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Nick Cave |
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Miscellaneous |
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The Mercy Seat |
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It began when they come took me from my home |
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And put me in Dead Row, |
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Of which I am nearly wholly innocent, you know. |
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And I'll say it again |
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I..am..not..afraid..to..die. |
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I began to warm and chill |
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To objects and their fields, |
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A ragged cup, a twisted mop |
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The face of Jesus in my soup |
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Those sinister dinner meals |
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The meal trolley's wicked wheels |
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A hooked bone rising from my food |
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All things either good or ungood. |
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And the mercy seat is waiting |
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And I think my head is burning |
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And in a way I'm yearning |
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To be done with all this measuring of truth. |
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An eye for an eye |
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A tooth for a tooth |
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And anyway I told the truth |
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And I'm not afraid to die. |
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Interpret signs and catalogue |
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A blackened tooth, a scarlet fog. |
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The walls are bad. Black. Bottom kind. |
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They are sick breath at my hind |
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They are sick breath at my hind |
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They are sick breath at my hind |
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They are sick breath gathering at my hind |
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I hear stories from the chamber |
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How Christ was born into a manger |
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And like some ragged stranger |
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Died upon the cross |
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And might I say it seems so fitting in its way |
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He was a carpenter by trade |
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Or at least that's what I'm told |
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Like my good hand I |
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tatooed E.V.I.L. across it's brother's fist |
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That filthy five! They did nothing to challenge or resist. |
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In Heaven His throne is made of gold |
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The ark of his Testament is stowed |
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A throne from which I'm told |
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All history does unfold. |
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Down here it's made of wood and wire |
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And my body is on fire |
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And God is never far away. |
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Into the mercy seat I climb |
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My head is shaved, my head is wired |
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And like a moth that tries |
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To enter the bright eye |
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I go shuffling out of life |
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Just to hide in death awhile |
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And anyway I never lied. |
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My kill-hand is called E.V.I.L. |
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Wears a wedding band that's G.O.O.D. |
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`Tis a long-suffering shackle |
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Collaring all that rebel blood. |
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And the mercy seat is waiting |
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And I think my head is burning |
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And in a way I'm yearning |
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To be done with all this measuring of truth. |
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An eye for an eye |
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And a tooth for a tooth |
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And anyway I told the truth |
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And I'm not afraid to die. |
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And the mercy seat is burning |
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And I think my head is glowing |
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And in a way I'm hoping |
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To be done with all this weighing up of truth. |
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An eye for an eye |
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And a tooth for a tooth |
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And I've got nothing left to lose |
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And I'm not afraid to die. |
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And the mercy seat is glowing |
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And I think my head is smoking |
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And in a way I'm hoping |
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To be done with all this looks of disbelief. |
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An eye for an eye |
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And a tooth for a tooth |
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And anyway there was no proof |
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Nor a motive why. |
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And the mercy seat is smoking |
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And I think my head is melting |
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And in a way I'm helping |
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To be done with all this twisted of the truth. |
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A lie for a lie |
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And a truth for a truth |
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And I've got nothing left to lose |
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And I'm not afraid to die. |
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And the mercy seat is melting |
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And I think my blood is boiling |
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And in a way I'm spoiling |
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All the fun with all this truth and consequence. |
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An eye for an eye |
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And a truth for a truth |
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And anyway I told the truth |
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And I'm not afraid to die. |
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And the mercy seat is waiting |
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And I think my head is burning |
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And in a way I'm yearning |
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To be done with all this measuring of proof. |
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A life for a life |
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And a truth for a truth |
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And anyway there was no proof |
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But I'm not afraid to tell a lie. |
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And the mercy seat is waiting |
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And I think my head is burning |
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And in a way I'm yearning |
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To be done with all this measuring of truth. |
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An eye for an eye |
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And a truth for a truth |
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And anyway I told the truth |
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But I'm afraid I told a lie. |
