"Kyrie" (
kyːʁie) 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.
Background and writing
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's statements, he was initially sceptical about singing the Christian text Lang had written because he didn't want to make a "religious statement".[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.
Reception
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]