1987

Rourke and Termo had appeared together in Year of the Dragon in 1985, Barfly in 1987, A Prayer for the Dying, also released in 1987, and Homeboy in 1988.

1951

The prayer was widely used in sermons in the 1930's and 40's and was first published in 1951.

in 1985 during the midst of the huge ninja boom that captivated many kids of my generation and my generation

Pray for Death was released in 1985, during the midst of the huge ninja boom that captivated many kids of my generation and my generation

The Last Mile In Enemy Country 1968 (1959), The Hustler (1961), Island of Love (1963), Quick, Before It Melts (1965), Beau Geste (1966), Hawaii (1966), (),

The Last Mile (1959), The Hustler (1961), Island of Love (1963), Quick, Before It Melts (1965), Beau Geste (1966), Hawaii (1966), In Enemy Country (1968), The Reivers (1969), Deadly Harvest (1972), Peeper (1975), Voyage of the Damned (1976), Hill's Angels (1979), Forty Days of Musa Dagh (1982), Pray for Death (1985), Prancer (1989), By a Thread (1990), Deadfall (1993), The Juror (1996),

on the real-life events —a diphtheria epidemic that took place in Black River Falls, Wisconsin in the 1890s

A Prayer for the Dying is a chilling gothic tale, based on the real-life events that took place in Black River Falls, Wisconsin in the 1890s—a diphtheria epidemic while townspeople were randomly going insane and becoming violent—recorded in the 1973 Michael Lesy book Wisconsin Death Trip and 1999 documentary.

in 1994

Seal released Prayer for the dying in 1994.

a diphtheria epidemic while townspeople were randomly going insane and becoming violent—recorded in the 1973 Michael Lesy book Wisconsin Death Trip and 1999 documentary

A Prayer for the Dying is a chilling gothic tale, based on the real-life events that took place in Black River Falls, Wisconsin in the 1890s—a diphtheria epidemic while townspeople were randomly going insane and becoming violent—recorded in the 1973 Michael Lesy book Wisconsin Death Trip and 1999 documentary.

The Secret War of Jackie's Girls Tales of the Haunted 1981California Cowboys 1983 (1980), (), ()

The Secret War of Jackie's Girls (1980), Tales of the Haunted (1981), California Cowboys (1983), Pray for Death (1985), The Misfit Brigade (1987) and Rage of Honor (1988) as well as episode of Shannon, The Master, Tales of the Unexpected and The Equalizer.

1990

Similarly, 1990’s A Prayer For The Dying, kept out of Then Play Long only by entry #413, was indifferently received, despite its inclusion of two fantastic singles, “Holy Smoke” and “Bring Your Daughter…to the Slaughter,” the latter of which became, through clever marketing, Iron Maiden’s first number one single, and one of several candidates for the title of least-played number one of the nineties (and the nineties ’s a more crowded field than you might imagine).

1970

The first edition was published in 1970, so I guess the prayer predates this year.