Audio Archive
Mercy — from Alex's original post

Mercy

A one-sided argument with death — a man in a chair, refusing to be polite about it, telling it to go away and mind its own business.

"One image that’s very consistent in [Mercy], is the discussion between death, and the idea of death. Actually, it’s a one sided discussion. I see a gentlemen in a chair, and he’s getting away. He’s being pretty indignant toward death. Death isn’t invited. There’s no politeness here in the words. It’s an invitation to go away and take care of your own business. Death… it can be just as motivating. You live every day as if it’s your last, and in truth that sounds like a cliche when I hear myself say it, but, at least you’re guaranteed to try a little harder that day."

-John Bell

By the numbers

Frequency
1 in every 8.6 shows
Most common lead in
Makes Sense To Me (13 times)
Most common lead out
Chilly Water (41 times)
Most common set position
Set 1, song 6 (24 times)

Sources