On Atlantic in the 60's and Mercury in the 70's, Don Covay was a largely overlooked soul singer of considerable talent. Best known as the author of Artetha Franklin's "Chain Of Fools," Covay racked up a number of hits on his own. "Mercy Mercy" and "See Saw" are among his earlier hits, and "Sookie Sookie" (a primal funk number) and "I Was Checkin' Out She Was Checkin' In" are some of his later successes. Razor & Tie's Mercy Mercy: The Definitive Don Covay (1994) was just that - definitive - stretching all the way from 1959 to 1974. Sadly, it was deleted in short order, and available copies are growing rare and rather expensive - worth the price, however. Another collection, Polygram's Checkin' In With Don Covay (1994), focusing on his 70's material, is even more scare and pricey.

More recently, Koch Records issued Mercy! / See Saw (2000), a CD containing two of Covay's original Atlantic LP's from 1965 and 1996, respectively, and tiny Sepia Tone Records reissued his 1969 blues-rock experiment for Atlantic, House Of Blue Lights (2002). The aging soul singer, then in poor health, was the subject of a tribute album, Back To The Streets, in 1993. Featuring an eclectic menu of artists - Robert Cray, Iggy Pop, Gary "U.S." Bonds - it was a spirited outing only partially successful in recapturing Covay's particular magic. Happily, the man himself later came back (with assistance from other soul semi-legends Otis Clay and Ann Peebles), releasing Ad Lib in 2000 to some acclaim.