Released: August 24, 1993
Songwriter: Prince
Producer: Ricky Peterson
[Intro]
The undertaker
[Verse 1]
Put away the guns for future's sake
Don't you be another number for the undertaker
Put away the guns for future's sake
Don't you be another number for the undertaker
[Hook]
Mercy
Calling mercy
[Verse 2]
Turn off the violence, there's children watching
Listen to the silence, it's a better box to be in
Turn off the violence, there's children watching
Listen to the silence, it's a better box to be in
[Hook]
Mercy (Mercy)
Calling mercy
[Verse 3]
Don't go with the crack (No)
You might never come back
I believe I'll say that again
Don't go with the crack (Don't go with the crack)
You might never come back (Might never come back)
[Hook]
(Mercy) Hey mercy
(Mercy, mercy)
Mercy now (Mercy)
Mercy (Oh Lord, have mercy)
[Bridge]
Don't matter (Don't matter, don't matter)
The color of your face (The color of your face)
The undertaker (The undertaker)
Don't care about race (Don't care about race)
Don't matter (Don't matter, don't matter)
The color of your face (The color of your face)
The undertaker (The undertaker)
He don't care about race (Don't care about race)
[Hook]
Mercy (Mercy)
Calling mercy (Mercy)
Hey mercy
(Calling mercy)
(Calling mercy)
Mercy, mercy, mercy
[Hook 2]
Don't let the devil make you
Dance with the undertaker
[Verse 1]
Put away the guns for futures sake
(Put away the guns for futures sake)
Don't you be another number for the undertaker
(Don't be another number for the undertaker)
Put away the guns for futures sake
(Put away the guns for futures sake)
Don't you be another number for the undertaker
(Don't be another number for the undertaker)
For the undertaker (for the undertaker)
For the undertaker (for the undertaker)
Undertaker (Undertaker)
I'm talkin' 'bout the undertaker (Talkin' 'bout the undertaker)
[Ad lib]
Only the brave can cope
Don't you give up hope (Don't give up hope)
The undertaker
Here come the undertaker
[Hook]
Mercy
I'm calling mercy
Hey mercy
Mercy
Mercy early in the morning
Sho' 'nough (Mercy)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, mercy
Mercy in the morning
Mercy in the noon day hour
In the evening
[Hook 2]
Don't let the devil make you (Don't let the devil make you)
Dance with the undertaker (Dance with the undertaker)
Don't do it (Don't do it)
No no (Don't do it)
Don't do that y'all
Uh-huh
[Outro]
Only the brave can cope
You see here, you can't give up hope
(Don't give up, don't give up hope)
No, mercy (Mercy)
Mercy, mercy, mercy (Mercy, yeah)
No
Put away the guns for futures sake
Mercy (Mercy)
The undertaker
[Verse 1]
Put away the guns for future's sake
Don't you be another number for the undertaker
Put away the guns for future's sake
Don't you be another number for the undertaker
[Hook]
Mercy
Calling mercy
[Verse 2]
Turn off the violence, there's children watching
Listen to the silence, it's a better box to be in
Turn off the violence, there's children watching
Listen to the silence, it's a better box to be in
[Hook]
Mercy (Mercy)
Calling mercy
[Verse 3]
Don't go with the crack (No)
You might never come back
I believe I'll say that again
Don't go with the crack (Don't go with the crack)
You might never come back (Might never come back)
[Hook]
(Mercy) Hey mercy
(Mercy, mercy)
Mercy now (Mercy)
Mercy (Oh Lord, have mercy)
[Bridge]
Don't matter (Don't matter, don't matter)
The color of your face (The color of your face)
The undertaker (The undertaker)
Don't care about race (Don't care about race)
Don't matter (Don't matter, don't matter)
The color of your face (The color of your face)
The undertaker (The undertaker)
He don't care about race (Don't care about race)
[Hook]
Mercy (Mercy)
Calling mercy (Mercy)
Hey mercy
(Calling mercy)
(Calling mercy)
Mercy, mercy, mercy
[Hook 2]
Don't let the devil make you
Dance with the undertaker
[Verse 1]
Put away the guns for futures sake
(Put away the guns for futures sake)
Don't you be another number for the undertaker
(Don't be another number for the undertaker)
Put away the guns for futures sake
(Put away the guns for futures sake)
Don't you be another number for the undertaker
(Don't be another number for the undertaker)
For the undertaker (for the undertaker)
For the undertaker (for the undertaker)
Undertaker (Undertaker)
I'm talkin' 'bout the undertaker (Talkin' 'bout the undertaker)
[Ad lib]
Only the brave can cope
Don't you give up hope (Don't give up hope)
The undertaker
Here come the undertaker
[Hook]
Mercy
I'm calling mercy
Hey mercy
Mercy
Mercy early in the morning
Sho' 'nough (Mercy)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, mercy
Mercy in the morning
Mercy in the noon day hour
In the evening
[Hook 2]
Don't let the devil make you (Don't let the devil make you)
Dance with the undertaker (Dance with the undertaker)
Don't do it (Don't do it)
No no (Don't do it)
Don't do that y'all
Uh-huh
[Outro]
Only the brave can cope
You see here, you can't give up hope
(Don't give up, don't give up hope)
No, mercy (Mercy)
Mercy, mercy, mercy (Mercy, yeah)
No
Put away the guns for futures sake
Mercy (Mercy)