Uploaded October 2020 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
The 1966 Joe Zawinul composition, "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" arranged for solo guitar.
chriswhitemanmusic.com
from wikipedia:
"Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" is a jazz song written by Joe Zawinul in 1966 for Julian "Cannonball" Adderley and his album Mercy, Mercy, Mercy! Live at 'The Club'. The song is the title track of the album and became a surprise hit.[1] "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" went to #2 on the Soul chart and #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[2]
Original version
The original version was performed by: Cannonball Adderley (alto saxophone), Nat Adderley (cornet), Joe Zawinul (piano, electric piano), Victor Gaskin (bass) and Roy McCurdy (drums). The theme of the song is performed by Zawinul on a Wurlitzer electric piano previously used by Ray Charles.[3]
Buckinghams cover
"Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" has been re-recorded numerous times, most notably by The Buckinghams, who reached # 5 in August 1967, adding lyrics to the tune. Musicians on the Buckingham's version included James Henderson, Lew McCreary and Richard Leith on trombone, Bill Peterson, Bud Childers on trumpet, John Johnson on sax, Lincoln Mayorga on Wurlitzer electric piano, Dennis Budimir on guitar, Carol Kaye on bass, and John Guerin on drums.
The first part of the theme is played twice and is completely made of notes from the major pentatonic scale of the first degree.
Structure and chord progression
The tune is in the key of B-flat major and has a 20-bar structure with four distinct sections. The chord progression is mainly made of dominant-seventh chords on the first, fourth and fifth degrees, giving the song a bluesy feeling although it does not follow a typical blues progression. The subdominant (IV) chord in the beginning section emphasizes this bluesy feeling. In the second section, the tonic chord alternates with a second-inversion subdominant chord, creating a parallel to the I-IV-V progression (in which the tonic moves to the subdominant).
Books & Gear I use and Recommend:
The Jazz Theory Book by Mark Levine
amzn.to/4s1NdOO
Thomastik-Infeld Flatwounds 11-47
amzn.to/44yMTNs
Quilter Amp:
amzn.to/4oZdpqC
Joe Pass Chord Solos: For Guitar, Vibes, and All Keyboard Instruments
amzn.to/44Rb7ml
Wes Montgomery Guitar Folio
amzn.to/45mzWGM
The New Real Book by Chuck Sher
amzn.to/49j31nV
"As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases"
The 1966 Joe Zawinul composition, "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" arranged for solo guitar.
chriswhitemanmusic.com
from wikipedia:
"Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" is a jazz song written by Joe Zawinul in 1966 for Julian "Cannonball" Adderley and his album Mercy, Mercy, Mercy! Live at 'The Club'. The song is the title track of the album and became a surprise hit.[1] "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" went to #2 on the Soul chart and #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[2]
Original version
The original version was performed by: Cannonball Adderley (alto saxophone), Nat Adderley (cornet), Joe Zawinul (piano, electric piano), Victor Gaskin (bass) and Roy McCurdy (drums). The theme of the song is performed by Zawinul on a Wurlitzer electric piano previously used by Ray Charles.[3]
Buckinghams cover
"Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" has been re-recorded numerous times, most notably by The Buckinghams, who reached # 5 in August 1967, adding lyrics to the tune. Musicians on the Buckingham's version included James Henderson, Lew McCreary and Richard Leith on trombone, Bill Peterson, Bud Childers on trumpet, John Johnson on sax, Lincoln Mayorga on Wurlitzer electric piano, Dennis Budimir on guitar, Carol Kaye on bass, and John Guerin on drums.
The first part of the theme is played twice and is completely made of notes from the major pentatonic scale of the first degree.
Structure and chord progression
The tune is in the key of B-flat major and has a 20-bar structure with four distinct sections. The chord progression is mainly made of dominant-seventh chords on the first, fourth and fifth degrees, giving the song a bluesy feeling although it does not follow a typical blues progression. The subdominant (IV) chord in the beginning section emphasizes this bluesy feeling. In the second section, the tonic chord alternates with a second-inversion subdominant chord, creating a parallel to the I-IV-V progression (in which the tonic moves to the subdominant).
Books & Gear I use and Recommend:
The Jazz Theory Book by Mark Levine
amzn.to/4s1NdOO
Thomastik-Infeld Flatwounds 11-47
amzn.to/44yMTNs
Quilter Amp:
amzn.to/4oZdpqC
Joe Pass Chord Solos: For Guitar, Vibes, and All Keyboard Instruments
amzn.to/44Rb7ml
Wes Montgomery Guitar Folio
amzn.to/45mzWGM
The New Real Book by Chuck Sher
amzn.to/49j31nV
"As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases"
