Here’s another song I’ve recorded just for the fun of it.

It occurred to me that I seldom, if ever, bother to record songs that I sing without any instrumental accompaniment.

So I thought it was about time I did.

I never really understood why “Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz” was funny until I started listening to singers like Ralph Stanley performing unaccompanied Appalachian hymn tunes. Then I got it!

There’s not much else to say about it, really - pretty much everyone knows it already! I’ll never manage to do it the way Janis Joplin did, but it’s still great fun to sing. The performer I least expected to hear do this song in concert was Tom Hingley, of the Inspiral Carpets, who I heard do it at a solo acoustic gig towards the end of 2006. He can sing it a good deal higher than I can! It was a fantastic rendition, and he got the whole audience clapping.

My recording just has me slapping my knee vaguely in the background…

Download Mercedes Benz (1.65MB approx)

Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz?
My friends all drive Porsches; I must make amends
Worked hard all my lifetime, no help from my friends
So Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz?

Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a colour TV?
Dial-a-dollar are trying to find me
I’ll wait for delivery each day until three
So Lord, won’t you buy me a colour TV?

Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a night on the town?
I’m counting on you Lord! Please don’t let me down…
Won’t you prove that you love me, and buy the first round?
Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a night on the town?