Sister of Mercy (song)

"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)
 * 1) "Sister Of Mercy" - 4:55
 * 2) "Out Of The Gap" - 5:53


 * 12" UK vinyl single (Arista TWINS 125)
 * 1) "Sister Of Mercy" (Extended Version) - 9:26
 * 2) "Out Of The Gap" (Extended Version) - 8:57


 * 5" UK shaped picture disc (Arista TWISD 5) [Shaped like a spaceship]
 * 1) "Sister Of Mercy" - 4:55
 * 2) "Out Of The Gap" - 5:48


 * 7" Japanese vinyl single (Nippon Phonogram 7RS-103)
 * 1) "Sister Of Mercy" (LP Version) - 5:07
 * 2) "You Take Me Up" - 5:53


 * 12" Japanese vinyl single (Nippon Phonogram 15RS-28)
 * 1) "Sister Of Mercy" (Extended Version) - 9:26
 * 2) "Funeral Dance" - 3:15
 * 3) "You Take Me Up" (Extended Version) - 7:33
 * 4) "Leopard Ray" - 3:50

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