Mercy Street

The song was inspired by the personal and confessional works of the American poet Anne Sexton, who wrote a play titled Mercy Street and a poem titled "45 Mercy Street". It features two harmonious Gabriel vocals; one a shadow vocal an octave below the main vocal. Intended to give a sensual, haunting effect, he could only capture this effect upon waking up.[1]

A video was created for "Mercy Street", though the song was not released as a single.[2]

NME listed the song as one of the "10 Most Depressing Songs Ever", describing it as a "beautifully produced number" featuring Gabriel's "usual sensitivity". They concluded "it isn’t until you’re a few listens in that you understand how devastating the whole thing is."[3]

• Djalma Correa – surdo, congas, triangle
• Larry Klein – bass
• Richard Tee – piano
• Mark Rivera – processed saxophone
• Peter Gabriel – vocals, CMI, Prophet, piano, CS-80

As well as appearing on side two of So, "Mercy Street" was released (remixed by William Orbit) on Gabriel's 1992 CD-single "Blood of Eden". It was also reinterpreted by Gabriel on his 2011 orchestral album New Blood.[4]

The song was covered by Fever Ray and released in August 2010.[5] Elbow have also released a version of the song on the album And I'll Scratch Yours. The studio album features Peter Gabriel songs from artists he covered on the companion album Scratch My Back.[6]

The song was also covered by Solveig Slettahjell on her 2005 album (with Knut Reiersrud and In The Country), Trail of Souls.

• Anne Sexton's poems at Poetry Foundation
• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics