Peter Gabriel - Mercy Street

The official Mercy Street video. Inspired by the work of poet Anne Sexton, Mercy Street features on the first of Peter’s studio albums to have a proper title: So was a watershed release in his career. Its marriage of the artistic and the commercial made for an indisputable success, with the album quickly sitting atop the album charts on both sides of the Atlantic. Aside from some intriguing collaborations – with Laurie Anderson on This Is The Picture, Kate Bush on Don’t Give Up and Youssou N’Dour on In Your Eyes – it was the unity of singer, band and producer that made So such a crucial record in the Gabriel canon. # MERCY STREET for Anne Sexton Looking down on empty streets all she can see Are the dreams all made solid Are the dreams made real All of the buildings, all of the cars Were once just a dream In somebody’s head She pictures the broken glass, pictures the steam She pictures a soul With no leak at the seam Let’s take the boat out Wait until darkness Let’s take the boat out Wait until darkness comes Nowhere in the corridors of pale green and grey Nowhere in the suburbs In the cold light of day There in the midst of it, so alive and alone Words support like bone Dreaming of mercy street Wear your inside out Dreaming of mercy In your daddy’s arms again Dreaming of mercy street ’Swear they moved that sign Dreaming of mercy In your daddy’s arms Pulling out the papers from drawers that slide smooth Tugging at the darkness Word upon word Confessing all the secret things in the warm velvet box To the priest - he’s the doctor He can handle the shocks Dreaming of the tenderness - the tremble in the hips Of kissing Mary’s lips Dreaming of mercy street Wear your inside out Dreaming of mercy In your daddy’s arms again Dreaming of mercy street ’Swear they moved that sign Looking for mercy In your daddy’s arms again Mercy, mercy, looking for mercy Mercy, mercy, looking for mercy Anne, with her father is out in the boat Riding the water Riding the waves On the sea #MusicVideo