Jesus Christ Superstar - 1970

Jesus Christ Superstar A 1970 Rock Opera

Jesus Christ Superstar, A 1970 Rock Opera

Jesus Christ Superstar, 1970, a rock opera written by Andrew Lloyd Webber with lyrics written by Tim Rice. This double album told the story of the events of Christ leading up to the crucifixion. This record, at the time, was very controversial. The Catholic church condemned the album citing blasphemy with "Hippies" singing songs about Jesus. As always, the young teens who heard this flocked to the record stores to buy this "Banned" album.
Ironically, Jesus Christ Superstar kept very close to the New Testament version and helped the young people of the day learn about the crucifixion and Christ's teachings. Apparently, rock and roll is not always the devils music.

The front cover simply states JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR with golden angels linked in a circle bowing towards each other.

Yes, this is a double album but the inside jacket is simply a dark brown with absolutely no writing, art work, or pictures. Not even a list of songs or acts. It's the only album I can recall that has nothing on the inside jacket.

Second verse, same as the first. The right side of the jacket is the same, all brown with no writing except at the top right that has MCA2-10000 which is certainly an album code.

The backcover has the cast of Superstar :
Jesus Christ..........Ian Gillan
Judas Iscariot........Murray Head
Mary Maddalene........Yvonne Elliman
Pontius Pilate........Barry Dennen
King Herod............Mike D'Abo
Caiaphas..............Victor Brox
Simon Zealotes........Johnny Gustafson
Peter.................Paul Davis
Annas.................Brian Keith
High Priest...........Paul Raven

Performing in Superstar are members of Deep Purple, Joe Cockers Grease Band, Lord Sutch, Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation, The Big Three, Juicy Lucy, Quartermass, Merseybeats, Gracious, Plastic Penny, Spooky Tooth, Manfred Mann, and Nucleaus. And the 85 piece orchestra and the strings of the city of London.



The album had an insert with the complete score, lyrics, acts, scenes, and cast, and crew. It provides an easy way to follow along with the opera. Of course, the most popular song from the album was Superstar and got plenty of airtime on the radio. However, there were two versions of the song, a short and long play version. Here is the long play version lyrics.

Judas:
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 and such a strange land?

If you'd come today you would have reached a whole nation
Israel in 4 BC had no mass communication
Don't you get me wrong (repeat)
I only want to know (repeat)

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

Tell me what you think about your friends at the top
Who'd you think besides yourself's the pick of the crop?
Buddah was he where it's at? Is he where you are?
Could Muhammmed 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 (repeat)
I only want to know (repeat)

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 and fade out)

Back To Vinyl Record Vault Archives

LURKING AND ROCKING ON THE GRASSY KNOLL