"Kyrie" is a song by the rock band Mr. Mister, from their 1985 album "Welcome to the Real World". It was released in late 1985, and achieved the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 charts in March 1986, where it was No1 for two weeks. It also hit the top spot on the Billboard Top Rock Tracks chart for one week. In the UK the song peaked at No11 in April 1986.
The words to "Kyrie" were written by 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.
"Kýrie, eléison, down the road that I must travel,
Kýrie, eléison, through the darkness of the night"
Kýrie, eléison simply means "Lord, have mercy" in Greek, and is a part of many liturgical rites in Eastern and Western Christianity. Kýrie, eléison; Christé, eléison; Kýrie, eléison is a prayer that asks "Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy; Lord, have mercy". According to Page the entire song is, essentially, a prayer and he wondered if having a prayer set to rock music would work but John Lang kept pushing it.
Kýrie, eléison
Kýrie
The wind blows hard against this mountainside
Across the sea into my soul
It reaches into where I cannot hide
Setting my feet upon the road
My heart is old, it holds my memories
My body burns a gem-like flame
Somewhere between the soul and soft machine
Is where I find myself again
Kýrie, eléison
Down the road that I must travel
Kýrie, eléison
Through the darkness of the night
Kýrie, eléison
Where I'm going, will you follow?
Kýrie, eléison
On a highway in the light
When I was young, I thought of growing old
Of what my life would mean to me
Would I have followed down my chosen road
Or only wished what I could be
Kýrie, eléison
Down the road that I must travel
Kýrie, eléison
Through the darkness of the night
Kýrie, eléison
Where I'm going, will you follow?
Kýrie, eléison
On a highway in the light
Whoa, oh, oh
Whoa, oh, oh
Whoa, oh, oh
Whoa, oh, oh
Kýrie, eléison
Down the road that I must travel
Kýrie, eléison
Through the darkness of the night
Kýrie, eléison
Where I'm going, will you follow?
Kýrie, eléison
On a highway in the light
Kýrie, eléison
Down the road that I must travel (will you follow?)
Kýrie, eléison
Through the darkness of the night
Kýrie, eléison
Where I'm going, will you follow? (will you follow)
Kýrie, eléison
On a highway in the light
Kýrie, eléison
Down the road that I must travel (yeah)
Kýrie, eléison
Through the darkness of the night
Kýrie, eléison
Where I'm going, will you follow? (will you follow?)
Kýrie, eléison
On a highway in the light
Kýrie, eléison
Down the road that I must travel (will you follow?)
Kýrie, eléison
Through the darkness of the night
Kýrie, eléison
Where I'm going, will you follow? (will you follow)
The theme of "Kyrie Eleison" is brought out in the story of the Pharisee and the Publican. (Luke 18:9-14) "God, be merciful to me the sinner," prayed the Publican. His only plea was for mercy, Kyrie Eleison! Without this prayer Christianity would be a philosophy, a history, a code but not a religion that saves.
"The word mercy in English is the translation of the Greek word eleos. This word has the same ultimate root as the old Greek word for oil, or more precisely, olive oil; a substance which was used extensively as a soothing agent for bruises and minor wounds. The oil was poured onto the wound and gently massaged in, thus soothing, comforting and making whole the injured part. The Hebrew word which is also translated as eleos and mercy is hesed, and means steadfast love. The Greek words for 'Lord, have mercy,' are 'Kyrie, eleison' that is to say, 'Lord, soothe me, comfort me, take away my pain, show me your steadfast love.' Thus mercy does not refer so much to justice or acquittal a very Western interpretation but to the infinite loving-kindness of God, and his compassion for his suffering children! It is in this sense that we need to pray 'Lord, have mercy,'
The same theme of God's mercy is expressed in the story on the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) One of the most beautiful examples of God's mercy is the prodigal son, who leaves home, wastes all his father's resources in sin, ends up living with pigs, remembers his father, repents, and returns home where he is embraced by the waiting father, who declares a feast to celebrate his return. That is God's mercy.
Think also of the people who approached Jesus with this simple prayer, "Kyrie eleison", "Lord, have mercy":
- The Canaanite woman whose daughter was tormented by a devil. She persisted in her plea for mercy until her daughter was healed.
- The man whose son was possessed by an evil spirit that threw him into the fire. He came to Jesus with the plea Kyrie eleison. The prayer was answered and his son was healed.
- The two blind men sitting by the road outside Jericho who cried out to Jesus, Kyrie eleison. That cry was heard by Jesus who healed both of them.
- A final example. Jesus is left alone with the adulteress. Misery is left alone face to face with mercy. And she hears from the mouth of Jesus the words, "Neither do I condemn thee. Go and sin no more." That is God's mercy!
In all these instances Kyrie eleison was not a prayer that people recited unthinkingly and mechanically, but a cry of sincere faith that came from their hearts, a cry of desperate need and dependence on Jesus. Such a prayer God will not despise.
A precious story pictures a mother pleading with Napoleon to spare her condemned son's life. The emperor said the crime was dreadful; justice demanded his life. "Sir," sobbed the mother, "Not justice, but mercy." "He does not deserve mercy," was the answer. "But, sir, if he deserved it, it would not be mercy," said the mother. "Ah yes, how true," said Napoleon. "I will have mercy."
We dare not stand before the throne of God and ask that we be given what we deserve. Our only cry is, "Lord, be merciful." And the miracle is that there is mercy. At the very heart of the universe beats the heart of God's love. "I tell you," said Jesus about the publican, "this man went down to his house justified rather than the other."
The mercy we ask for is the mercy we must give to others. Lord, have mercy and make us merciful.
Ephesians 2:4-6 "But God who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved) and raised us up with Him, and made us sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus."
In our broken world of tragedies and violence we pray "Kyrie Eleison" - Lord Have Mercy. Where there is no answer to the moral, social, spiritual decay pray "Kyrie Eleison" - Lord Have Mercy. When violence is thick like fog pray "Kyrie Eleison" - Lord Have Mercy. When nations rise against nation pray "Kyrie Eleison" - Lord Have Mercy. When Innocent children are killed like what has happened this week in Pakistan pray "Kyrie Eleison" - Lord Have Mercy. When lone gunmen attack innocent people in a coffee bar in Sydney Australia pray "Kyrie Eleison" - Lord Have Mercy. When the Russian Ruble is set to collapse and peoples lives will be effected pray"Kyrie Eleison" - Lord Have Mercy. When our own lives are in a mess pray"Kyrie Eleison" - Lord Have Mercy.
It's a prayer that has often helped me in whatever situation I have found. May God's Mercy be upon you today.
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