"Mercy" is a song by Canadian singer and songwriter Shawn Mendes. It was co-written by Mendes with Ilsey Juber, Danny Parker and Teddy Geiger, with the latter handling the song's production with Jake Gosling.[2][3] It was released on August 18, 2016, through Island Records as the third promotional single, and later as the second single on October 18, 2016, from his second studio album, Illuminate (2016).
Composition[]
"Mercy" is written in the key of E minor with a common time tempo of 144 to 152 beats per minute. Mendes's vocals span from B2 to A4 in the song.[4] Lyrically, he sings on this brooding power ballad of a girl who has grabbed his heart. However, he is unsure if his feelings are reciprocated and the uncertainty is tearing him apart.
Lyrics[]
You've got a hold of me
Don't even know your power
I stand a hundred feet
But I fall when I'm around ya
Show me an open door
Then you go and slam it on me
I can't take any more
I'm saying, baby
Please have mercy on me
Take it easy on my heart
Even though you don't mean to hurt me
You keep tearing me apart
Would you please have mercy, mercy on my heart
Would you please have mercy, mercy on my heart
I'd drive through the night
Just to be near you baby
Heart open, testify
Tell me that I'm not crazy
I'm not asking for a lot
Just that you're honest with me
My pride is all I got
I'm saying, baby
Please have mercy on me
Take it easy on my heart
Even though you don't mean to hurt me
You keep tearing me apart
Would you please have mercy on me
I'm a puppet on your strings
And even though you got good intentions
I need you to set me free
Would you please have mercy, mercy on my heart
Would you please have mercy, mercy on my heart
Consuming all the air inside my lungs
Ripping all the skin from off my bones
I'm prepared to sacrifice my life
I would gladly do it twice
Consuming all the air inside my lungs
Ripping all the skin from off my bones
I'm prepared to sacrifice my life
I would gladly do it twice
Oh, please have mercy on me
Take it easy on my heart
Even though you don't mean to hurt me
You keep tearing me apart
Would you please have mercy on me
I'm a puppet on your string
And even though you got good intentions
I need you to set me free
I'm begging you for mercy, mercy (on my heart)
I'm begging you, begging you please baby
I'm begging you for mercy, mercy (on my heart)
Oh, I'm begging you, I'm begging you, yeah
Mhmhmhm mhmhm
Mhmhmhm mhmhm
You've got a hold on me
Don't even know your power
I stand a hundred feet
But I fall when I'm around ya
Show me an open door
And you go and slam it on me
I can't take any more
I'm saying...
Baby, please have mercy on me
Take it easy on my heart
Even though you don't mean to hurt me
You keep tearing me apart
Won't you please have mercy, mercy on my heart?
Won't you please have mercy, mercy on my heart?
I'd drive through the night
Just to be near you, baby
Heart open, testify
Tell me that I'm not crazy
I'm not asking for a lot
Just that you're honest with me
And my pride is all I got
I'm saying...
Baby, please have mercy on me
Take it easy on my heart
Even though you don't mean to hurt me
You keep tearing me apart
Won't you please have mercy on me?
I'm a puppet on your strings
And even though you got good intentions
I need you to set me free
Won't you please have mercy, mercy on my heart?
Won't you please have mercy, mercy on my heart?
Consuming all the air inside my lungs
Ripping all the skin from off my bones
I'm prepared to sacrifice my life
I would gladly do it twice
Consuming all the air inside my lungs
Ripping all the skin from off my bones
I'm prepared to sacrifice my life
I would gladly do it twice
Oh, please have mercy on me
Take it easy on my heart
Even though you don't mean to hurt me
You keep tearing me apart
Won't you please have mercy on me?
I'm a puppet on your string
And even though you got good intentions
I need you to set me free
I'm begging you for mercy, mercy
I'm begging you, begging you, please, baby
I'm begging you for mercy, mercy
Ooh, I'm begging you, I'm begging you, yeah
Mhmhmhm mhmhm
Music video[]
On September 21, 2016, a music video directed by Jay Martin was released.[5] It features Mendes singing, switching between him drowning in a locked car in the ocean and him performing the song with instruments in a warehouse shot at TriBro Studios.
Live performances[]
Mendes performed the song for the first time on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on September 22, 2016, backed by mallet drums, electric guitar, bass and piano.[6] The singer later performed the song on Today on September 23,[7] The Late Late Show with James Corden on September 28,[8] The X Factor UK on October 23,[9] and The X Factor Australia on October 31 as well as Saturday Night Live on December 4. Mendes performed the song live at the Juno Awards of 2017; this version was subsequently released as a digital download.[10] On May 27, 2018, Mendes and singer James Bay performed the song together at BBC Music's Biggest Weekend.[11]
Chart performance[]
In the United States, the song peaked at number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was the second single from Illuminate to reach the top 20. It also peaked at number 13 in Australia, number 15 in the UK and number 23 in Canada.
References[]
- ↑ "Shawn Mendes, the serious, striking musician, emerges on new album"
- ↑ "Mercy - Shawn Mendes"
- ↑ "Mercy (Audio) - Shawn Mendes - Vevo"
- ↑ "Shawn Mendes "Mercy" Sheet Music in E Minor (transposable)"
- ↑ "Shawn Mendes - Mercy - YouTube"
- ↑ "Watch Shawn Mendes Perform Soaring Ballad 'Mercy' on 'Fallon'"
- ↑ "Watch Shawn Mendes perform new song ‘Mercy’ live on TODAY"
- ↑ "Shawn Mendes Performs 'Mercy' on LATE LATE SHOW"
- ↑ "Shawn Mendes Just Made A BIG X Factor Announcement"
- ↑ "THE 2017 JUNO AWARDS Honours Canadian Music History, Heritage, and its Future Stars with Powerful Live Broadcast"
- ↑ "Watch: Shawn Mendes Performs with James Bay, Jared Leto"
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