"Kyrie" (/ˈkiːri.eɪ/) is a song by American pop rock band Mr. Mister, from their album Welcome to the Real World. Released around Christmas in 1985, it hit the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 in March 1986, where it was number 1 for two weeks. It also hit the top spot on the BillboardTop Rock Tracks chart for one week. In the UK, the song peaked at number 11 in March 1986.
The lyrics to "Kyrie" were written by Arizona-born John Lang, who co-wrote the songs on all of Mr. Mister's albums. The music was composed by Richard Page and Steve George while on tour with Adam Ant.
In Greek, Kýrie, eléison means "Lord, have mercy" and is a part of many liturgical rites in both Eastern and Western Christianity. Kýrie, eléison; Christé, eléison; Kýrie, eléison is a prayer that asks "Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy; Lord, have mercy."[4] According to Page the entire song is, essentially, a prayer.[5]
There is a myth that singer Richard Page wrote "Kyrie" while lying in a hospital bed after being assaulted. John Lang has stated that he was the one who was assaulted, three years before the composition, and that the incident has nothing to do with the song.[6]
The video was directed by Nick Morris, and features the band in performance mixed with footage taken at the tail end of their Autumn 1985 tour with Tina Turner.[7]
"Kyrie" was used in the hit U.S. TV series Miami Vice during season two, episode fourteen "One-Way Ticket".
It was also used in the Netflix series' GLOW as well as the ABC sitcom The Goldbergs. The U.S. 7" single can be found pressed on transparent purple vinyl or polystyrene, depending on where it was manufactured.
Receptionedit
Cash Box said it's a "booming track which...features top musicianship and a soaring chorus hook."[8]
The single edit (which was also used for the video version) ends with the a cappella phrase "Kýrie, eléison, down the road that I must travel", while the album version simply fades out.
In 1993, Acappella Vocal Band, a traditional Southern gospel group, included a version of the song on their album U and Me and God Make 5 (Word). The group later recorded a Spanish version of the song as well. Also in 1993, the song, retitled as "Kyrie Eleison", was covered by Contemporary Christian music duo East to West on their self-titled debut album.
Contemporary Christian artist Mark Schultz recorded it for his 2001 album Song Cinema.[45]
Referencesedit
^- Mr. Mister Mr. Mister- History Archived 2017-07-20 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 1-14-2012.
^Breihan, Tom (March 5, 2021). "The Number Ones: U2's "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"". Stereogum. Retrieved October 10, 2022. But "Kyrie" sounded very much like a circa-1986 pop-rock song.
^Smith, Troy L. (13 May 2021). "Every No. 1 song of the 1980s ranked from worst to best". Cleveland.com. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
^Kýrie, eléison – Translation from the StraightDope
^Richard Page discusses Kyrie Archived 2008-11-19 at the Wayback Machine – RetroRewind interview
^"European Hot 100 Singles". Eurotipsheet. Vol. 3, no. 12. March 29, 1986. p. 14. OCLC 29800226.
^Pennanen, Timo (2021). "Mr. Mister". Sisältää hitin – Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021(PDF) (in Finnish) (2nd ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 177. ISBN 978-952-7460-01-6.
^"European Hot 100 Singles – Hot 100 of the Year 1986". Music & Media. Vol. 3, no. 51/52. December 27, 1986. p. 28. OCLC 29800226.
^"Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1986" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved February 26, 2020.
^"Jaaroverzichten – Single 1986" (in Dutch). Dutch Charts. Retrieved February 26, 2020.
^"Hot 100 Songs – Year-End 1986". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 3, 2021. Retrieved February 26, 2020.
^"Mainstream Rock Songs – Year-End 1986". Billboard. Archived from the original on 22 May 2021. Retrieved February 26, 2020.
^"The Cash Box Year-End Charts: 1986 – Top 100 Pop Singles". Cash Box. December 27, 1986. Archived from the original on October 31, 2019. Retrieved February 26, 2020.
^"Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts – 1986" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved February 26, 2020.