Transcribed by Andy Field. Second version of Mercy Seat transcribed by Greg O'Beirne. Third version of Mercy Seat transcribed by Damien Kay All comments & corrections welcome...
Table of Contents:
THE MERCY SEAT There are some bizarre chords you will need for this song. There doesn't exist proper titles for these chords (except Em) and so I have labeled them with arbitrary symbols. The TAB shows each string and the numbering refers to fret position. You will have to work out which finger arrangements suit you best! An 'O' means the string is 'open' (i.e. you let the open string ring) whereas an 'X' means the string must not be allowed to ring out (i.e. don't play it or dampen it). I worked this out from the 'Live seeds' version rather than 'Tender Prey' E|---O-------O------O------O------------------------ B|---O-------O------O------O------------------------ G|---O-------O------4------2------------------------ D|---2-------4------4------4------------------------ A|---2-------2------2------2------------------------ E|---O-------O------O------O------------------------ Em E* E^ E+ It began when they came and took me from my home ... Em / E* / Em /E* VERSE: Em E* Em E* I began to warm and chill to objects and their fields Em E* Em E* a ragged cup a twisted mop. the face of Jesus in my soup Em E* Em E* Those sinister dinner meals The meal trolly's wicked wheels Em E* Em E* A hooked bone rising from my food. All things either good or ungood CHORUS: Em E^ And the mercy seat is waiting and I think my head is burning E+ D Dm and in a way I'm yearning to be done with all this measuring of truth F an eye for an eye a tooth for a tooth C Em / E* / Em / E* and anyway i told the truth and I'm not afraid to die Repeat the chords for Verse and chorus over the remaining lyrics ***************************************************************Table of Contents
UP JUMPED THE DEVIL Fm Fm O my O my what a wretched life Fm (Bass - C, Bb, G#, G,) I was born on the day that my poor mother died Fm I was cut from her belly with a stanley knife Cm my daddy did a jig with the drunk midwife Fm whose that yonder all in flames Cm Dragging behind him a sack of chains Fm Whose that yonder all in flames Cm Fm Up jumped the devil and he staked his claim on me Repeat this over remaining lyrics ***************************************************************Table of Contents
DEANNE (Bass - G, A, B, C) C F C F C F O Deanna Oh Deanna O deanna Sweet Dianna oh deanna F C F You know you are my frind now Oh deanna D G and I ain't down here for your money D G I ain't down here for your love D G I ain't down here for your love or money C I'm down here for your soul. F C No carpet on the floor F C and the winding cloth holds many moths F C around your ku klux furniture F D I cum a deaths-head in your frock D G we discuss the murder pact D G we discuss murder and the murder act D G murder takes the wheel of the Cadillac None C and death climbs in the back. Repeat over remaining verses ***************************************************************Table of Contents
WATCHING ALICE Eb G# Bb Alice wakes it is morning she is yawning Eb as she walks about the room Cm F G# Bb Gm (tremelo!) Her hair falls down her breast, she is naked and it is June. Eb F Standing at the window D Gm I wonder if she knows that I can see. Gm D Gm / Eb /Gm Watching Alice rise year after year Gm D Gm / Eb / D Up in her palace she's captive there. Eb G# Alice's Body is golden brown ... etc. Same chord pattern over harmonica solo ***************************************************************Table of Contents
MERCY Fm C Fm C I stood in the water in the middle month of winter Fm C Bbm G# Fm / C / My camel skin was torture I was in a state of nature C Fm C Fm / C The wind sir it was wicked, I was so alone C Bbm G# Fm Just as I predicted My followers were gone Fm C# and I cried Mercy, have mercy on me Eb Fm and I got down on my knees Repeat and change to Bbm for the final piano bit before the last verse Couldn't make up my mind if this was in the key of Fm or F#m on the record - they seemed to have tuned their instruments about halfway between the two just to confuse me. ***************************************************************Table of Contents
CITY OF REFUGE Em You better run blah blah blah G F You better Run to the city of refuge Em You better run Em You stand before your maker in a state of shame Em (Bass - C,B,A,B) because your robes are covered in mud Em while you kneel at the feet of a woman of the street G F Em the gutters will run with blood they will run with blood Em G F You better run,You better run, You better run to the city of refuge Em G F You better run, You better run, You better run to the city of refuge Em In the days of madness my brother, my sister Em (Bass - A,G,A,B) when you're dragged toward the hell mouth Em you will beg for the end but there ain't gonna be one, friend G F Em for the grave will spew you out It will spew you out. Repeat over remaining lyrics. ***************************************************************Table of Contents
SLOWLY GOES THE NIGHT Eb / Bb / Eb / Bb / - over spoken intro Verse: Bb Eb Bb Eb / Bb Lover lover goodbye, so slowly goes the night Bb Cm Next to me lies your body plan F like a map of some forbidden land (EbEb, DD, CC, BbBb, AA, GG, FF - double notes on bass only - Bugger knows what the guitar does!) I trace the ghosts of your bones with my trembling hand Fm Cm Fm Cm Dark is my night but darker is my day, yeah G# Bb I must've been blind out of my mind Gm G# not to read the warning signs Fm Gm D How goes it, it goes lonely, it goes slowly. Repeat over remaining verses. I have to confess that this was an absolute sod to try and work out. I am pretty sure some of it is wrong and I'd be really glad to get feedback on this especially if anyone has any better ideas! Still, it was the best I could do without spending ridiculous amounts of time on this. ***************************************************************Table of Contents
SUNDAY'S SLAVE Cm Fm Sunday's got a slave Monday's got one too Cm Fm Sunday's got a slave Monday has got one too Bb Eb Bb Cm Our sufferings are countless, Our pleasures are a motley few Bb Eb Bb Cm Spend all day digging my grave Now go get sunday's slave Repeat C# Cm The hands in the stable are willing and able to pay C# If you feel at a loss man just who is the boss-man Cm (Bb) Cm Ask the blood on one of its bad days Bb Eb Bb Cm for his nerve is to serve but the service is a fucking mockery Bb Eb Bb Cm He insists that he piss in your fist but he takes the money anyway Bb Eb Bb Cm The masters a bastard but don't tell sunday's slave. *Back to beginning* Eb Bb Eb Bb Eb Bb Cm But not on sundays, never on sundays, oh not on sundays slave ***************************************************************Table of Contents
SUGAR, SUGAR, SUGAR Cm / Cm / Cm Sugar sugar sugar that man is bad, Gm the road he drives you down oh sugar it's a drag Gm That road it twists that road is crossed Cm it's down that road a lot of girls get lost Cm Sugar sugar sugar keep on driving on Gm until the city of right becomes the city of wrong Gm That stretch is long you'll slip and slide Cm that stretch will find you gagged and tied etc. It's the same two chords for the rest of the song ..... ***************************************************************Table of Contents
NEW MORNING (E, F#) G C G One morn I awakened. A new sun was Rising Em D The sky was a kingdom all covered in blood G C G The moon and the stars where the troops that lay conquered Am C G (Bass - C,B,A,G) Like fruit left to wither poor spiritual food G C G and the spears of the bright sun all brave with its conquest Em D did hover unearthly in banners of fire G C G I knelt in the garden awash with the dawning Am C G (Bass - C, B, A, G) and a voice came so brightly I covered my eyes. G C G Thank you for giving this bright new morning Em D so steeped seemed the evening in darkness and blood G G (Bass - G,A,B,C) C G there'll be no sadness, no sorro there'll be no road too narrow D G (Bass - C, B, A, G) there'll be a new day and it's today for us. ***************************************************************Table of Contents
Footnotes -
Usual things;
1) Sorry for not including all the lyrics but it takes me long enough to type in as it is and I assume that if I give you the main song structure you can work out how the rest goes for yourself by following the album.
2) Sorry for typos in the lyrics!
3) I am not a professional musician and I do not have access to Cavey's Brain which means that some of these chords may be wrong (I am only human after all!) I have done my best but welcome suggestions or corrections from anyone.
4) Letters in Brackets are notes rather than full chords.
5) If you got something out of these then mail me - it encourages me to do more
I sincerely hope that my efforts will give some of you a bit of pleasure playing along with Nick Cave.
Love, as ever,
Andy
(andy f@cogs.susx.ac.uk)Table of Contents
Second version of Mercy Seat transcribed by Greg O'Beirne all comments & corrections welcome...
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'BeirneTable of Contents
A third version of Mercy Seat transcribed by Damien Kay:
To anyone who is interested in playing The Mercy Seat on the guitar: I found these chords resemble the song a lot more closely than most I have found posted on the internet. Let me know what you think... Damien Em Bm I began to warm and chill Em Bm To objects and their fields Em Bm A ragged cup, a twisted mop Em Bm The face of Jesus in my soup Em Bm Those sinister dinner deals Em Bm The meal trolley's wicked wheels Em Bm A hooked bone rising from my Em Bm food. All things good or ungood. Em And the mercy seat is waiting Em And I think my head is burning G And in a way I'm yearning to be D done with all this measuring of Dm truth, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a F tooth, And anyway I told the C Em truth, And I'm not afraid to die.Table of Contents
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