Ari Hest is an American singer-songwriter. Born in the Bronx and raised in … Read Full Bio ↴Ari Hest is an American singer-songwriter. Born in the Bronx and raised in a musical environment (his father is a professor of music, his mother a professional singer), Hest began writing songs for the guitar in his mid-teens. Despite his parents' professional interests, Hest considers himself a self-taught musician. Hest is a 2002 graduate of New York University.

A veteran of the small club circuit, particularly in and around his native New York City, Hest recorded and issued his first three albums on his own. Incomplete (1999), a collection of six songs, was originally intended as a demo to circulate among club owners to help secure performing engagements. Incomplete began selling well at shows, and led to the production of two more full-length albums, Come Home (2001) and Story after Story (2003). Hest's first commercial release from a national record label, Someone to Tell, was released by Columbia Records in 2004.

Mercy
Ari Hest Lyrics

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I met a man responsible
For an unforgivable crime
We were at a bar and he said to me
I'm out, I've done my time

But you know I will always be begging for mercy

A few seats down at the corner of the bar

Sat a mother of two
She said she'd given up her babies for
To start her life anew
All that we've done we hang on to
All that we've done we belong to
All that we've done carries on

Now I feel like the lucky one
Unlike how I felt before
Cause thankfully what I've done wrong,
The guilt I can ignore

You know I won't be beggin for
I won't be asking for
I won't be desperate for mercy

All that we've done carries on

Overall Meaning

The song "Mercy" by Ari Hest discusses the consequences of our actions and how individuals must deal with the aftermath of their mistakes. The singer narrates a conversation with a man he meets at a bar who admits that he has committed an unforgivable crime and has served his time but knows that he will always be begging for mercy. Additionally, he points out that we cling to all we've done and use it as an anchor of sorts. However, the mother of two that sits next to them also reveals that she has given up her children to start her life anew. The chorus emphasizes the idea that all that we have done will continue on and echoes the man's sentiment about begging for mercy.

The lyrics of the song reflect the idea that it is the people's responsibility to take ownership of their actions and accept the consequences of their choices. The man who committed the crime and the mother's decision to give up her children both face the repercussions of their actions, but the singer notes that he feels lucky because he can ignore his guilt. The song provides a compelling reminder that our choices do shape our future, and it is up to us to deal with the aftermath of our decisions.

MercyAri Hest Lyrics

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Mercy
Ari Hest Lyrics