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Mercy Lyrics
I stood in the water
In the middle month of winter
My camel skin was torture
I was in a state of nature
The wind, sir, it was wicked
I was so alone
Just as I predicted
My followers were gone
And I cried `Mercy'
Have mercy upon me
And I got down on my knees
Thrown into a dungeon
Bread and water was my portion
Faith - my only weapon
To rest the devil's legion
The speak-hole would slide open
A viper's voice would plead
Thick with innuendo
Syphilis and Greed
And she cried `Mercy'
Have mercy upon me
And I told her to get down on her knees
In a garden full of roses
My hands, tied behind me
My cousin was working miracles
I wondered if he'd find me
The moon was turned toward me
Like a platter made of gold
My death, it almost bored me
So often was it told
And I cried `Mercy'
I cried mercy on me
Cryind `Mercy'
Have mercy on me
In the middle month of winter
My camel skin was torture
I was in a state of nature
The wind, sir, it was wicked
I was so alone
Just as I predicted
My followers were gone
Have mercy upon me
And I got down on my knees
Bread and water was my portion
Faith - my only weapon
To rest the devil's legion
The speak-hole would slide open
A viper's voice would plead
Thick with innuendo
Syphilis and Greed
Have mercy upon me
And I told her to get down on her knees
My hands, tied behind me
My cousin was working miracles
I wondered if he'd find me
The moon was turned toward me
Like a platter made of gold
My death, it almost bored me
So often was it told
I cried mercy on me
Cryind `Mercy'
Have mercy on me
Song Info
Submitted by
dressed2depress On Jun 26, 2006
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The Mercy Seat
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Gotta be one of my favourite Cave songs. The desperation is insane. The John the Baptist inspiration is obvious but I tend to think Cave puts more than a little of himself into the character as well.
So no one commented on this yet? Hard to believe. A great song about John the Baptist...a little creepy too, as is most of Nick Cave's work.
Really wonderful song,so touching!But could you explain why this has to do with John the Baptist??This relationship is not so obvious to me... Thanks
Jesus and John the Baptist were cousins ("My cousin was working miracles"). He baptised people in water. He was also arrested and killed. Oh yes, apparently his favourite outfit was camel skin.
Jesus and John the Baptist were cousins ("My cousin was working miracles"). He baptised people in water. He was also arrested and killed. Oh yes, apparently his favourite outfit was camel skin.
The "She" in "She cried mercy" was Herods wife. John the Baptist was imprisoned by Herod because he renounced Herod's divorce from his first wife and marrying his brother's wife. I'm guessing the second verse refers to her asking John the Baptist to forgive Herod while he was improsoned. "I asked her to get down on her knew" is obviously his denial of that forgiveness. The third verse refers to his death at her request; to have his head brought to her on a platter. Brilliant, emotional depiction of a very grim Biblical event!