Everybody's Crying Mercy

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I can't believe the things I'm seein'
I wonder bout some things I've heard
Everybody's crying mercy
When they don't know the meaning of the word

A bad enough situation
Is sure enough getting worse
Everybody's crying justice
Just as long as there's business first

Toe to toe
Touch and go
Give a cheer
Get your souvenir

People running 'round in circles
Don't know what they're headed for
Everybody's crying Peace on Earth
Just as soon as we win this war

Straight ahead
Knock 'em dead
Pack your kit
Choose your hypocrite

Well you don't have to go to off-Broadway
To see something plain absurd
Everybody's crying mercy
When they don't know the meaning of the word
Nobody knows the meaning of the word

When they don't know the meaning of the word
Nobody knows the meaning of the word
Nobody knows the meaning of the word

Everybody's Crying Mercy
Written byMose Allison
Performed byElvis Costello
Produced byElvis Costello & Kevin Killen
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocals
Jim Keltner - drums
Jerry Scheff - bass
Larry Knechtel - Hammond organ
Marc Ribot - electric guitar
Recorded1990, Blue Wave Studios, Barbados
Vocal backgrounds added at Eden Studios, London
ReleasedMay 9, 1995
AlbumsKojak Variety, 1995
PromosKojak Variety Sampler, 1995 (excerpt)
Length4:05

First known performance:
May 25, 1991, Santa Barbara, CA
Last known performance:
2024
     (88 known performances)


Eye.jpg
“"Mose Allison I know about through Georgie Fame. The Beatles and Georgie are my two favourite British artists of the '60s. I had the albums. Sound Venture is fantastic. If Georgie Fame was American, he'd be revered. I guess "Bonnie and Clyde" got him tagged as a novelty guy. But I never realised, no offence, but Georgie was basically doing a Mose Allison. I first heard "Everybody's Cryin' Mercy" by Bonnie Raitt. It was sort of ironic in 1963. The words are just so tragic today."” — Elvis writing in Q Magazine, June 1995.

Alternate versions

Everybody's Crying Mercy (Peace Songs version)
Performed byElvis Costello & The Imposters
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocal, guitar
Steve Nieve - Hammond organ
Davey Faragher - bass
Pete Thomas - drums
RecordedMarch 2003, unknown location, Los Angeles
ReleasedApril 17, 2003
Various Artists collectionsPeace Songs, 2003
Length5:14
Kojak VarietyKV album cover large.jpg

Peace SongsPeace Songs album cover.jpg


Recordings by other artists

 Artist  Year  Release  Links
Mose Allison  1968 I've Been Doin' Some Thinkin' AllMusic
Bonnie Raitt  1973 Takin' My Time DiscogsAmazon
Georgie Fame  1995 The Blues and Me Amazon.uk

Internal links

External links