The first thing I noticed was the guitar part at the beginning. I thought to myself, the style sounded familiar. Two people came to mind, and I can’t believe I guessed it. The two people that I thought of were Curtis Mayfield and Jimi Hendrix. After researching the song, I was batting 500…it was Jimi Hendrix, but 2 years before he was The Jimi Hendrix.
I read about Don Covay and how he wrote Chain of Fools for Aretha Franklin and more songs in the ’60s through the ’80s. Covay wrote the number 1 hit for Chubby Checker called Pony Time and also co-wrote Peter Wolf’s first solo album in the early eighties with good success.
Covay was the son of a Baptist preacher. He began his musical career singing gospel with his family’s group, the Cherry Keys. Following his father’s death, the family relocated to Washington, D.C., where Covay’s musical interests expanded into the soul/R&B genre.
He was a great songwriter. His songs have been covered by Gene Vincent, Wanda Jackson, Chubby Checker, Connie Francis, Steppenwolf, The Daughters of Eve, Bobby Womack, the Rolling Stones, Wilson Pickett, Small Faces, Grant Green, Bonnie Raitt, and Peter Wolf.
The song peaked at #35 on the Billboard 100 in 1964. The Rolling Stones covered this song on their album Out of Our Heads in 1965. It was the lead-off track of the album.
Curtis Knight: Jimi Hendrix, and I all used to live in the same apartment building – around 81st Street [near the A1 Studio] … Don Covay came around shopping for a record deal. He used to go down to the Harlem clubs looking for somebody to use … on songs he was looking to sell to Atlantic [Records]. He’d say, ‘I got this tune I want you to help me with … come on down to the studio … Can you sing this part? Can you play this part?
Steve Cropper: I hadn’t worked with Don [Covay] yet, but I asked Jimi to show me that great lick he played. [Later] Jimi took my guitar and started playing that sucker upside down. I laughed and told him, ‘I can’t learn that lick by looking at it that way.
Mercy, Mercy
Have mercyHave mercy, babyMmm, have mercyHave mercy on me
Well, I went to see a gypsy and had my fortune readShe said, “Don, your baby’s gonna leave you”Her bag is packed up under the bed and I cried
Have mercyHave mercy, baby, yeahHave mercy, yeahHave mercy on me
I said if you leave me, baby, girl, if you put me downWell, I’m a goin’ to the nearest river, childAnd jump (jump) overboardAnd drown, but don’t leave me (jump, jump, jump, jump)
Have mercyHave mercy, baby, mercyYeah, have mercyHave mercy on me
Well, now, hey, hey baby, hey, hey nowWhat you tryin’ to do, huh?Hey, hey, baby, hey, hey nowPlease don’t say we’re through
I said if you stay here, baby, I tell you what I’m gonna doI’m gonna work two jobs seven days a weekAnd bring my money home to you (bring it, bring it)
Well, I said mercy (mercy), mercy (mercy)Mercy (mercy), mercy (mercy)Mercy (mercy)
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