Missionary Man (song)

"Missionary Man" is a song by British pop duo Eurythmics from their fifth studio album, Revenge (1986). The song features Jimmy Zavala on harmonica and Joniece Jamison on backing vocals.

"Missionary Man"
Single by Eurythmics
from the album Revenge
B-side	"The Last Time" (live)
Released	July 1986 (US) 16 February 1987 (UK)[1]
Genre	Rock[2]
Length	4:26
Label	RCA
Songwriter(s)	Annie Lennox David A. Stewart
Producer(s)	David A. Stewart
Eurythmics singles chronology
"The Miracle of Love" (1986) "Missionary Man" (1986) "Beethoven (I Love to Listen To)" (1987)
Music video
"Missionary Man" on YouTube

In the band's native United Kingdom, it was the fourth single to be taken from the album and peaked at number 31 on the UK Singles Chart. It was more successful in the United States, where it was the first single to be taken from the album and peaked at number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 (their last main US top-20 entry to date). It also made the top 10 of the Billboard Hot Dance/Club Play chart, and it received extensive airplay on American rock radio, reaching number one on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart, Eurythmics' only song to top this chart. The single also peaked at number nine in Australia, where it was released as the album's second single.

"Missionary Man" earned Eurythmics a 1986 Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.^[3] The video received heavy airplay on MTV and received five nominations at the 1987 MTV Video Music Awards.

Background

Upon the single's July 1986 US release, the song was described as being inspired in part by Lennox's 1984–1985 marriage to devout Hare Krishna Radha Raman. When discussing the song's inspiration and meaning, Lennox stated "Obviously, there is a personal meaning in [Missionary Man] for me, because of my past history. But I also think that there are a great deal of people in the media, in the form of politicians or religious speakers or philosophical people, people who are generally trying to have some power over other people, who I just don't trust."^[4]

Music video

Directed by Willy Smax,^[5] the music video for "Missionary Man" features stop-animation techniques similar to those used in Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer" video from earlier in 1986. The video received heavy play from MTV and received five nominations at the 1987 MTV Video Music Awards.^[6]

Track listings

• UK 7-inch single

A. "Missionary Man" (7-inch version) – 3:50

B. "The Last Time" (live at The Roxy in Los Angeles)

• UK 12-inch single

A. "Missionary Man" (extended version) – 6:55

B. "The Last Time" (live at The Roxy in Los Angeles)

• US 7-inch single

A. "Missionary Man" (7-inch version) – 3:50

B. "Take Your Pain Away" (LP version) – 4:37

• US 12-inch single

A. "Missionary Man" (extended version) – 6:55

B. "Take Your Pain Away" (LP version) – 4:37

Charts

Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for "Missionary Man" Chart (1986–1987) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report)[7] 9 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[8] 34 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[9] 13 Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[10] 78 Ireland (IRMA)[11] 13 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[12] 77 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[13] 12 UK Singles (OCC)[14] 31 US Billboard Hot 100[15] 14 US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[16] 6 US Dance Singles Sales (Billboard)[17] 18 US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[18] 1 US Cash Box Top 100 Singles[19] 15

Year-end charts Year-end chart performance for "Missionary Man" Chart (1986) Position Canada Top Singles (RPM)[20] 93

Release history

Release dates and formats for "Missionary Man"

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United States	July 1986	7-inch vinyl 12-inch vinyl	RCA
United Kingdom	16 February 1987			[21]

Cover versions

• The song was recorded by Swedish rock band Ghost on their 2016 EP Popestar.^[22]