Mission of Mercy is the fourth studio album by the Christian rock duo DeGarmo & Key. It was released on August 27, 1983 on Benson Records' newly formed label Power Discs Records (later renamed ForeFront Records by the late 1980s). The duo had left the Lamb & Lion label, which was then distributed by Benson but switched to Sparrow Records that same year. D&K produced the album themselves.
It was the duo's first new studio album in nearly three years. Mission of Mercy marked a change in direction sound wise, based on the success of their early 1980s hit with Amy Grant, "Nobody Loves Me Like You," as D&K incorporated radio-
friendly songs in addition to their brand of Christian rock. The lead single "Let the Whole World Sing" gave the duo their first number one song on the Christian radio charts in pop and rock. The track was written by the duo and Bob Farrell of Farrell and Farrell.
The second single "Ready or Not," about being ready for the second coming of Jesus Christ, was named as one of the 100 Greatest Songs in Christian Music by CCM Magazine in 2006, ranking it at number 98. It's the opening track on Mission of Mercy with a very strong hook with layers of keyboard parts swirling underneath the basic melody. Other radio hits include "All the Losers Win" and a cover of "That's the Way God Planned It," originally written and recorded in 1969 by musician Billy Preston (#62 Billboard Hot 100). In 1984, Mission of Mercy climbed to the Top 5 on the Billboard Top Christian Albums chart at number 5, becoming one of their biggest-selling albums of the 1980s. The album was reissued on CD in 1992 by ForeFront Records.
Track listing
All tracks were written by Eddie DeGarmo and Dana Key, except where noted.
1. Ready or Not -2:45
2. Special Kind of Love -3:22
3. When It's Over -2:49
4. All the Losers Win -3:15
5. The Gift (instrumental) -2:24
6. Fill Me Lord -3:38
7. Let the Whole World Sing (Eddie DeGarmo, Dana Key, Bob Farrell) -3:36
8. In His Love -3:30
9. Everlasting Love -3:00
10. You Can't Run From Thunder -4:12
11. That's the Way God Planned It (Billy Preston) -3:24
Personnel
DeGarmo & Key:
Dana Key -lead vocals, guitars
Eddie DeGarmo -keyboards, vocals
Tony Pilcher -guitar, vocals
Tommy Cathey -bass guitar, vocals
Greg Morrow -drums
Radio singles
1983 -1984 "Let the Whole World Sing" -#1 Christian AC/CHR
1984 "Ready or Not" -#31 Christian AC/CHR
1984 "That's the Way God Planned It" -#37 Christian AC/CHR
1984 "All the Losers Win" -#28 Christian AC/CHR
Previous release: No Turning Back/Live (1982)
Next release: Communication (1984)
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