Chords for Johnny Cash - The Mercy Seat

_ [Am] _ It all began when they took me from my [Em] home and put me on [A] death row, [Em] a crime for which I'm totally [Am] innocent, you know.
[Em] _
_ [A] I [Em] began to warm and [Am] chill to [Em] objects and their [A] fuels, [Am] a ragged cup, a twisted mop, [A] the face of [Em] Jesus in my suit,
[Am] those [Em] sinister dinner deals, [Am] the meal [Em] trolleys' wicked wheels, [A] [Em] a hook bone rising from my [Am] food, and all things [Em] either good or [Am] ungood.
And the mercy seat is waiting, [Ab] and I think my head is [C] burning, and in a way I'm yearning to [G] be done with all this weighing of [Gm] the truth.
An eye for an eye and a tooth [Bb] for a tooth, and in a way I told [F] the truth, and I'm not afraid [Am] to die.
_ [Em] _
_ [Am] _ _ [Em] _ _ [Am] I hear stories from [Ab] the chamber, Christ was born into [C] a manger, and like some ragged [G] stranger he died upon the cross.
[Gm] Might I say it seems so fitting [Bb] in its way he was a carpenter [F] by trade, or at least that's [Am] what I'm told.
[Em] My [Am] _ _ [Em] _
_ [Am] kill hands tattooed evil across [Em] its brother's fist, [Am] that [E] filthy fire they [Am] did nothing to challenge [Em] or resist.
[Am] In heaven his throne is [Ab] made of gold, the ark of his testament [C] is stowed, a throne from which I'm told [G] all history does unfold.
[Gm] It's made of wood and wire, and [Bb] my body is on fire, [F] and God is never far [Am] away.
Into the mercy seat [Ab] I climb, my head is shaved, my head [C] is wired, and like a moth that tries [G] to enter the bright eye,
I [Gm] go shuffling out of life just [Bb] to hide in death a while.
[F] And anyway I [Am] never lie, and the mercy seat is [Ab] waiting, and I think my head is [C] burning, and in a way I'm yearning
[G] to be done with all this weighing [Gm] of the truth.
An eye for an eye and a [Bb] tooth for a tooth, and in a way I [F] told the truth, and I'm not [Am] afraid to die.
And the mercy seat is [Ab] burning, and I think my head is [C] glowing, and in a way I'm hoping [G] to be done with all this twisting [Gm] of the truth.
An eye for an eye and [Bb] a tooth for a tooth, and in a way there [F] was no proof, and I'm not [Am] afraid to die.
And the mercy seat is [Ab] glowing, and I think my head is [C] smoking, and in a way I'm hoping [G] to be done with all these looks of [Gm] disbelief.
An eye for an eye and [Bb] a tooth for a tooth, and I've got nothing [F] left to lose, and I'm not [Am] afraid to die.
And the mercy seat is [Ab] smoking, and I think my head is [C] melting, and in a way that's helping [G] to be done with all this twisting [Gm] of the truth.
An eye for an eye and a [Bb] tooth for a tooth, and in a way I've [F] told the truth, but I'm afraid I [Am] told a lie.
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