Major view
D major
Brightness rank 2/7 (bright)
Characteristic notes
- 7 = C# (leading tone, pulls home)
- 4 = G (the note that leans on the 3rd)
Shawn Mendes - Mercy - Chord
Key D major – B minor Chords G, A, Em, Bm, Bm7, D Easy key G (capo 7)
No ratings yet
or your user informations
Make it yours
Text size
Key: D | Bm
Capo: 0
Em G Bm A
Em G
You've got a hold of me
Bm A
Don't even know your power
Em G
I stand a hundred feet
Bm A
But I fall when I'm around you
Em G
Show me an open door
Bm A
Then you go and slam it on me
Em G
I can't take anymore
Bm A
I'm saying baby
Em G
Please have mercy on me
Bm A
Take it easy on my heart
Em G
Even though you don't mean to hurt me
Bm A
You keep tearing me apart
Em G Bm A
Would you please have mercy, mercy on my heart
Em G Bm A
Would you please have mercy, mercy on my heart
Em G
I'd drive through the night
Bm A
Just to be near you baby
Em G
Heart old and testified
Bm A
Tell me that I'm not crazy
Em G
I'm not asking for a lot
Bm A
Just that you're honest with me
Em G
My pride is all I got
Bm A
I'm saying baby
Em G
Please have mercy on me
Bm A
Take it easy on my heart
Em G
Even though you don't mean to hurt me
Bm A
You keep tearing me apart
Em G
Would you please have mercy on me
Bm A
I'm a puppet on your string
Em G
And even though you got good intentions
Bm A
I need you to set me free
Em G Bm A
Would you please have mercy, mercy on my heart
Em G Bm A
Would you please have mercy, mercy on my heart
G Bm7
Consuming all the air inside my lungs
D A
Ripping all the skin from off my bones
G Bm7
I'm prepared to sacrifice my life
D A
I would gladly do it twice
G Bm7
Consuming all the air inside my lungs
D A
Ripping all the skin from off my bones
G Bm7
I'm prepared to sacrifice my life
D A
I would gladly do it twice
Em G
Oh please have mercy on me
Bm A
Take it easy on my heart
Em G
Even though you don't mean to hurt me
Bm A
You keep tearing me apart
Em G
Would you please have mercy on me
Bm A
I'm a puppet on your string
Em G
And even though you got good intentions
Bm A
I need you to set me free
Em G Bm
I'm begging you for mercy, mercy
A Em
I'm begging you, begging you, please baby
Em G Bm
I'm begging you for mercy, mercy
A
Ohh I'm begging you, I'm begging you, yeah
Em G Bm A
End of song Play again?
Shawn Mendes - Mercy Tabs
NotesX
Harmony analysis
Shawn Mendes – Mercy: key and chord analysis
The song opens on Em and ends on A. Its chords belong to both D major and Bm, so every chord below is read both ways.
Minor view
B minor
Brightness rank 5/7 (leaning dark)
Characteristic notes
- b6 = G (the minor's melancholy)
- b7 = A (natural-minor colour)
Which side does the ear lean to?
Our reading: to us the song feels closer to the B minor side because Bm is heard 30 times against 4 for D. That is an interpretation, not a rule — the same chords are just as valid seen from D major, and switching between the two views is exactly where the practice value lies.
Chord degrees: major and relative minor
Show the degrees above the chords — relative to D or to Bm; comparing both readings is a practice of its own.
Every chord of the key, listed 1 to 7 separately for each key. Chords played in the song show how often they appear; chords from outside the scale sit next to their own degree.
| Degree | Chord | Role | Notes | In song |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | D | Tonic — home | D · F# · A | 4× |
| ii | Em | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | E · G · B | 27× |
| iii | F#m | Mediant — a tonic-family shade | F# · A · C# | — |
| V/vi | F# | Secondary dominant V/vi — leads to Bmsecondary dominant | F# · A# · C# | — |
| IV | G | Subdominant — moves away from home | G · B · D | 30× |
| V | A | Dominant — strongest pull home | A · C# · E | 30× |
| vi | Bm | Relative minor — the melancholy side | B · D · F# | 26× |
| vi7 | Bm7 | Relative minor — the melancholy side | B · D · F# · A | 4× |
| vii° | C#dim | Leading-tone chord — tension | C# · E · G | — |
| Degree | Chord | Role | Notes | In song |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| i | Bm | Tonic — home | B · D · F# | 26× |
| i7 | Bm7 | Tonic — home | B · D · F# · A | 4× |
| ii° | C#dim | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | C# · E · G | — |
| III | D | Relative major — the bright side | D · F# · A | 4× |
| iv | Em | Subdominant — moves away from home | E · G · B | 27× |
| v | F#m | Minor dominant — soft pull | F# · A · C# | — |
| V | F# | Dominant — borrowed from harmonic minor, pulls hard to the tonicharmonic minor | F# · A# · C# | — |
| VI | G | Submediant — warm colour | G · B · D | 30× |
| VII | A | Subtonic — steps back to the tonic | A · C# · E | 30× |
Analysis
The key pair is D major and its relative B minor (2 sharps). 6 different chords appear 121 times in total; 6 of them sit naturally inside the shared scale. Everything stays inside one scale, which is why the song is easy to follow by ear.
Chord movement
- G Bm DIV → vi BmVI → iVI → i ×26
- G Bm7 DIV → vi7 BmVI → i7VI → i ×4
The move to watch is G → Bm, heard 26 times. From the Bm side it is VI → i (VI → i: falls a half step into home); from the D side it reads IV → vi. Knowing where these arrivals fall helps you feel the phrasing and anticipate the next chord.
Improvisation tips
- D major pentatonic and B minor pentatonic are the same five notes (D – E – F# – A – B): start from D for a brighter phrase, from B for a bluesier one.
- Over G, land on G, B, D — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
- Over A, land on A, C#, E — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
- Over Em, land on E, G, B — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
The song on the circle of fifths
- Played in the song — chord of the key
- Played — the minor's harmonic V or a secondary dominant
- Played — borrowed or outside chord
- Home region: IV–I–V and ii–vi–iii
Empty slices are chords the song doesn't use.
Capo and easier keys
With D major shapes
- No capo — open D shapes
- Capo 2 + C shapes
- Capo 5 + A shapes
With B minor shapes
- Capo 2 + Am shapes
- Capo 7 + Em shapes
Easiest keys on guitar
- 5 semitones up · capo 7 keeps the original pitch
- 2 semitones down · capo 2 keeps the original pitch
The song's harmonic story
The opening Em lays a solid floor for everything that follows. The chords that keep coming back are G, A, Em, Bm; read them as IV–V–ii–vi in D or VI–VII–iv–i in Bm. No chord leaves the shared scale, so a single pentatonic shape works over the whole song. Keep an ear on G → Bm (IV → vi in D, VI → i in Bm): VI → i — falls a half step into home. Ending on A, the song seals D as home.
This analysis is generated from the song's chords by akorculuk's harmony engine using consistent rules. When you change key, the degrees stay the same; only the chord names change.
Shawn Mendes - Mercy Chords on Guitar, Ukulele and Piano
Hover over or tap a chord in the lyrics for its shapes, its degree in both keys and a listen button. Here you have every chord of the song side by side.
Repertoires with this song
Similar songs, ready to play: pick a list.
Report error for this content report.
All copyrights belong to their respective owners. If you think this content contains copyright infringement, please contact us.