Reverend Gary Davis, also Blind Gary Davis (April 30, 1896 – May 5, 1972), was an African-American blues and gospel singer and guitarist.
His finger picking guitar style influenced many other artists. His students include Stefan Grossman, David Bromberg, Roy Book Binder, Larry Johnson, Nick Katzman, Dave Van Ronk, Rory Block, Ernie Hawkins,Larry Campbell, Bob Weir, Woody Mann, and Tom Winslow. He influenced Bob Dylan, the Grateful Dead, Wizz Jones, Jorma Kaukonen, Keb’ Mo’, Ollabelle, Resurrection Band, and John Sebastian (of the Lovin’ Spoonful).
Death Don’t Have No Mercy
Gary Davis
Y’know death don’t have no mercy in this land
Death don’t have no mercy in this land, in this land
Come to your house, you know he don’t take long
Look in bed this morning, children find your mother gone.
I said death don’t have no mercy in this land.
Death will leave you standing and crying in this land,
Death will leave you standing and crying in this land, in this land, yeah!
Whoa! come to your house, why’ know he don’t stay long,
Why’ look in bed this morning,
Children you find that your brothers and sisters are gone.
I said death don’t have no mercy in this land.
Death will go in any family in this land.
Death will go in any family in this land.
Come to your house, you know he don’t take long.
Look in the bed on the morning, children find that your family’s gone.
I said death don’t have no mercy in this land.
Death will leave you standing and crying in this land,
In this land. whoa! come to your house,
Why’ know it don’t stay long, why’ look in bed this morning,
Children find that your brothers and sisters are gone.
I said death don’t, death don’t have no mercy in this land.