The Mercy Seat Songtext / Lyric

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 meals

The meal trolley's wicked wheels

A hooked bone rising from my food

All things either good or ungood






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 truth

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 I

tatooed EVIL 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

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 waiting

And I think my head is burning

And 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

Nor a motive why



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

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 this looks of disbelief

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 truth

An eye for an eye

A tooth for a tooth

And anyway I told the truth

And I'm not afraid to die



And the mercy seat is smoking

And I think my head is melting

And in a way I'm helping

To be done with all this twisted of the truth

A lie for a lie

And a truth for a truth

And I've got nothing left to lose

And I'm not afraid to die