Lirik dan Chord Lagu The Mercy Seat - Johnny Cash

Lagu tersebut muncul di dalam album studio ke-66 miliknya yang diberi nama American III: Solitary Man.

Album yang diproduseri olehnya bersama Rick Rubin tersebut dirilis pada tahun 2000 melalui label American Recordings. 

Berikut ini lirik dan chord lagu “The Mercy Seat” dari Johnny Cash:

[Intro]

It all began when they come took me from my home

And put me on Death Row,

a crime for which I am totally innocent, you know.

[Verse 1]

  Am                  Em

I began to warm and chill

  Am                    Em

To objects and their fields,

  Am                   Em

A ragged cup, a twisted mop

  Am                     Em

The face of Jesus in my soup

  Am                     Em

Those sinister dinner deals

  Am                        Em

The meal trolley's wicked wheels

  Am                          E

A hooked bone rising from my food

  Am                          E

All things either good or ungood.

[Chorus]

Am

And the mercy seat is waiting

AmMaj7

And I think my head is burning

Am7

And in a way I'm yearning

       G                                   Gm

To be done with all this weighing of the truth.

An eye for an eye

                   Bb

And a tooth for a tooth

                      Fmaj7

And anyway I told the truth

                       Am

And I'm not afraid to die.

Am / E / Am / E

[Verse 2]

Am

I hear stories from the chamber

AmMaj7

Christ was born into a manger

Am7

And like some ragged stranger

     G                           Gm

He died upon the cross. Might I say,

                           Bb

it seems so fitting in its way

                      Fmaj7

He was a carpenter by trade

                              Am

Or at least that's what I'm told

Am / Em / Am / Em

Am                         Em

My kill-hand's tatooed E.V.I.L.

Am                      Em

across it's brother's fist

Am              Em

That filthy five!

Am                                  Em

They did nothing to challenge or resist.

Am                              AmMaj7

In Heaven His throne is made of gold

                                Am7

The ark of his Testament is stowed

A throne from which I'm told

     G

All history does unfold.

Gm

It's made of wood and wire

       Bb

And my body is on fire

Fmaj7                 Am

And God is never far away.

Am                      AmMaj7

Into the mercy seat I climb

                               Am7

My head is shaved, my head is wired

And like a moth that tries

   G

To enter the bright eye

     Gm

I go shuffling out of life

        Bb

Just to hide in death awhile

Fmaj7              Am

And anyway I never lied.

[Chorus]

Am

And the mercy seat is waiting

AmMaj7

And I think my head is burning

Am7

And in a way I'm yearning

      G                                    Gm

To be done with all this weighing of the truth.

An eye for an eye

                  Bb

And a tooth for a tooth

                       Fmaj7

And anyway I told the truth

                       Am

And I'm not afraid to die.

[Verse 3]

Am

And the mercy seat is burning

AmMaj7

And I think my head is glowing

Am7

And in a way I'm hoping

      G                                    Gm

To be done with all this twisting of the truth.

An eye for an eye

                  Bb

And a tooth for a tooth

                        Fmaj7

And anyway there was no proof

                       Am

And I'm not afraid to die.

Am

And the mercy seat is glowing

AmMaj7

And I think my head is smoking

Am7

And in a way I'm hoping

      G                                 Gm

To be done with all these looks of disbelief.

A life for a life

                  Bb

And a truth for a truth

                             Fmaj7

And I've got nothing left to lose

                       Am

And I'm not afraid to die.

Am

And the mercy seat is smoking

AmMaj7

And I think my head is melting

Am7

And in a way that's helping

      G                                   Gm

To be done with all this twisting of the truth

An eye for an eye

                  Bb

And a tooth for a tooth

                      Fmaj7

And anyway I told the truth

                         Am

But I'm afraid I told a lie.