it  all  began  when  they  took  me  from  my  home
and  put  me  on  death  row,
a  crime  for  which  i  am  totally  innocent,you  know.
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  deals
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  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.
i  hear  stories  from  the  chamber
christ  was  born  into  a  manger
and  like  some  ragged  stranger
he  died  upon  the  cross
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  kill-hand's
tatooed  e.v.i.l.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.
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.
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  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  burning
and  i  think  my  head  is  glowing
and  in  a  way  i'm  hopin'
to  be  done  with  all  this  twistin'of  the  truth.
an  eye  for  an  eye
and  a  tooth  for  a  tooth
and  any  way  there  was  no  proof
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  hopin'
to  be  done  with  all  these  looks  of  disbelief.
a  life  for  a  life
and  a  truth  for  a  truth
and  i've  got  nothin'left  to  loose.
and  i'm  not  afraid  to  die
and  the  mercy  seat  is  smoking
and  i  think  my  head  is  melting
and  in  a  way  that's  helpin'
to  be  done  with  all  this  twistin'of  the  truth
an  eye  for  an  eye
and  a  tooth  for  a  tooth
and  any  way  i  told  the  truth
but  i'm  afraid  i  told  a  lie.