The Mercy Seat Lyrics - Singles - Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

It began when they come took me from my home 

And put me in Dead Row, 

Of which I am nearly wholly innocent, you know. 

And I'll say it again 

I. am. not. 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 

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 measuring of proof. 

An eye for an eye 

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 sick breath at my hind 

They are sick breath at my hind 

They are sick breath at my hind 

They are sick breath gathering at my hind 

I hear stories from the chamber 

How 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 E.V.I.L. across it's brother's 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 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 

So I go shuffling out of life 

Just to hide in death awhile 

And anyway I never lied. 

My kill-hand is called E.V.I.L. 

Wears a wedding band that's G.O.O.D. 

'Tis a long-suffering shackle 

Collaring all that devil blood. 

And the mercy seat is a-burning 

And I think my head is flowing 

And 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 waiting 

And I think my head is burning 

And in a way I'm yearning 

To be done with all this measuring of proof 

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 waiting 

And I think my head is burning 

And in a way I'm yearning 

To be done with all this measuring of proof. 

A life for a life 

And a tooth for a tooth 

And anyway there was no proof 

And I'm not afraid to die. 

Now the mercy seat is waiting 

And I think my head is smoking 

And in a way I'm hoping 

To be done with all these looks of disbelief. 

A 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 waiting 

And I think my head is burning 

And in a way I'm yearning 

To be done with all this measuring of proof 

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 waiting 

And I think my head is burning 

And in a way I'm yearning 

To be done with all this measuring of proof. 

A eye for a eye 

And a tooth for a tooth 

And anyway I told the truth 

But I'm not afraid to lie. 

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 measuring of proof 

An eye for an eye 

And a tooth for a tooth 

And anyway I told the truth 

But I'm afraid I told a lie.