I think some of Cash's American recordings may be a tad overrated due to trendiness, but as a long time fan of his entire body of work, I'll say this is up there with his best interpretations.

Nobody ever has been able to relate so much to so many people of all walks of life as Johnny Cash, perhaps.  He speaks and people get it!  An amazing artist!

 jedley wrote: 

You're entitled to your opinion, but I couldn't disagree with you more. Go read the lyrics

http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/the-mercy-seat-lyrics-johnny-cash/916c86d503643b2448256db800311b74

and try to understand that the song is telling the story of a man coming to grips with his impending death and admitting at the final moment his crime. The movie "Dead Man Walking" told the same story, but had more time to show how murder destroys so many lives. 

"Evangelical nonsense"? If you had to sit in a cell with nothing to do but think about getting strapped into an electric chair and getting fried, you might turn to God as well.

Nick Cave might have written and first performed "The Mercy Seat" but Johnny owns it.  So I guess Nick got it past the secretary's secretary after all. 

The man has got something to say... I like that...even if I do not share his religion.   Beats most of the senseless crap that calls itself music out there!

this "hipster" (can't help it, my parents were hippies) genuinely adores this man's voice and his phrasing. he may be milking the "cry" in his voice some; but i hear his pain, his life being transmitted through that voice.

 jedley wrote: 
I have to agree.

Great song! Amazing how his last few albums were his best!

Spine chilling.

The whole American series will be regarded as essential listening for decades to come.
Brilliant!

Powerful cover of a powerful song.

9/10 from me.

Its good like so many of his covers but he lacks the passion of Cave to make this one work.  That said his versions of Personal Jesus and Hurt are better than the originals.

 jedley wrote: 
Rick Rubin must've thought it good enough - he put out 5 CDs on his label with Mr. Cash at the helm.  I think Rick produced them also.

If you ever watched Walk the Line, or read anything about Johnny Cash, he was a deeply spiritial person.  June and Johnny were both very religious and those undertones spoke throughout most of his music.  He fought with it his whole life.  So for him, in his much later years, to put out an album that is deeply personal to him, it would be a very spiritial (religious if you prefer).  Even when he covered "Hurt" this looked at his life and where he came and the regret he had.  It may not have been religious, but it was true to who he was.  Dont mock Johnny's music, he never followed what his producers wanted, thats what made him famous!!  This song is awesome!

 TravelRat wrote: 

I guess I'm more of a Cash fan than a Cave fan. Regardless of who wrote it, I think Johnny makes it his own and adds a note of legitimacy to it.

 lawman wrote: 
No, it's about the scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark where the Nazis open the ark.

 lawman wrote: 

uhh, yeah

jedley wrote:

*cough*

uh read the comments below yours dude.

 ercasul wrote: 
Yeah, Cave must have hated Cash so hard for doing this that he tributed a song to him after his death. Oh wait...

Is this about the electric chair?

Pure garbage = Johnny cashing in on his rep to force shitty music and evangelical nonsense on unthinking hipsters who think it's cool to like it. If anyone else tried to sell this crap to a record company they wouldn't get past the secretary's secretary.

 ercasul wrote: 
LOL, yep, I gotta agree with you here, Kiwi comrade...  I appreciate the attempt, but it didn't really work...  The only other version I've heard that topped the original was Nick's own acoustic version...

 nevar23 wrote: 
Specially not after he hears what a bloody mess Johnny Cash made of it.
EDIT - actually the piano at the end makes it a bit better.   Maybe he should have left it as a piano instrumental, then I'd be able to give this version more than 4 (up from 2,. so that piano's done well).   It is just pathetically weak against Nick Cave's version, which throbbed with menace - this one whimpers.

 eastcoast wrote: 

Same here. must be all the religious BS

 hippiechick wrote: 

Agreed. I like the early JC. JC with Dylan etc. But this religious crap's just got to be buried. Check this out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84ortTXTKXM&feature=related

...'his song'? - c'mon bill, give nick cave his due...

 almafi wrote: 
It is intended to be for some.

This is a really intense song.  The religious imagery is a bit unnerving.

 hippiechick wrote: 
I can understand that.  I wasn't sure about this the first time or two I heard it but it's grown on me.  8.

Now, I hope Bill follows this up with about 45 minutes of very average crap that I'm not compelled to read the comments on.  I need to get some work done