About the artist: Peter Gabriel (1950) is a British singer, songwriter, musician, record producer and activist. He rose to fame as the original lead singer of the progressive rock band Genesis. After leaving Genesis in 1975, he launched a very successful solo career, with so far 13 studio albums. Peter Gabriel currently has eight songs in my list of about 200 best pop/rock songs of all time (and one as a part of a duo).
About the song: So from 1986 is the best album Peter Gabriel has ever made, and Mercy street is undoubtedly one of his very best songs. This subtle delicate ballad could not be further away musically from the album's big hit Sledgehammer. He took his inspiration for this song from the suicidally depressed poet Anne Sexton (45 Mercy Street is the title of one of her works), and put out an absolute masterpiece. Peter Gabriel himself described the song as follows: Mercy Street is filled with messages and imagery of dreams, and a constant search for a suitable father figure, whether it be a doctor, a priest, or God.... Run time 6:20.
