Lyrics The Mercy Seat - Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

The Mercy Seat

Interpret sign and catalogue
A blackened tooth, a scarlet fog
The walls are bare, 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
My good hand tatooed E.V.I.L.
all 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 rebel blood
And the mercy seat is waning
And I think my head is glowing
And in a way I’m hoping
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 glowing
And I think my head is smoking
And in a way I’m hoping
To be done with all this truth and consequence
An eye for an eye
And a tooth for a tooth
And anyway there was no proof
Nor a motive why
And the mercy seat is smoking
And I think my blood is boiling
Anyway I’m spoiling
All the fun with all this weighing of 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 burning
And I think my head is melting
Anyway it’s helping
To be done with all this weighing of the truth
An eye for an eye
And a tooth for a tooth
And I’ve got nothing left to lose
But I’m afraid I told a lie