The Foote Files: Duffy

(CBS11) - Ten years ago, Welsh singer/songwriter Duffy (born Amie Ann Duffy in Gwynedd, Wales in 1984) hit the music scene with her debut album Rockferry. An attractive blond with a strong passionate voice, she has a neo blue-eyed soul, similar to that of the late Dusty Springfield. She appeared on a Welsh television talent show in 2003 and placed second. She continued to record songs while working two part-time jobs. As her work began to sore on the Welsh music charts, she became more in demand. In 2007, she was under contract with A&M Records (UK) and performed on the BBC Two television show Later With Jools Holland which then led to an appearance on Hootenanny. She appeared again on Holland show and performed three songs from her debut album, one of which is featured here.

The song, "Mercy" written by Duffy and Steve Booker, was released February 11, 2008. When asked what the song meant, Duffy replied, "The lyrics were about having a feeling towards someone, whether it's a romantic feeling or just some chemistry that you don't want and you desperately want to be released from that feeling." Duffy sang the song on The Rachael Ray Show on February 2, 2009, which aired on KTVT CBS11 locally at that time.

The lyrics go like this:

Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah

I love you
But I gotta stay true
My morals got me on my knees
I'm begging please stop playing games
I don't know what this is
But you've got me good
Just like you knew you would
I don't know what you do
But you do it well
I'm under your spell

You got me begging you for mercy
Why won't you release me
You got me begging you for mercy
Why won't you release me
I said release me

The song hit #1 in various countries in Europe. In the U.S., it hit #27 on the Hot 100 but #4 among Adult Alternative songs. Its success was huge in Europe. She also won a 2009 BMI award due to "Mercy" airing more than three million times on radio and TV.

So from 2008, here is her most successful son…"Mercy."