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 un-good

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 the sick breath at my hind
They are the sick breath at my hind
They are the 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 all across his 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
I go shuffling out of life
Just to hide in death awhile
And anyway I never lied

My kill-hand is called evil
Wears a wedding band that's good
'Tis a long-suffering shackle
Collaring all that rebel blood

And the mercy seat is burning
And I think my head is glowing
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 growing
And I think my head is melting
And 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 not a motive why

And the mercy seat is melting
And I think my blood is boiling
And in a way I'm spoiling all the fun
By all this consequence 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 not 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
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 life for a life
And a truth for a truth
And anyway there was no proof
And I'm not afraid to die

And 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
An eye for an eye
And a tooth for a tooth
But anyway I told the truth
And I'm not afraid to die

And the mercy seat is-a waiting
And I think my head is burning
And in a way I'm yearning to be done
With all this measuring of proof
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

And the mercy seat is-a waiting
And I think my head is burning
And in a way I'm yearning to be done
With all this measuring of proof
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

And the mercy seat is-a waiting
And I think my head is burning
And in a way I'm yearning to be done
With all this measuring of proof
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

And the mercy seat is-a waiting
And I think my head is burning
And in a way I'm yearning to be done
With all this measuring of proof
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

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
Of an eye for an 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-a waiting
And I think my head is burning
And in a way I'm yearning to be done
With all this measuring of proof
Of an eye for an 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-a waiting
And I think my head is burning
And in a way I'm yearning to be done
With all this measuring of proof
Of 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


Lyrics submitted by typo

The Mercy Seat Lyrics as written by Mick Harvey Nicholas Edward Cave

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Mute Song Limited

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The Mercy Seat song meanings
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  • +3
    General Comment

    Great work all. Cave is a master of metaphor and it is good to see so many people care about what he is actually trying to say.

    While there are many themes in the song, the predominant one uses guilt and innocence to explore the objectivity of truth. In this regard it is greatly influenced by books such as "The Outsider" and Crime and punishment. The "I begin to chill to objects and their fields" line is taken straight from Dostoevsky.

    From our characters view, having denounced mans right to judge him, God is the paradigm of truth, and the song explores the implications of such belief with great depth and subtle precision. The uncertainty of his actions and and as such why he would commit them if they were wrong or unjust, leads to the analogies with Jesus, who is the ultimate victim of his own fate. It is fitting that as the song begins to reach it's climax and his disdain becomes bolder that he picks the wedding band, a symbol of Gods holiest institution on earth, as the shackle of his rebel blood, life and spirit, which is suggestive of a truth he can't explore, indicating the fallacy of his God.

    The last line "I'm afraid I told a lie" is not a submission of guilt, it simply sums up a fearful yet enduring uncertainty on all matters, as he is not sure of guilt or innocence or god or truth or any other yardsticks, right or ability, to measure his supposed crime.

    Cash's version is of a different flavor, his emphasis put on haunting nobility, a beat prince trudging towards a destined fate in almost heroic fashion, while Cage focuses on the subjective, with dark, all too human, undertones creeping through the prose. Which makes it, lyrically at least, a far more interesting work.

    Luciffiluson January 27, 2009   Link

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