The Mercy Seat Chords by Johnny Cash

_ [Am] _ _ [Em] It all began [Am] when they took me from my [Em] home and put me on [Am] death row, a [Em] crime for which
I'm totally [Am] innocent, you know.
[Em] _
_ [Am] I [Em] began to warm and [Am] chill to [Em] objects and their [Am] feels, 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] a hook bone rising from my [Am] food, and all things either good or 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 anyway 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] _ _ [Am] _ _ [Em] _
_ [Am] My kill hands tattooed evil across [Em] its brother's fist, [Am] that [E] filthy thigh, they [Am] did nothing
to challenge [Em] or resist.
[Am] In heaven his throne is made [Ab] 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 mop 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 anyway I [F] told the truth, and I'm not [Am] afraid to die.
And the mercy seat is burning, [Ab] 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 a [Bb] tooth for a tooth,
and anyway there [F] was no proof, and I'm not [Am] afraid to die.
And the mercy seat is [E] 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, a life for a life and a [Bb] truth for a truth,
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 anyway I [F] told the truth, but I'm afraid I [Am] told a lie.
_ _ [Ab] _ _ _ _ [C] _ _ _ _ [G] _ _ _
_ [Gm] _ _ _ _ [Bb] _ _ _
_ [F] _ _ _ _ [Am] _ _ _
_ [Ab] _ _ _ _ [C] _ _ _
_ [G] _ _ _ _ [Gm] _ _ _
_ [Bb] _ _ _ [F] _ _ _ _
[Am] _ _ _ _ [Ab] _ _ _ _
[C] _ _ _ _ [G] _ _ _ _
[Gm] _ _ _ _ [Bb] _ _ _ _
[F] _ _ _ _ [Am] _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _