD Soundsystem - "All My Friends"...
MOJO Award
MOJO Awards
The MOJO Awards is an awards ceremony that began in 2004 by Mojo, a popular music magazine published monthly by Bauer in the United Kingdom...
for Song of the Year. MOJO editor Phil Alexander called the song a "timeless" classic that "could really have come from any period in time over the last 50 years". The single was nominated for a BRIT Award
Brit Awards
The Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain" or "Britannia", but subsequently became a backronym for British Record Industry Trust...
in 2009, for Best British Single. Duffy's performance of "Warwick Avenue
Warwick Avenue (song)
"Warwick Avenue" is the third single from the album Rockferry by Duffy. The title refers to Warwick Avenue tube station in London. It was written by Jimmy Hogarth, Eg White, and Duffy and produced by Hogarth. It was released in May 2008, but had already charted by March and April due to download...
" at the ceremony helped to increase sales of "Mercy" by double the market average before the broadcast. The song was also nominated for a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
in the category "Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance is the latest in a series of awards recognizing superior vocal performance by a female in the pop category, the first of which was presented in 1959. The award goes to the artist...
". The song was also nominated during various award ceremonies including the MTV Europe Music Awards
MTV Europe Music Awards
The MTV Europe Music Awards were established in 1994 by MTV Networks Europe to celebrate the most popular music videos in Europe. Originally beginning as an alternative to the American MTV Video Music Awards, the MTV Europe Music Awards is today a popular celebration of what MTV viewers consider...
(Most Addictive Track), Q Awards
Q Awards
The Q Awards are the UK's annual music awards run by the music magazine Q. Since they began in 1990, the Q Awards have become one of Britain's biggest and best publicised music awards, helped in no small part by the often boisterous behavior of the celebrities who attend the event...
(Best Track) and the 2009 Music Producers Guild Awards (UK Single of the Year). "Mercy" was also nominated for PRS for Most Performed Work and Best-selling British Song at the 2008 Ivor Novello Awards
Ivor Novello Awards
The Ivor Novello Awards, named after the Cardiff born entertainer Ivor Novello, are awards for songwriting and composing. They are presented annually in London by the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors and were first introduced in 1955.Nicknamed The Ivors, the awards take place...
, winning in the former category. The song was the fourth most played anywhere in the United Kingdom in 2009, revealed in a list compiled by music body PRS.
Chart performance
Following "Mercy"'s release in the United Kingdom, the song charted at number-one on the UK Singles ChartUK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
due to digital downloads alone on 17 February 2008, three weeks before the physical release of the single. The song eventually remained at the top of the chart for five consecutive weeks, eventually becoming the year's third-best-selling single in the UK, selling 536,000 copies in 2008 alone. The song remained inside the UK Singles Chart for over one year. One of the B-sides to the song, titled "Tomorrow", reached a peak position of 192 on the UK Singles Chart.
Internationally, "Mercy" became Duffy's first single to chart on the American Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
charts. "Mercy" debuted on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
at number 87. On the chart date 22 May 2008, the single reached its peak of 27 on the Hot 100, becoming the chart's greatest digital gainer of that week, selling 59,000 downloads. The song also topped the magazine's Eurochart Hot 100, spending in total six weeks atop the chart, including four consecutive weeks. "Mercy" also reached other Billboard charts, including number 3 on the Japan Hot 100
Japan Hot 100
The Japan Hot 100 is a music singles chart in Japan. It is compiled by Billboard and Hanshin Contents Link ever since February 2008. The chart is updated every Wednesday at billboard-japan.com and every Thursday at billboard.com ....
, number 27 on the Pop 100
Pop 100
The Pop 100 was a songs chart that debuted in February 2005 and was released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States until its discontinuation in 2009...
and 13 on the Hot Digital Songs
Hot Digital Songs
The Hot Digital Songs chart ranks the best-selling digital singles in the United States, according to Billboard.Beginning in February 2005, digital sales have been incorporated into many of Billboards music single charts. It was decided to do so mainly because of the dramatic rise in popularity of...
. The single was also a minor dance
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
crossover success, reaching a peak of 35 on Billboards Hot Dance Club Play
Hot Dance Club Play
The Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs...
chart, as well as peaking at a position of sixteen on the Adult Pop Songs
Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks
Adult Top 40 is a variation on the United States Billboard charts...
chart. In the United States overall, "Mercy" was certified Platinum for sales of one million copies by the American recording industry association, the RIAA
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
. In Canada, "Mercy" debuted at number 94 on the Canadian Hot 100
Canadian Hot 100
The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007...
on 12 April 2008, eventually peaking at 11 on 23 April 2008.
"Mercy" entered the Australian ARIA Singles Chart
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
at number 50 on the issue date of 4 May 2008, reaching a peak of 26 nearly five months later, on 14 September 2008, after staying on the chart for eighteen weeks. Despite its small impact on the Australian charts, the single was the 72nd-best-selling single of 2008, and was certified Platinum for sales of 70,000 copies. "Mercy" debuted on New Zealand's RIANZ
Recording Industry Association of New Zealand
The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand...
singles chart at 40, eventually peaking at number four. The single was the 30th-best-selling song of 2008 in New Zealand, where the song carries Gold certification, for sales of 7,500 copies.
In Europe, "Mercy" was a chart success, reaching number-one in at least eight countries in the region alone. In Ireland, "Mercy" proved very successful, spending two separate runs at number one in 2008. "Mercy" also topped the Hungarian Airplay Chart
Mahasz
Mahasz is the Hungarian music industry association, founded in 1992. Mahasz hands out the Hungarian Music Awards and maintains the music charts for Hungary....
, Dutch Top 40
Dutch Top 40
The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting...
, German Singles Chart
Media Control Charts
The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie...
, Greek IFPI Singles Chart
IFPI
The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry is the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is a not-for-profit members' organisation registered in Switzerland...
, Norwegian Singles Charts
VG-lista
VG-listen is a Norwegian record chart. It is weekly presented in the newspaper VG and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation program Topp 20. It is considered the primary Norwegian record chart, charting albums and singles from countries and continent around the world. The data is collected by...
, Swiss Singles Chart
Swiss Music Charts
The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75...
and the Ö3 Austria Top 40
Ö3 Austria Top 40
Ö3 Austria Top 40 is the name of the official Austrian singles chart, as well as the radio show which presents it, aired Fridays on Hitradio Ö3. The show presents the Austrian singles, ringtones and downloads chart. It premiered on 26 November 1968 as Disc Parade and was presented by Ernst Grissemann...
, amongst others.
Music videos
The main-release music video for "Mercy", directed by Daniel Wolfe, features Duffy standing on top of a platform performing the song. Featured in the video are Northern SoulNorthern soul
Northern soul is a music and dance movement that emerged from the British mod scene, initially in northern England in the late 1960s. Northern soul mainly consists of a particular style of black American soul music based on the heavy beat and fast tempo of the mid-1960s Tamla Motown sound...
dancers who dance to "Mercy". Choreographed by Natricia Bernard, the dancing involves elaborate moves, including the use of fire. "Mercy" was nominated for two awards at the UK Music Video Awards, for "People’s Choice Award
" and "Best Pop Video". The music video was released to the UK iTunes Store on 26 January 2008, being the first release of "Mercy". In reaction to the video, RealMusic noted that Duffy "does manage to stand atop those platforms very well and sing without falling off in [the] video, so top marks for that".
A second music video release was made for the United States market, directed by Adria Petty. It shows Duffy performing live on stage whilst people dance to the song. The US version was given a positive review by Nick Levine of Digital Spy, who wrote that "It's glossy, full of young, good-looking types and proudly features a drum with Duffy's name printed on its skin - hey, that's success for you."
Cover versions
"Mercy" has been coveredCover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
several times since its release. In 2008, American band OneRepublic
OneRepublic
OneRepublic is an American pop rock band from Colorado Springs, Colorado. Formed in 2002 by Ryan Tedder and Zach Filkins, the band achieved massive success on MySpace, becoming the most prominent unsigned act on the website then...
recorded a version of the song which was first heard as a live
Live Music
Live Music is a reggaeton company owned by DJ Giann.-Artists:* Jowell & Randy* Tony Lenta* Watussi* De La Ghetto* Guelo Star* Galante "El Emperador"-Producers:*DJ Blass*Dexter*Mr. Greenz*DJ Giann*Los Hitmen*Dirty Joe*ALX...
cover on the BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
Live Lounge
Live Lounge
The Live Lounge is a segment on the British radio station BBC Radio 1. Originally hosted by Jo Whiley on her mid-morning radio show and now hosted by Fearne Cotton, it exhibits well-known artists usually performing one song of their own and one by another artist, in an acoustic format...
. Their version of the song later appeared, in live format, on the band's third single "Say (All I Need)
Say (All I Need)
"Say " is a song by American pop rock band OneRepublic. It is the third single released from their debut album Dreaming Out Loud and follows the global success of their previous top ten singles, "Apologize" and "Stop and Stare"...
". OneRepublic then recorded a studio version of "Mercy" as a bonus track for their second album Waking Up
Waking Up (OneRepublic album)
Waking Up is the second studio album by American rock band OneRepublic, released through Interscope Records on November 17, 2009. The album peaked at number 21 on the Billboard 200 and has sold over 400,000 copies in the U.S and over 800,000 total....
. Note that the track is not to be confused with another OneRepublic song and single, also titled "Mercy" and released on their first studio album, Dreaming Out Loud
Dreaming Out Loud (OneRepublic album)
Dreaming Out Loud is the debut album by American rock band OneRepublic. It was produced by Greg Wells, with two songs produced by singer Ryan Tedder, and was engineered and mixed by Joe Zook. The album was released on November 20, 2007, though many of the tracks were leaked months in advance of the...
.
The Fratellis
The Fratellis
The Fratellis were an indie rock band from Glasgow, Scotland. The band consisted of lead vocalist and guitarist Jon Fratelli , bass guitarist Barry Fratelli , and drummer and backing vocalist Mince Fratelli .The band released 2 albums during their career, Costello Music in 2006 and Here We Stand in...
also recorded "Mercy", mixed with the Minder
Minder (TV series)
Minder is a British comedy-drama about the London criminal underworld. Initially produced by Verity Lambert, it was made by Euston Films, a subsidiary of Thames Television and shown on ITV...
theme tune, specially for broadcast on the Live Lounge. Duffy herself also recorded "Mercy" live for the Live Lounge. In the broadcast, the singer also sung a cover of Hot Chip
Hot Chip
Hot Chip are an English electronic indie band. They have released four studio albums—Coming on Strong, The Warning, Made in the Dark and One Life Stand.-Formation:...
's single "Ready for the Floor
Ready for the Floor
"Ready for the Floor" is the Grammy Award-nominated second single by the British Electronic group Hot Chip from their 2008 album Made in the Dark...
". British production team The Third Degree recorded a version, released 9 March 2009 on the Acid Jazz
Acid Jazz Records
Acid Jazz is a record label based in east London. It takes its name from acid jazz, a genre of jazz music. Alternative version states that the genre itself was named after the record label...
label as a 7" vinyl record. Singer John Mayer
John Mayer
John Clayton Mayer is an American pop rock and blues rock musician, singer-songwriter, recording artist, and music producer. Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut and raised in Fairfield, Connecticut, he attended Berklee College of Music in Boston. He moved to Atlanta in 1997, where he refined his...
also covers the song as a slow blues in many of his live shows.
The cast of the US "musical comedy" television series Glee
Glee (TV series)
Glee is an American musical comedy-drama television series that airs on Fox in the United States, and on GlobalTV in Canada. It focuses on the high school glee club New Directions competing on the show choir competition circuit, while its members deal with relationships, sexuality and social issues...
covered the song for the third episode of the first series, "Acafellas
Acafellas
"Acafellas" is the third episode of the American television series Glee. The episode premiered on the Fox network on September 16, 2009. It was directed by John Scott and written by series creator Ryan Murphy...
". The cover was called "leg-splits-over-shoulders exciting" by The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
. The Glee cast's cover version was released as a single worldwide to promote the series, and reached numbers 94 and 49 on the UK and Irish singles charts, respectively.
"Mercy" has featured heavily on worldwide television talent competitions. It was performed as a "group cha cha cha
Cha-cha-cha (dance)
The Cha-cha-cha is the name of a dance of Cuban origin.It is danced to the music of the same name introduced by Cuban composer and violinist Enrique Jorrín in 1953...
" on the seventh series
Dancing with the Stars (U.S. season 7)
The seventh season of Dancing with the Stars premiered on September 22, 2008 as a part of ABC's fall line-up. Instead of 12 couples like previous seasons, this was the first season to showcase a lineup of 13 couples...
of U.S. dancing talent show, Dancing with the Stars
Dancing with the Stars
Dancing with the Stars is the name of several international television series based on the format of the British TV series Strictly Come Dancing, which is distributed by BBC Worldwide – the commercial arm of the BBC. Currently the format has been licensed to over 35 countries...
. Actress Jennifer Grey
Jennifer Grey
Jennifer Elise Grey is an American actress. Her first major roles came in the 1984 war film Red Dawn and the 1986 comedy Ferris Bueller's Day Off. In 1987 she starred as Frances "Baby" Houseman in the hit film Dirty Dancing for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe. In the early 1990s, Grey...
and her dancing partner Derek Hough
Derek Hough
Derek Hough is an American dancer, choreographer, musician and actor. A world champion in Latin American Dance, Hough has appeared since September 2007 on the hit U.S...
also performed a cha cha cha to the song on the eleventh series
Dancing with the Stars (U.S. season 11)
Dancing with the Stars returned for an 11th season on September 20, 2010. The cast was announced during the August 30 episode of Bachelor Pad during a live press conference that included a Q&A session with host Tom Bergeron and co-host Brooke Burke and the new cast. There are twelve celebrity cast...
of the same show. Singapore Idol
Singapore Idol
Singapore Idol is a television show on Channel 5 of MediaCorp TV. It is a competition among undiscovered singers in Singapore. Like others in the Idol series, it is modelled after Pop Idol. The current judges are singer/songwriter Dick Lee and record producers Florence Lian and Ken Lim. Previous...
runner-up Sylvia Ratonel
Sylvia Ratonel
Sylvia Anne Ratonel is a Singaporean singer and spokesmodel of Euro-Filipino descent. She is most popularly known as the first female finalist in Singapore Idol history as well as being the runner-up of the third season...
covered it twice over the course of the third series of the competition. It was performed on American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
(2008) by Team Compromise. Singer Lloyd
Lloyd
The name Lloyd is a variation of the Welsh word llwyd or clwyd, which means "grey" or "brown".-People:See main articles:* Lloyd * Lloyd * Lloyd Lloyd or Lloyd's or Lloyds may also refer to:...
covered the song with Andre 3000
André 3000
André Lauren Benjamin , better known by his stage name André 3000 is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and actor, best known for being part of American hip-hop duo OutKast alongside fellow rapper Big Boi...
for his song Dedication to My Ex (Miss That)
Dedication to My Ex (Miss That)
"Dedication to My Ex " is the third single from R&B singer Lloyd's fourth studio album King of Hearts. The track features André 3000 of OutKast and is "narrated" by Lil' Wayne. Lyrically, the song is about a girl who had an affair while Lloyd was on vacation. It was released on August 9, 2011.The...
that contains samples from the chorus and ending chorus.
Tracklistings
Digital download- "Mercy"
CD single
- "Mercy"
- "Tomorrow" (Duffy, Eg WhiteEg WhiteFrancis Anthony "Eg" White is a British musician, songwriter and producer. White is primarily known for his work with successful commercial pop acts such as Adele, Duffy, Will Young and James Morrison...
)
UK 7" vinyl single
- "Mercy"
- "Save It for Your Prayers" (Duffy, Sacha SkarbekSacha Skarbek-Early life:Sacha Skarbek showed early talent as a musician, winning many piano competitions from the age of seven. Awarded music scholarships to Northbourne Park and King's School Canterbury, Sacha was taught by the distinguished pianist Ronald Smith and played French horn, clarinet and percussion...
)
Australian digital download
- "Mercy"
- "Tomorrow"
- "Oh Boy"
- "Save It For Your Prayers"
UK B-Side digital download
- "Tomorrow"
- "Save It For Your Prayers"
Premium CD single
- "Mercy"
- "Tomorrow"
- "Oh Boy"
- "Save It for Your Prayers"
- "Mercy" music video
Remixes
Duffy has expressed that it was "fascinating to see people picking up on it ["Mercy"], taking it and creating something from it for their genre". The singer told MojoMojo (magazine)
MOJO is a popular music magazine published initially by Emap, and since January 2008 by Bauer, monthly in the United Kingdom. Following the success of the magazine Q, publishers Emap were looking for a title which would cater for the burgeoning interest in classic rock music...
that her favourite remix of the song is The Roots remix, calling it "amazing" and saying it "blew [her] away".
The following have been released for purchase:
- United States digital download-only Cool & DreCool & DreCool & Dre are a team of hip hop producers from Miami, Florida, consisting of Marcello "Cool" Valenzano and Andre "Dre" Christopher Lyon.-Epidemic Records:...
remix featuring The GameThe Game (rapper)Jayceon Terrell Taylor , better known by his stage name Game, formerly The Game, is an American rapper and actor. As a member of G-Unit, he rose to fame in 2005 with the success of his debut album, The Documentary, which earned him two Grammy Award nominations...
tracklist:
- "Mercy" (featuring The Game)
- Roots remix (appears on Deluxe EPDeluxe EPDeluxe EP, also known as Rockferry – EP, is a 2009 extended play by Welsh singer-songwriter Duffy released in the United States...
) - Hott 22 Vocal Remix
Credits and personnel
- Duffy: Vocals, writing
- Steve Booker: Producer, mixer, recorder, programmer, guitar, bass, keyboard, writing
Charts
| Chart (2008) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian ARIA ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... Singles Chart |
26 |
| Ö3 Austria Top 40 Ö3 Austria Top 40 Ö3 Austria Top 40 is the name of the official Austrian singles chart, as well as the radio show which presents it, aired Fridays on Hitradio Ö3. The show presents the Austrian singles, ringtones and downloads chart. It premiered on 26 November 1968 as Disc Parade and was presented by Ernst Grissemann... |
1 |
| Belgian Singles Chart Ultratop 50 Ultratop 50 singles, often just Ultratop 50, is the weekly chart of fifty best-selling singles in Flanders, Belgium, and is produced and published by the Ultratop organization. The chart has existed since March 31, 1995... (Flanders) |
3 |
| Belgian Singles Chart Ultratop 40 Ultratop 40 singles, often just Ultratop 40, is the weekly chart of best-selling singles in Wallonia and Brussels Capital Region, the french-speaking parts of Belgium. Its equivalent covering the Flanders region is Ultratop 50. Both charts are produced and published by the Ultratop organization... (Wallonia) |
5 |
| Canadian Hot 100 Canadian Hot 100 The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007... |
11 |
| Danish Singles Chart Tracklisten Tracklisten is a Danish top 40 record chart that is presented every Thursday midnight at .The weekly Danish Singles Chart also known as Track Top-40 combines the 40 best selling tracks from legal music downloads and the sales of music singles on either CD or vinyl... |
2 |
| Dutch Top 40 Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting... |
1 |
| Eurochart Hot 100 Singles Eurochart Hot 100 Singles The European Hot 100 Singles has been compiled by Billboard and Music & Media magazine since March, 1984. The chart is based on national singles sales charts in 15 European countries: Austria, Belgium , Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden,... |
1 |
| Finnish Singles Chart | 3 |
| French Singles Chart Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique The Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique is the inter-professional organization which protects the interests of the French record industry... |
2 |
| German Singles Chart Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
1 |
| Greek IFPI Singles Chart | 1 |
| Hungarian Airplay Chart Mahasz Mahasz is the Hungarian music industry association, founded in 1992. Mahasz hands out the Hungarian Music Awards and maintains the music charts for Hungary.... |
1 |
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
1 |
| Italian Singles Chart | 3 |
| Japan Hot 100 Japan Hot 100 The Japan Hot 100 is a music singles chart in Japan. It is compiled by Billboard and Hanshin Contents Link ever since February 2008. The chart is updated every Wednesday at billboard-japan.com and every Thursday at billboard.com .... |
3 |
| New Zealand RIANZ Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand... Singles Chart |
4 |
| Norwegian VG-lista VG-lista VG-listen is a Norwegian record chart. It is weekly presented in the newspaper VG and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation program Topp 20. It is considered the primary Norwegian record chart, charting albums and singles from countries and continent around the world. The data is collected by... |
1 |
| Romanian Singles Chart | 4 |
| Spanish Singles Chart PROMUSICAE Spanish Music Producers is a trade group representing the Spanish recording industry... |
2 |
| Swedish Singles Chart Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association .... |
3 |
| Swiss Singles Chart Swiss Music Charts The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75... |
1 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
1 |
| U.S. Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
27 |
| U.S. Billboard Pop 100 Pop 100 The Pop 100 was a songs chart that debuted in February 2005 and was released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States until its discontinuation in 2009... |
27 |
| U.S. Billboard Adult Pop Songs Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks Adult Top 40 is a variation on the United States Billboard charts... |
16 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play Hot Dance Club Play The Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs... |
35 |
Year-End charts
| Country (2008) | Position |
|---|---|
| Australian ARIA ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... Singles Chart |
72 |
| French Singles Chart | 7 |
| French Airplay Chart | 5 |
| French Download Chart | 7 |
| German Singles Chart | 6 |
| Hungarian Airplay | 17 |
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
13 |
| New Zealand RIANZ Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand... Singles Chart |
30 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 6 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 3 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
3 |
Decade-end charts
| (2000–2009) | Position |
|---|---|
| German Singles Chart | 26 |
All-time charts
| Country | Position |
|---|---|
| Swiss Singles Chart | 14 |
Certifications
| Country | Provider | Certification (sales thresholds) |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | ARIA Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956... |
Platinum |
| Austria | IFPI | Gold |
| Belgium | IFPI | Gold |
| Denmark | IFPI | 2× Platinum |
| New Zealand | RIANZ Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand... |
Gold |
| Switzerland | IFPI | Gold |
| United States | RIAA Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States... |
Platinum |
Chart procession and succession
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Release history
| Region | Date | Format |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 11 February 2008 | Digital download Music download A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment... |
| 25 February 2008 | CD single CD single A CD single is a music single in the form of a standard size Compact Disc, not to be confused with the 3-inch CD single, which uses a smaller form factor. The format was introduced in the mid-1980s, but did not gain its place in the market until the early 1990s... , digital download (B-sides), 7" |
|
| Europe | 7 March 2008 | CD |
| 21 March 2008 | Maxi single | |
| Australia | 11 February 2008 | Digital download |
| 8 March 2008 | ||
| 21 March 2008 | Digital download EP | |
| Worldwide | 21 March 2008 | CD single, premium CD |
| United States | 29 April 2008 | |
| 17 June 2008 | Digital download remix (featuring The Game The Game (rapper) Jayceon Terrell Taylor , better known by his stage name Game, formerly The Game, is an American rapper and actor. As a member of G-Unit, he rose to fame in 2005 with the success of his debut album, The Documentary, which earned him two Grammy Award nominations... ) |
|
| Japan | 20 August 2008 | CD |
External links
- Official website
- "Mercy" lyrics at MTVMTVMTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....