"Sister Of Mercy" is a song by the British pop group Thompson Twins. It was originally included on the group's 1984 album Into The Gap, though a remixed version was released as the fourth single from the album in the summer of 1984. The single peaked at #11 in the UK, spending ten weeks on the UK singles chart.
The promotional music video for this single was directed by Dieter Trattmann and featured actress Frances Tomelty.
The B-side of the single was a megamix of various Thompson Twins songs titled "Out Of The Gap".
Background
The theme of the song is domestic abuse. It was inspired by a news article about a person in France having murdered someone, but the court considered the act as a "crime of passion," and that it therefore couldn't be tried on the same basis of a regular homicidal murder.
Formats
7" UK vinyl single (Arista TWINS 5)
- "Sister Of Mercy" - 4:55
- "Out Of The Gap" - 5:53
12" UK vinyl single (Arista TWINS 125)
- "Sister Of Mercy" (Extended Version) - 9:26
- "Out Of The Gap" (Extended Version) - 8:57
5" UK shaped picture disc (Arista TWISD 5) [Shaped like a spaceship]
- "Sister Of Mercy" - 4:55
- "Out Of The Gap" - 5:48
7" Japanese vinyl single (Nippon Phonogram 7RS-103)
- "Sister Of Mercy" (LP Version) - 5:07
- "You Take Me Up" - 5:53
12" Japanese vinyl single (Nippon Phonogram 15RS-28)
- "Sister Of Mercy" (Extended Version) - 9:26
- "Funeral Dance" - 3:15
- "You Take Me Up" (Extended Version) - 7:33
- "Leopard Ray" - 3:50
Chart performance
Official versions
Personnel
Written by Tom Bailey, Alannah Currie, and Joe Leeway.
- Tom Bailey - vocals, synthesizer, bass, guitar, drum programming
- Alannah Currie - marimba, xylophone, backing vocals, percussion
- Joe Leeway - backing vocals, congas, synthesizer
- Produced by Alex Sadkin with Tom Bailey
- Recorded and mixed by Phil Thornalley
- "Out Of The Gap" mixed by The Swedish Eagle & Chris Modig in Los Angeles
- Photography - Paul Cox
- Artwork/Design - Satori (Andie Airfix)
- Art Direction - Alannah
References