Mercy! LP sessions
What follows is a list of all of the Don Covay tracks known to have been recorded during the May & October 1964 sessions from which the two Rosemart 45s and the Atlantic LP were compiled. Most of these have no Hendrix involvement, the idea here is to try and list all of the tracks that were recorded during the sessions as well as the dates and personnel.
Each titled is preceded by it's Atlantic master number and the listing includes all of the tracks recorded at the 1964 sessions, including one that ended up on the follow-up LP See-Saw (Atlantic 8120).
The session info is mainly based on the book Atlantic Records A Discography Volume 1 (compiled by Michel Ruppli) but I've also used all the other information that there is as included on the various Don Covay and the Goodtimers -pages that I have here on the site.
When breaking down the instrumentation I have used the stereo mixes as it's much easier to hear all of the different parts. The listing that follows is still 90% speculation and guesswork when it comes to the personnel but I think it's good to have all the speculation and guesswork in one place so that that there's something use as a starting point...
I've also added listing of what instrumentation can be found placed where in the stereo mix. As the master tapes were three track recordings I'm assuming that the recordings were made in what was pretty much the standard procedure for multitrack recording those days: the basic track was recorded on one track and the remaining two tracks were used for overdubs. The stereo mix of Mercy! was released in January 1965 simultaniously with the mono mix so the mixing of the album must have been done in late 1964. Stereo mixing was at the time mostly done by having the basic track central or in one channel and then panning the overdubbed instruments mainly hard left, center or hard right - the kind of stereo that you can hear when you listen to original stereo mixes of early Beatles albums. So I've tried to break the mixes down a bit to see what the original core band that recorded the basic tracks might have been - but once again I have to emphasize that I'm just guessing here, just trying to get a better idea on how the recordings were made.
13 May 1964
The Atlantic discography only lists Bernard Purdie for this session.
7873 Can't Stay Away
drums (center) - Bernard Purdie
bass (center) - Bob Bushnell? Ace Hall?
lead guitar (left) - Jimi Hendrix
vocals (right) - Don Covay
organ (left) - Horace Ott?
piano (right) - Horace Ott?
harmony vocal (falsetto - left) - Don Covay?
The stereo version of "Can`t Stay Away" is mixed as follows:
left channel:
organ, guitar & harmony vocals
center:
bass & drums (basic track?)
right channel:
piano & lead vocal
18 May 1964
The Atlantic discography doesn't list any of the personelle for this session.
7878 Can't Stay Away Too Long (unreleased)
7879 Mercy, Mercy
drums (center) - Bernard Purdie?
bass (center) - Bob Bushnell? Ace Hall?
lead guitar (center) - Jimi Hendrix
1st rhythm guitar (left - overdub?) - Jimi Hendrix or Ronald Miller?
2nd rhythm guitar (right - overdub?) - Jimi Hendrix or Ronald Miller?
vocals (right) - Don Covay
harmony vocal (left - falsetto) - Don Covay?
harmony vocal (left) - George "King" Clemons?
The released version of "Mercy, Mercy" seems to have an edit at 2.09.
The stereo version of "Mercy, Mercy" is mixed as follows:
left channel:
guitar & two harmony vocals
center:
guitar, bass & drums (basic track?)
right channel
guitar & lead vocal
1 October 1964
The Atlantic discography lists the following personnel for this session:
Bob Bushnell, guitar; Ron Miller, bass?; Bernard Purdie, drums
8248 Take This Hurt Off Me
drums (center) - Bernard Purdie
bass (center) - Ronald Miller?
lead guitar (center) - Bob Bushnell
1st rhythm guitar (left) - unknown
2nd rhythm guitar (right) - unknown
vocals (right) - Don Covay
1st harmony vocal (left) - Don Covay?
2nd harmony vocal (left) - unknown
Don sings "Baby baby baby I don`t know what you´ve got, I`m sure that it`s got me, mercy!", an idea later developed further for Little Richard's "I don't know what you've got but it's got me".
The stereo version of "Take This Hurt Off Me" is mixed as follows:
left channel:
guitar & two harmony vocals
center:
guitar, bass & drums (basic track?)
right channel:
lead vocal
3 October 1964
The Atlantic discography lists the following personnel for this session:
Dud Bascomb, trumpet; Buddy Lucas, tenor sax; Haywood Henry, baritone sax; Horace Ott, piano, organ; Bob Bushnell, Billy Butler, guitar; Ron Miller, bass?; Bernard Purdie, drums
8246 Just Because
drums (right) - Bernard Purdie
bass (right) - Ronald Miller?
guitar (right) - Billy Butler or Bob Bushnell
vocals (center) - Don Covay
piano (right) - Horace Ott
trumpet (left) - Wilbur "Dud" Bascomb
tenor sax (left) - Buddy Lucas
baritone sax (left) - Haywood Henry
Atlantic discography lists two guitar players for this session but only one is audible on this track.
The stereo version of "Just Because" is mixed as follows:
left channel:
horns
center:
lead vocals
right channel :
guitar, piano, horns, drums & bass (basic track?)
8247 Come On In
drums & shouting (right) - Bernard Purdie
bass (right) - Ronald Miller?
rhythm guitar (right) - Billy Butler and/or Bob Bushnell
vocals (center) - Don Covay
organ - Horace Ott
piano (right) - Horace Ott
trumpet (left) - Wilbur "Dud" Bascomb
tenor sax (left) - Buddy Lucas
baritone sax (left) - Haywood Henry
1st harmony vocal (center) - unknown
2nd harmony vocal (center) - unknown
Atlantic discography lists two guitar players for this session but only one is audible on this track.
Don Covay says "Come on Horace" at the start of the organ solo so this clearly is played by Horace Ott. The way the instruments are divided in the stereo mix would nicely fit a 3 track master recording, the basic track seems to be in the right channel with overdubs mixed center and left. If the organ solo is an overdub then Horace Ott probably played both organ & piano.
The stereo version of "Come On In" is mixed as follows:
left channel:
horns (overdubs)
center:
harmony vocals, lead vocals & organ (overdubs)
right channel:
piano, horns, guitar, drums & bass (basic track?)
4 October 1964
The Atlantic discography lists the following personnel for this session:
Horace Ott, piano, organ; Bob Bushnell, Harry Jensen, guitar; Ron Miller, bass?; Bernard Purdie, drums
8252 I'll Be Satisfied
drums (center) - Bernard Purdie
bass (center) - Ronald Miller?
lead guitar (center) - Bob Bushnell or Harry Jensen
rhythm guitar (center) - Bob Bushnell or Harry Jensen
vocals (right) - Don Covay
harmony vocal (left - falsetto) - Don Covay?
harmony vocal (left) - unknown
The stereo version of "I`ll Be Satisfied" is mixed as follows:
left channel:
two harmony vocals
center:
two guitars, bass & drums (basic track?)
right channel:
lead vocal
8253 You Must Believe In Me
drums (right) - Bernard Purdie
bass (right) - Ronald Miller?
lead guitar (right) - Bob Bushnell or Harry Jensen
rhythm guitar (right) - Bob Bushnell or Harry Jensen
vocals (center) - Don Covay
1st harmony vocal (center) - unknown
2nd harmony vocal (center) - unknown
The stereo version of "You Must Believe In Me" is mixed as follows:
left channel:
almost nothing
center:
two harmony vocals & lead vocals
right channel:
two guitars, bass & drums (basic track?)
8254 Precious You
drums (left) - Bernard Purdie
bass (left) - Ronald Miller?
lead guitar (left) - Bob Bushnell?
rhythm guitar (left) - Harry Jensen?
vocals (center) - Don Covay
piano (left) - Horace Ott
organ (right) - Horace Ott
vibes (right) - unknown
harmony vocal (right) - unknown
Sounds like the same lead guitar player as on "Take This Hurt Off Me" which the according to Ruppli`s notes for the 1 October session would be Bob Bushnell. "Precious You" was released on See-Saw, the follow-up LP to Mercy!
The stereo version of "Precious You" is mixed as follows:
left channel:
drums, bass, two guitars, piano (basic track?)
center:
vocals
right channel :
vibes, harmony vocal, organ
5 October 1964
The Atlantic discography lists the following personnel for the first three masters recorded at the session:
Horace Ott, piano, organ; Harry Jensen, Wally Richardson, guitar; Bob Bushnell, electric bass; Bernard Purdie, drums
8243 Daddy Loves Baby
drums (center & right) - Bernard Purdie
bass (right) - Bob Bushnell
guitar (right) - Wally Richardson or Harry Jensen
vocals (center) - Don Covay
1st harmony vocal (left) - unknown
2nd harmony vocal (left) - unknown
This seems to be the only track with the drums in stereo, mixed center & right in the stereo version?
The stereo version of "Daddy Loves Baby" is mixed as follows:
left channel:
harmony vocals
center:
drums & lead vocals
right channel:
guitar, drums & bass (basic track?)
8244 Please Don't Let Me Know
drums (center) - Bernard Purdie
bass (center) - Bob Bushnell
lead guitar (center) - Wally Richardson or Harry Jensen
rhythm guitar (center) - Wally Richardson or Harry Jensen
vocals (right) - Don Covay
piano (center) - Horace Ott
1st harmony vocal (left) - unknown
2nd harmony vocal (left) - unknown
The stereo version of "Please Don`t Let Me Know" is mixed as follows:
left channel:
harmony vocals
center:
piano, guitars, drums & bass (basic track?)
right channel:
lead vocals
8245 Can't Fight It Baby
drums (left) - Bernard Purdie
bass (left) - Bob Bushnell
1st rhythm guitar (left) - Wally Richardson or Harry Jensen
2nd rhythm guitar (left, mixed very low) - Wally Richardson or Harry Jensen
vocals (center) - Don Covay
organ (right) - Horace Ott
piano (left) - Horace Ott
1st harmony vocal (right) - unknown
2nd harmony vocal (right) - unknown
The stereo version of "Can`t Fight It Baby" is mixed as follows:
left channel:
piano, guitars, drums & bass (basic track?)
center:
lead vocals
right channel:
organ & harmony vocals
The Atlantic discography lists the following personnel for the las three masters recorded at the session:
Dud Bascomb, trumpet; Babe Clarke, tenor sax; Horace Ott, piano; Harry Jensen, Wally Richardson, guitar; Ron Miller, bass?; Bob Bushnell, bass guitar; Bernard Purdie, drums
8249 You're Good For Me
drums (right) - Bernard Purdie
bass (right) - Bob Bushnell or Ronald Miller?
guitar (right) - Wally Richardson or Harry Jensen
vocals (center) - Don Covay
piano (right) - Horace Ott
trumpet (left) - Wilbur "Dud" Bascomp
tenor sax (left) - Arthur "Babe" Clarke
This song is very similar to "I Don't Know What You've Got But It's Got Me" (composed by Don Covay and recorded by Little Richard).
The stereo version of "You`re Good For Me" is mixed as follows:
left channel:
horns
center:
lead vocals
right channel:
piano, guitar, drums & bass (basic track?)
8250 Dedicated To The One I Love (unreleased)
8251 Come See About Me
drums (right) - Bernard Purdie
bass (bass) - Bob Bushnell or Ronald Miller?
lead guitar (right) - Wally Richardson or Harry Jensen
rhythm guitar (right) - Wally Richardson or Harry Jensen
vocals (center) - Don Covay
piano (right) - Horace Ott
trumpet (left) - Wilbur "Dud" Bascomp
tenor sax (left) - Arthur "Babe" Clarke
The stereo version of "Come See About Me" is mixed as follows:
left channel:
horns
center:
lead vocals
right channel:
piano, two guitars, drums & bass (basic track?)