The Lord's Prayer (Sister Janet Mead song)

Last updated

"The Lord's Prayer"
The Lord's Prayer - Sister Janet Mead.jpg
Single by Janet Mead
B-side "Brother Sun and Sister Moon"
Released1973 (1973)
Recorded1973
Genre
Label Festival, A&M (U.S.)
Songwriter(s)
  • Traditional
  • Arnold Strals
Producer(s) Martin Erdman
Sister Janet Mead - Australiasingles chronology
"The Lord's Prayer"
(1973)
"The Earth is Filled"
(1974)
Sister Janet Mead - USsingles chronology
"The Lord's Prayer"
(1974)
"Take My Hand"
(1974)

"The Lord's Prayer" is a pop rock setting of the Lord's Prayer with music by Arnold Strals recorded in 1973 by the Australian nun Sister Janet Mead. [1] [2] Mead was known for pioneering the use of contemporary rock music in celebrating the Roman Catholic Mass and for her weekly radio programs. [3]

Contents

The recording was produced by Martin Erdman and originally released by Festival Records in Australia. [3] After reaching number three on the charts in Australia, it went on to become an international hit, selling nearly three million copies worldwide and making the upper reaches of the pop charts in countries as diverse as Canada, Japan, Brazil, Germany and the United States. [1]

In the United States, "The Lord's Prayer" was picked up for American distribution by A&M Records (catalogue number 1491, b/w "Brother Sun and Sister Moon"). [3] It was certified gold for sales of one million copies. [3] [4] The single entered the Billboard Hot 100 chart on 23 February 1974, charted for 13 weeks and reached a peak of No. 4 during Holy Week in April. The record also reached No. 2 on the Adult Contemporary singles chart. [5] It made Mead the first Roman Catholic nun to have a hit record in the United States since Jeanine Deckers ("The Singing Nun"), hit No. 1 with "Dominique" in late 1963. [3] It also became the only song to hit the Top 10 in which the entire lyrical content originated from the words of the Bible. More specifically, it is the only Top 10 hit with words attributed to Jesus Christ.

Accolades

Mead was nominated for a Grammy for Best Inspirational Performance (although she lost to Elvis Presley's How Great Thou Art ) and also became the first Australian artist to sell one million US copies of a record produced in Australia. [3] She donated all of her royalties from the recording's international sales to charity and her record label used their share of the proceeds to build a new state of the art recording studio. [3]

Mead re-recorded "The Lord's Prayer" in 1999 for her album A Time to Sing. [1]

Chart history

Sales certification

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [16] Gold50,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Cover versions

Johnny Mathis covered "The Lord's Prayer" in the style of Sister Janet Mead in 1980. His version was a non-album track and was used as the B-side of his re-recording that year of "When a Child Is Born."

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You're All I Need to Get By</span> 1968 single by Tammi Terrell and Marvin Gaye

"You're All I Need to Get By" is a song recorded by the American R&B/soul duo Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell and released on Motown Records' Tamla label in 1968. It was the basis for the 1995 single "I'll Be There for You/You're All I Need to Get By" from Method Man and Mary J. Blige.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing</span> 1968 single by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell

"Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" is a 1968 single released by American R&B/soul duo Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, on the Tamla label in 1968. The B-side of the single is "Little Ole Boy, Little Ole Girl" from the duo's United LP. The first release off the duo's second album: You're All I Need, the song - written and produced by regular Gaye/Terrell collaborators Ashford & Simpson - became a hit within weeks of release eventually peaking at number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 1 on the Hot Soul Singles chart, the first of the duo's two number 1 R&B hits. In the UK "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" reached number 34.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">One Tin Soldier</span> 1969 song performed by The Original Caste

"One Tin Soldier" is a 1960s counterculture era anti-war song written by Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter. Canadian pop group The Original Caste first recorded it in 1969 for both the TA label and its parent Bell label.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">If (Bread song)</span> 1971 single by Bread

"If" is a song written by American singer-songwriter David Gates in 1971. Originally popularized by his group Bread, "If" charted at No. 4 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 when released as a single in 1971 and No. 6 in Canada. It also spent three weeks at No. 1 on the U.S. Easy Listening chart, and one week at the top of the Canadian AC chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Americans (commentary)</span>

"The Americans" is a commentary by Canadian broadcaster Gordon Sinclair. Originally written for a regular broadcast on CFRB radio in Toronto on June 5, 1973, it became a media and public phenomenon. It was replayed several times a day by some United States radio stations and released as a hit audio recording in several forms. Ronald Reagan credited it for giving comfort to the United States in difficult times, and it was widely rediscovered and re-disseminated as the United States faced new crises in the 2000s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Then Came You (Dionne Warwick and the Spinners song)</span> 1974 single by Dionne Warwick & the Spinners

"Then Came You" is a 1974 song recorded by American soul singer Dionne Warwick and American R&B group The Spinners. It was credited to Dionne Warwicke and the Spinners. The track was written by Sherman Marshall and Phillip T. Pugh, and produced by Thom Bell.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">How Long (Ace song)</span> 1975 single by Ace

"How Long" is the debut single by the English band Ace, from their 1974 debut album Five-A-Side. It reached No. 3 in the US and Canadian charts, and No. 20 on the UK Singles Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Smokin' in the Boys Room</span>

"Smokin' in the Boys Room" is a song originally recorded by Brownsville Station in 1973 on their album Yeah!. It reached number 3 in Canada and on the US Billboard Hot 100, and was later certified by the RIAA.

Janet Mead was an Australian Catholic nun who was best known for recording a pop-rock version of the Lord's Prayer. The surprise hit reached Number 3 on the Australian singles chart in 1974 and Number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the same year. The single earned her a Grammy Award nomination and an Australian Gospel Music Awards in 2004. It sold over one and a half million copies and was awarded a gold disc by the RIAA on 8 April 1974. It was also certified gold in Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Montego Bay (song)</span> 1970 single by Bobby Bloom

"Montego Bay" is a song co-written and performed by Bobby Bloom about the city in Jamaica of the same name. The song was a top 10 hit for Bloom in the Fall of 1970 on both sides of the Atlantic. It reached No. 3 on the UK Singles Chart, No. 5 on the Canadian RPM 100 Singles Chart, No. 7 on the Australian Go-Set Singles Chart and No. 8 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The song was co-written and produced by Jeff Barry. In the master tape of the song, Bloom breaks into a chorus of "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'" at the end of the recording. The song features a whistler, as well as Jamaican instruments in a calypso style.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Another Saturday Night</span> 1963 Sam Cooke single

"Another Saturday Night" is a 1963 hit single by Sam Cooke from the album Ain't That Good News. The song was written by Cooke while touring in England when staying in a hotel where no female guests were allowed. It reached No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was No. 1 on the R&B chart for a single week. In the UK, the song peaked at No. 23 on the UK Singles Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">What the World Needs Now Is Love</span> 1965 single written by Bacharach & David

"What the World Needs Now Is Love" is a 1965 popular song with lyrics by Hal David and music composed by Burt Bacharach. First recorded and made popular by Jackie DeShannon, it was released on April 15, 1965, on the Imperial label after a release on sister label Liberty records the previous month was canceled. It peaked at number seven on the US Hot 100 in July of that year. In Canada, the song reached number one.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Longfellow Serenade</span> 1974 single by Neil Diamond

"Longfellow Serenade" is the title of a 1974 song by the American singer-songwriter Neil Diamond. It was written by Diamond, produced by Tom Catalano, and included on Diamond's album Serenade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Show and Tell (song)</span> 1973 single by Al Wilson

"Show and Tell" is a popular song written by Jerry Fuller and first recorded by Johnny Mathis in 1972. This original version made it to #36 on the Easy Listening chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Never My Love</span> 1967 single by The Association

"Never My Love" is a pop standard written by American siblings Don and Dick Addrisi, and best known from a hit 1967 recording by the Association. The Addrisi Brothers had two Top 40 hits as recording artists, but their biggest success as songwriters was "Never My Love". Recorded by dozens of notable artists in the decades since, in 1999 the music publishing rights organization Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) announced it was the second most-played song on radio and television of the 20th century in the U.S.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">What Cha Gonna Do with My Lovin' (song)</span>

"What Cha Gonna Do with My Lovin'" is a 1979 song by American singer and songwriter Stephanie Mills, released as the first single from the album of the same name (1979). It became a hit, reaching No. 22 on the US Billboard Hot 100. It was also a top 10 hit on the Billboard R&B chart, as well as a minor hit in Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Like Dreamin'</span> 1976 single by Kenny Nolan


"I Like Dreamin'" is the debut single by Kenny Nolan, taken from his eponymous debut album. The recording was issued as the album's lead single in October 1976, spending 27 weeks on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stand Tall (Burton Cummings song)</span> 1976 single by Burton Cummings

"Stand Tall" is the title of an international hit single by Burton Cummings, taken from his eponymous debut album. The song was released less than two years after "Dancin' Fool", the final hit single by the group for which Cummings had been lead singer, The Guess Who.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Long Tall Glasses (I Can Dance)</span> 1975 single by Leo Sayer

"Long Tall Glasses " is a 1974 song by Leo Sayer, co-written with David Courtney. It was released in the United Kingdom in late 1974, becoming Sayer's third hit record on both the British and Irish singles charts and reaching number four in both nations. It was included on Sayer's album Just a Boy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Could You Ever Love Me Again</span> 1973 single by Gary and Dave

"Could You Ever Love Me Again" is a 1973 song recorded by Gary and Dave. It became their greatest hit, reaching #7 in Australia and #1 in Canada. It was also a minor hit in the United States.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Janet Mead profile". Hardrushmusic.com. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
  2. "The Lord's prayer [music] / Music by Arnold Strals". trove.nla.gov.au. National Library of Australia. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Janet Mead profile". Milesago.com. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
  4. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. (12 October 1974). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. pp.  6–. ISSN   0006-2510.{{cite book}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  5. Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–2001. Record Research. p. 166.
  6. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 . St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  7. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 20 April 1974. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  8. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 27 April 1974. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  9. "flavour of new zealand - search listener". www.flavourofnz.co.nz.
  10. Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990 - ISBN   0-89820-089-X
  11. "Cash Box Top 100 4/20/74". cashboxmagazine.com.
  12. "National Top 100 Singles for 1974". Kent Music Report. 30 December 1974. Retrieved 15 January 2022 via Imgur.
  13. Canada, Library and Archives (16 January 2018). "Image : RPM Weekly".
  14. "Top 100 Hits of 1974/Top 100 Songs of 1974 | Music Outfitters". www.musicoutfitters.com.
  15. "Cash Box YE Pop Singles - 1974". tropicalglen.com.
  16. "Cash Box Magazine" (PDF). Cash Box . 6 April 1974. p. 49. Retrieved 15 November 2021 via World Radio History.