Song · Marvin Gaye

Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) by Marvin Gaye

Soul1971AdvancedBarre chords7th chords🎸 Interactive

Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) by Marvin Gaye runs at 93 BPM in 4/4 and is in the key of E major. It is built on 6 chords — Emaj7, C#m7, F#m7, Fmaj7, Dm7, Gm7. Released in 1971.

✓ Key sourced from the McGill Billboard Project's expert chord annotations — not auto-detected. See how we verify →

Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) — Marvin Gaye
Tempo 93 or 186 double-time
Key E major verified
Time 4/4 signature
Length 3:16 runtime
Released 1971 Soul
Chords 6 shapes below
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🎚 Tuning: This recording sits about 23 cents flat of concert pitch (A=434.2Hz, not 440Hz). Tune to the track or you'll fight it the whole way.
🎸 Tap a chord to hear it Every shape in this song, on a real fretboard.

What to watch for

At least one shape here is a full barre — one finger pressing all six strings, no open strings to lean on. Fret it unplugged first; if a string buzzes, it's the barre, not the chord. Listen for the 7th in these chords — it's the note doing most of the harmonic pull, and it's the first thing that disappears if you fret only the plain triad underneath it.

Practice at the right tempo

This song sits at 93 BPM. Start at 60% until the changes are clean — speed is a by-product of accuracy, not a goal.

🥁 Metronome 93 BPM · 100%

Learn the theory

Music TheoryThe Major Scale Music TheoryMajor 7, Minor 7 & Dominant 7

Play it on a live fretboard

Every shape, every voicing, and the scale that fits over them — on a board you can hear. Then just talk to it: Melody Monkey's personal music teacher controls the fretboard, so ask for a chord, a scale, a progression, or why any of it works, and watch it land under your fingers. Free to start.

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Keep playing

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Roberta Flack and Donny HathawayYou've got a FriendAb major · 172 BPM The 5th DimensionNever My LoveG major · 163 BPM Graham NashChicagoA minor · 82 BPM Jimi HendrixFreedomC · 117 BPM Five Man Electrical BandAbsolutely RightA major Rolling StonesWild HorsesG major · 154 BPM

Frequently asked questions

What key is Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) in?

Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) is in E major, sourced from the McGill Billboard Project's expert chord annotations — not auto-detected.

What tempo is Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)?

Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) runs at 93 BPM (or 186 double-time).

What chords does Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) use?

Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) is built on 6 chords: Emaj7, C#m7, F#m7, Fmaj7, Dm7, Gm7.

Does Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) need barre chords?

Yes — at least one shape is a full barre (one finger across all six strings). Everything else on the page is a standard open shape.

What tuning is Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) in?

This recording sits about 23 cents flat of concert pitch (A=434.2Hz, not 440Hz). Tune to the track or you'll fight it the whole way.