I'm an atheist, but I love JC Superstar!

Hey, the whole country is going Jesus nutty, so I just ripped Jesus Christ Superstar into my iTunes. I hate show tunes, I'm not fond of soundtracks, I'm certainly not a religious man, but this disk has always been one of my favorites. I haven't listened to it in a while, so I put it on instead of flocking to The Passion...the 6:23 of audio lashes here was plenty enough to convince me that crucifixion isn't pretty! I don't need to tithe Mel, either.

What's the Buzz

Walk across my swimming pool
:)

change my water into wine. :P

I love the soundtrack - have adored it since I was a kid. Has no bearing on my atheism.

I like godspell, too!

I also really really like gospel music. I'm a Michelangelo nut, too. The art that comes from religion is about the only part of it I like. The rest can go away.

I looove Alison Kraus. She can sing sweet gospel tunes to me all day long! I got Producer's Circle seats to a public radio show in Northampton a couple years ago...third row center...it was a religious experience in its own right.

Puts a different spin on it. Sheesh, east German punk band singing Jesus Christ Superstar..... brrrrr :evilgrin:

but I don't know how to love him

that would dress up and do certain songs from the play. It was great. This was back in the early 70's.

and I'm pagnostic.

I grew up on the music!

always gives me an impression of 'inevitability' rather than blame (re: charismatic leader in an occupied land... fear of those with some authority of too much attention brought to the occupiers potentially leading to a crushing reaction by the Romans.)

Don't know how the audio appeals without seeing the show.. but, a number of years ago I saw a performance of Leonard Bernstein's "Mass" which, if I am correct, tells a similar story but put to the era of the Vietnam War. The performance was very effective.

I would take either of those over the current craze over Gibson's movie.

The Life of Brian too!

it's a fee nothing more...."

I really like the 25th(?) anniversary edition. I've listened to it a thousand times, and will listen to it a thousand times more....and I to am agnostic. Great story and great music!

... but we are performing it in less than a fortnight!
(Should know it by now but it's not far away ... :scared:)

The whole show is great but our Jesus is really excellent - he can
get even hard-bitten atheists to feel the emotion of Gethsemane.

Nihil

My favorite part is Pontius Pilate's "Who isss thisss broken man, cluttering up my hallway? Who isss thisss unFORtunAte?" He's so reptilian, yet displays a kind of condescending pity. A brilliant bit by Webber & Rice.

I can't get over the fact that Lloyd Webber composed the score. And Andrew Lloyd Webber is a no talent hack.

Give me "Godspell" anytime over this.

:-)

Terry

I mean really listen to it. Its not exactly really Jesus friendly. Its supposed to be about Jesus getting rapped up in his own fame. Judas comes off as the only one with his feet on the ground.

Simply read the big song and you will see a host of standard skeptical arguments embedded in there.

Jesus Christ, Superstar

Every time I look at you I don't understand
Why you let the things you did get so out of hand.
You'd have managed better if you'd had it planned.
Why'd you choose such a backward time in such a strange land?
If you'd come today you could have reached a whole nation.
Israel in 4 BC had no mass communication.
Don't you get me wrong.
I only want to know.

CHOIR

Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ,
Who are you? What have you sacrificed?
Jesus Christ Superstar,
Do you think you're what they say you are?

VOICE OF JUDAS

Tell me what you think about your friends at the top.
Who'd you think besides yourself's the pick of the crop?
Buddha, was he where it's at? Is he where you are?
Could Mohammed move a mountain, or was that just PR?
Did you mean to die like that? Was that a mistake, or
Did you know your messy death would be a record breaker?
Don't you get me wrong.
I only want to know.

CHOIR

Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ,
Who are you? What have you sacrificed?
Jesus Christ Superstar,
Do you think you're what they say you are?
(Repeat many times)

I totally agree with the post above regarding the lyrical content of the musical.

Most of the characters (especially Judas) aren't tuned into the religious image and are looking more at Jesus as a vehicle for political revolution. Also, note the constant "he's just a man" lyrics manifested through the work which emphasize that the principals don't buy into the "son of God" message.

It's an non-religious work and I think you'd be hard pressed to find any churches that would encourage their parishioners to see it.

BTW, Carl Anderson who played the role of Judas in the movie and on stage died the same day that Passion came out into theaters.

But it is WAY COOL that, on the original LP, Jesus was played by Ian Gillan (of Deep Purple fame) and Judas was Murray ("One Night in Bankok) Head.

Thanks for getting all those songs planted back in my head! I haven't listened to it for a few months, but hauling out the CD will make today's trudge on the treadmill go a lot faster!

Maybe we should form an "Atheists for Jesus" club!

I'd audition for Herod. No doubt about it

What you have done will be the saving of Israel
You'll be remembered forever for this!

Yeah, but he doesn't say in what way Judas will be remembered, does he? :scared:

My favorite recording is still the 1969 original.

pretty good wages for one little kiss.

God I love JC Superstar. My best friend insists that one day we're gonna stage either an all-girl version or one with all the character genders flipped and she's gonna make me be Jesus.

I'd love to play Judas someday. I can sing pretty well, but some of those songs would rip my vocal cords out! :nuke:

I pop the cd in the car all the time and sing along anyway. It's worth it.

So...you gonna volunteer to play Mario Magdalene? ;-)

...of Christ's last days that gives Judas any credit for his part in JC's martyrdom. Something in that appeals to the Buddhist in me. Or maybe it's the Discordian in me.

I also concur with the original 1969 recording as the best rendition. You have Jesus performed by Ian Gillian (Deep Purple, Black Sabbath), Judas performed by Murray Head (One Night in Bangkok for you 80's retroists). Later recordings tend to stray from the Rock roots of the music, and stray into Lounge Lizard tempo improvisations that just drive me nuts.

I also love the scene in the movie where Judas is beign chased by tanks. That's just too cool.