The Mercy Seat Lyrics - American 3: Solitary Man - Johnny Cash

It all began when they took me from my home 

And put me on Death Row, 

a crime for which I am totally innocent, you know. 

I began to warm and chill 

To objects and their fields, 

A ragged cup, a twisted mop 

The face of Jesus in my soup 

Those sinister dinner deals 

The meal trolley's wicked wheels 

A hooked bone rising from my food 

All things either good or ungood. 

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And the mercy seat is waiting 

And I think my head is burning 

And in a way I'm yearning 

To be done with all this weighing of the truth. 

An eye for an eye 

And a tooth for a tooth 

And anyway I told the truth 

And I'm not afraid to die. 

I hear stories from the chamber 

Christ was born into a manger 

And like some ragged stranger 

He died upon the cross 

Might I say, it seems so fitting in its way 

He was a carpenter by trade 

Or at least that's what I'm told 

My kill-hand's 

tatooed E.V.I.L. across it's brother's fist 

That filthy five! They did nothing to challenge or resist. 

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In Heaven His throne is made of gold 

The ark of his Testament is stowed 

A throne from which I'm told 

All history does unfold. 

It's made of wood and wire 

And my body is on fire 

And God is never far away. 

Into the mercy seat I climb 

My head is shaved, my head is wired 

And like a moth that tries 

To enter the bright eye 

I go shuffling out of life 

Just to hide in death awhile 

And anyway I never lied. 

And the mercy seat is waiting 

And I think my head is burning 

And in a way I'm yearning 

To be done with all this weighing of the truth. 

An eye for an eye 

And a tooth for a tooth 

And anyway I told the truth 

And I'm not afraid to die 

And the mercy seat is burning 

And I think my head is glowing 

And in a way I'm hopin' 

to be done with all this twistin' of the truth. 

An eye for an eye 

And a tooth for a tooth 

And any way there was no proof 

And I'm not afraid to die 

And the mercy seat is glowing 

And I think my head is smoking 

And in a way I'm hopin' 

to be done with all these looks of disbelief. 

A life for a life 

And a truth for a truth 

And I've got nothin' left to loose. 

And I'm not afraid to die 

And the mercy seat is smoking 

And I think my head is melting 

And in a way that's helpin' 

to be done with all this twistin' of the truth 

An eye for an eye 

And a tooth for a tooth 

And any way I told the truth 

But I'm afraid I told a lie.