[ti:The Mercy Seat]
[ar:Johnny Cash]
[00:02.37]it  all  began  when  they  took  me  from  my  home
[00:04.76]and  put  me  on  death  row,
[00:06.27]a  crime  for  which  i  am  totally  innocent,you  know.
[00:12.34]i  began  to  warm  and  chill
[00:13.62]to  objects  and  their  fields,
[00:16.77]a  ragged  cup,a  twisted  mop
[00:20.23]the  face  of  jesus  in  my  soup
[00:22.93]those  sinister  dinner  deals
[00:25.35]the  meal  trolley's  wicked  wheels
[00:28.35]a  hooked  bone  rising  from  my  food
[00:31.11]all  things  either  good  or  ungood.
[00:33.98]and  the  mercy  seat  is  waiting
[00:35.25]and  i  think  my  head  is  burning
[00:39.33]and  in  a  way  i'm  yearning
[00:40.98]to  be  done  with  all  this  weighing  of  the  truth.
[00:44.90]an  eye  for  an  eye
[00:46.50]and  a  tooth  for  a  tooth
[00:48.33]and  anyway  i  told  the  truth
[00:51.08]and  i'm  not  afraid  to  die.
[00:52.52]i  hear  stories  from  the  chamber
[01:01.87]christ  was  born  into  a  manger
[01:04.54]and  like  some  ragged  stranger
[01:05.65]he  died  upon  the  cross
[01:08.78]might  i  say,it  seems  so  fitting  in  its  way
[01:12.81]he  was  a  carpenter  by  trade
[01:14.46]or  at  least  that's  what  i'm  told
[01:17.57]my  kill-hand's
[01:24.87]tatooed  e.v.i.l.across  it's  brother's  fist
[01:29.00]that  filthy  five!they  did  nothing  to  challenge  or  resist.
[01:32.48]in  heaven  his  throne  is  made  of  gold
[01:37.50]the  ark  of  his  testament  is  stowed
[01:39.32]a  throne  from  which  i'm  told
[01:42.40]all  history  does  unfold.
[01:44.32]it's  made  of  wood  and  wire
[01:46.09]and  my  body  is  on  fire
[01:51.01]and  god  is  never  far  away.
[01:53.79]into  the  mercy  seat  i  climb
[01:55.32]my  head  is  shaved,my  head  is  wired
[01:59.55]and  like  a  moth  that  tries
[02:01.28]to  enter  the  bright  eye
[02:02.95]i  go  shuffling  out  of  life
[02:06.44]just  to  hide  in  death  awhile
[02:10.24]and  anyway  i  never  lied.
[02:13.13]and  the  mercy  seat  is  waiting
[02:15.79]and  i  think  my  head  is  burning
[02:18.66]and  in  a  way  i'm  yearning
[02:20.55]to  be  done  with  all  this  weighing  of  the  truth.
[02:24.47]an  eye  for  an  eye
[02:25.59]and  a  tooth  for  a  tooth
[02:27.34]and  anyway  i  told  the  truth
[02:28.95]and  i'm  not  afraid  to  die
[02:32.57]and  the  mercy  seat  is  burning
[02:34.00]and  i  think  my  head  is  glowing
[02:37.92]and  in  a  way  i'm  hopin'
[02:39.73]to  be  done  with  all  this  twistin'of  the  truth.
[02:43.83]an  eye  for  an  eye
[02:45.00]and  a  tooth  for  a  tooth
[02:46.64]and  any  way  there  was  no  proof
[02:49.68]and  i'm  not  afraid  to  die
[02:51.76]and  the  mercy  seat  is  glowing
[02:53.25]and  i  think  my  head  is  smoking
[02:57.14]and  in  a  way  i'm  hopin'
[02:58.94]to  be  done  with  all  these  looks  of  disbelief.
[03:02.95]a  life  for  a  life
[03:04.20]and  a  truth  for  a  truth
[03:05.80]and  i've  got  nothin'left  to  loose.
[03:08.96]and  i'm  not  afraid  to  die
[03:10.37]and  the  mercy  seat  is  smoking
[03:13.69]and  i  think  my  head  is  melting
[03:16.40]and  in  a  way  that's  helpin'
[03:18.07]to  be  done  with  all  this  twistin'of  the  truth
[03:22.01]an  eye  for  an  eye
[03:23.19]and  a  tooth  for  a  tooth
[03:24.90]and  any  way  i  told  the  truth
[03:28.07]but  i'm  afraid  i  told  a  lie.