transcribed by Greg O'Beirne
Note: Every version of the Mercy Seat is different and
almost infinitely extendable. The version here is
how I play the chords, plus the lyrics that appear
in the booklet for the Tender Prey CD (with quite a few changes).
In short, this is just an approximation, so choose your own
lyrics from the vast selection that appear below.
The chords are defined at the end.
The Mercy Seat
written by Nick Cave & Mick Harvey
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.
Em B(addE )
I began to warm and chill
Em B(addE )
To objects and their fields
Em B(addE )
A ragged cup, a twisted mop
Em B(addE )
The face of Jesus in my soup
Em B(addE )
Those sinister dinner deals
Em B(addE )
The meal trolley's wicked wheels
Em B(addE )
A hooked bone rising from my
Em B(addE )
food. All things good or ungood.
E5
And the mercy seat is waiting
E5(addB )
And I think my head is burning
E5 E5(addB )
And in a way I'm yearning to be
D5 D5(addA )
done with all this measuring of
D5 D5(addA )
truth, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a
F5 F5(addC )
tooth, And anyway I told the
C5 C5(addG )
truth, And I'm not afraid to die.
Em B(addE )
Interpret signs and catalogue
Em B(addE )
A blackened tooth, a scarlet fog
Em B(addE )
The walls are bad. Black. Bottom kind.
Em B(addE )
They are the sick breath at my hind
Em B(addE )
They are the sick breath at my hind
Em B(addE )
They are the sick breath at my hind
Em B(addE )
They are the sick breath gathering
Em B(addE )
at my hind.
E5 E5(addB )
I hear stories from the
E5 E5(addB )
chamber, How Christ was born into a
E5 E5(addB )
manger And like some ragged stranger
D5 D5(addA )
Died upon the cross, And might I
D5 D5(addA )
say it seems so fitting in its
F5 F5(addC )
way He was a carpenter by
C5 C5(addG )
trade, Or at least that's what I'm
Em B(addE )
told.
Em B(addE )
Em B(addE )
Like my good hand
Em B(addE )
I tattooed E.V.I.L. across it's
Em B(addE )
brother's fist
Em B(addE )
That filthy five! They did
Em B(addE )
nothing to resist.
E5 E5(addB )
In heaven His throne is made of gold
E5 E5(addB )
The ark of His testament is
E5 E5(addB )
stowed, A throne from which I'm told all
D5 D5(addA )
history does unfold, Down here it's
D5 D5(addA )
made of wood and wire, And my
F5 F5(addC )
body is on fire
C5 C5(addG )
And God is never far away.
Em B(addE )
Into the mercy seat I climb
Em B(addE )
My head is shaved, my head is
Em B(addE )
wired, And like a moth that tries to
D5 D5(addA )
enter the bright eye, so I go
D5 D5(addA )
shuffling out life, Just to
F5 F5(addC )
hide in death a while
C5 C5(addG )
And anyway I never lied.
Em B(addE )
My kill-hand is called E.V.I.L.
Em B(addE )
Wears a wedding band that's G.O.O.D.
Em B(addE )
'Tis a long suffering shackle
Em B(addE )
Collaring all that rebel blood
E5
And the mercy seat is waiting
E5(addB )
And I think my head is burning
E5 E5(addB )
And in a way I'm yearning to be
D5 D5(addA )
done with all this measuring of
D5 D5(addA )
truth, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a
F5 F5(addC )
tooth, And anyway I told the
C5 C5(addG )
truth, And I'm not afraid to die.
E5
And the mercy seat is burning
E5(addB )
And I think my head is glowing
E5 E5(addB )
And in a way I'm hoping to be
D5 D5(addA )
done with all this weighing up of
D5 D5(addA )
truth, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a
F5 F5(addC )
tooth, And anyway I told the
C5 C5(addG )
truth, And I'm not afraid to die.
E5
And the mercy seat is glowing
E5(addB )
And I think my head is smoking
E5 E5(addB )
And in a way I'm hoping to be
D5 D5(addA )
done with all these looks of disbeleif
D5 D5(addA )
An eye for an eye and a tooth for a
F5 F5(addC )
tooth, And anyway I there was no
C5 C5(addG )
proof, Nor a motive why.
E5
And the mercy seat is smoking
E5(addB )
And I think my head is melting
E5 E5(addB )
And in a way I'm helping to be
D5 D5(addA )
done with all this twisting of
D5 D5(addA )
truth, An eye for an eye and a truth for a
F5 F5(addC )
truth, And anyway I told the
C5 C5(addG )
truth, And I'm not afraid to die.
E5
And the mercy seat is melting
E5(addB )
And I think my blood is boiling
E5 E5(addB )
And in a way I'm spoiling all the
D5 D5(addA )
fun with all this truth and consequence
D5 D5(addA )
An eye for an eye and a truth for a
F5 F5(addC )
truth, And anyway I told the
C5 C5(addG )
truth, And I'm not afraid to die.
E5
And the mercy seat is waiting
E5(addB )
And I think my head is burning
E5 E5(addB )
And in a way I'm yearning to be
D5 D5(addA )
done with all this measurement of
D5 D5(addA )
proof, A lie for a lie and a truth for a
F5 F5(addC )
truth, And anyway there was no
C5 C5(addG )
proof, And I'm not afraid to tell a lie.
E5
And the mercy seat is waiting
E5(addB )
And I think my head is burning
E5 E5(addB )
And in a way I'm yearning to be
D5 D5(addA )
done with all this measurment of
D5 D5(addA )
proof, An eye for an eye and a truth for a
F5 F5(addC )
truth, And anyway I told the
C5 C5(addG )
truth, And I'm afraid I told a lie.
Chords:
E -0---0--------0---0--------------------------------------------------
B -0---0--------0---0--------------------------------------------------
G -0---4--------9---9---------7---7---------10--10--------5---5--------
D -2---4--------9---9---------7---7---------10--10--------5---5--------
A -2---2--------7---7---------5---5---------8---8---------3---3--------
E -0---0--------0---7-------------5-------------8-------------3--------
Em B(addE) E5 E5(addB) D5 D5(addA) F5 F5(addC) C5 C5(addG)
Cheers,
--
Greg O'Beirne
woyf@perth.dialix.oz.au
gobeirne@tartarus.uwa.edu.au
http://www.uwa.edu.au/student/gobeirne/
