The Mercy Seat Lyrics - Nick Cave & The Bad Seed

And they came, took me from my home 

Put me in Dead Row 

Of which I am nearly wholly innocent 

I'll say again, I am afraid to die 

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 

A meal trolley's wicked wheels 

A hooked bone rising from my food 

All things either good or ungood 

And the mercy seat is awaiting 

And I think my head is burning 

And in a way I'm yearning 

To be done with all this measuring of truth 

Of an eye for an eye 

And a tooth for a tooth 

And anyway I told the truth 

And I'm not afraid to die 

Interpret signs and catalogue 

A blackened tooth 

A scarlet fog 

The walls are bad, black, bottom kind 

They are the sick breath at my hind 

They are the sick breath at my hind 

They are the sick breath at my hind 

They are the sick breath gathering at my hind 

I hear stories from the chamber 

Christ was born into a manger 

And like some ragged stranger 

Died upon the cross 

And 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 

Like my good hand 

Tattooed evil all across his brothers fist 

That filthy five 

They did nothing to challenge or resist 

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 

Down here 

It's made of a 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 

Like a moth that tries 

To enter the bright eye 

Till I go shuffling out of life 

Just to hide in death awhile 

And anyway 

I never lied 

Kill hand is called evil 

Wears a wedding band that's good 

To the long suffering shackle 

Collaring all that rebel blood 

And the mercy seat is a burning 

And I think my head is glowing 

In a way I'm hoping 

To be done with all this weighing up of truth 

An eye for an eye 

And a tooth for a tooth 

And I've got nothing left to lose 

And I'm not afraid to die 

And the mercy seat is glowing 

And I think my head is a melting 

In a way I'm helping 

To be done with all this twisting of the truth 

An eye for an eye 

And a tooth for a tooth 

And anyway I saw no proof 

And nor a motive why 

The mercy seat is a melting 

And I think my blood is a boiling 

In a way I'm spoiling 

All the fun that I always consequence the truth 

An eye for an eye 

And a tooth for a tooth 

And I've got nothing left to lose 

And I'm not afraid to die 

And the mercy seat is awaiting 

And I think my head is burning 

In a way I'm yearning 

To be done with all this measuring of truth 

An eye for an eye 

And a tooth for a tooth 

And anyway there was no proof 

And nor a motive why 

And the mercy seat is awaiting 

And I think my head is burning 

In a way I'm yearning 

To be done with all this measuring of truth 

An eye for an eye 

And a tooth for a tooth 

And anyway I've told the truth 

And I'm not afraid to die 

And the mercy seat is awaiting 

And I think my head is burning 

In a way I'm yearning 

To be done with all this measuring of proof 

A lie for a lie 

And a truth for a truth 

And anyway there was no proof 

And I'm not afraid to die 

And the mercy seat is awaiting 

And I think my head is smoking 

And in a way I'm hoping 

To be done with all this looks of disbelief 

An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth 

And anyway I've told the truth and I'm not afraid to die 

And the mercy seat is awaiting and I think my head is burning 

And in a way I'm yearning to be done with all this measuring of proof 

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