"Mercy Street" is a song written by the English rock musician Peter Gabriel from his fifth studio album So (1986).

Background and recording

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". During the verses, Gabriel double tracked his vocals by recording one of his parts an octave below the main vocal. However, Gabriel struggled to record the lower vocal part, so audio engineer Kevin Killen suggested that Gabriel stay the night at the recording studio and attempt a new vocal take the following morning before his voice perked up. This proved to be successful, and Gabriel attained a satisfactory vocal take within an hour.^[1]

The song is based around the forró drum rhythm, which Gabriel recorded in Brazil. Originally the rhythm was used in an early incarnation of the song, titled "Don't Break This Rhythm" (later released as a B-side to "Sledgehammer"), but he became dissatisfied with it. He then changed the song to include an English folk melody and strapped on lyrics based on Anne Sexton's work.^[2] During one of the recording sessions, the Brazilian rhythm was accidentally played back ten percent slower, giving it a grainy quality.^[3] Piano playing by Richard Tee was added to the song, but Gabriel felt it made the song too complex arrangement-wise, so it was removed from the final mix (although his contributions were credited).

A music video was created for "Mercy Street", though the song was not released as a single.^[4]

Critical reception

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."^[5]

Personnel

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

Release details and cover versions

"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.^[6]

Fever Ray released this song as a single August 2010.^[7] 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.^[8]