On the bright side, at least it's less than a week late....
Not one hundred percent sure when this one first came to me, but I'm pretty sure it was back in the seventies when I was listening to a lot of Top 40 radio. Not judging (because I have no idea what today's music radio is like), but way back when there was a nice mix of the newest hits and the older hits which taught me an awful lot about the pop music that came before music became a lifelong journey for me. I distinctly remember loving this week's tune since I was a teenager, though I wouldn't rule out my memory playing tricks on me....
I wrote about Marvin Gaye a thousand years ago (give or take) in Jukebox, Vol. XXXIX, and since back in the day my bio paragraphs were somewhat less inclusive of career highlights, I'd like to add that Gaye won two Grammy Awards, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Songwriter's Hall of Fame, and the Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame, and that his nickname was the "Prince of Soul" (that's a ten on the Coolness Quotient Scale). For his career, Gaye released twenty-five studio albums (with four of them reaching the top ten on the Billboard 200) and eighty-three singles (with sixteen of those hitting the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100). There have also been twenty-four compilation albums, with fifteen of those coming after his passing. Gaye's legacy only continues to grow--in its latest installation of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, Rolling Stone moved this week's featured album to #1 on the list (originally #6).
"Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" was the second single from his 1971 album, with the rather questioning title of What's Going On (sans question mark, though). The single peaked at #4 (with a bullet!), while the album reached #6.
Fun Fact: Gaye had three singles from this week's album reach the top ten--and thus (somewhat surprisingly to me) became the first male solo artist to have three top ten hits from one LP.
"Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" is one of the most beautiful songs featured here on Friday Night Jukebox, and its theme (man's destruction of our planet) is just as relevant today as it was more than fifty years ago. Gaye's vocals are exquisite--they could easily represent the natural beauty that fills our planet earth. I'm also certain that if they'd been able to record 2000 years ago, Jesus' vocals would have sounded remarkably similar to Gaye's. It's a warning and a prayer, and all of it in just two minutes and thirty seconds. An absolutely stunning piece of work, by an artist at the height of his talents.
Lyric Sheet: "Oh, mercy, mercy me/Oh, things ain't what they used to be/What about this overcrowded land/How much more abuse from man can she stand?"
Enjoy:
Fuck Donald Trump
Peace,
emaycee
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