‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ is about to have a second coming.
A new edition of the original Andrew Lloyd Webber classic has been produced for a 50th anniversary edition.
Andrew Lloyd Webber recalled when he first broached the idea of a musical based on JC. In a statement he said, “A musical about Jesus Christ! Back in 1969 the mere thought had theatre producers falling about with laughter. But somehow Tim Rice and I persuaded MCA to record a single. It came at a time when fusion was all the rage. The Rolling Stones had recorded with the London Bach Choir. Deep Purple’s Jon Lord composed a symphony for rock band and orchestra. So I was like a kid in a sweet shop when I was able to combine a rock band, a symphony orchestra and a gospel choir in what was the first track to be recorded, simply titled Superstar. Overriding everything was that we were telling our story in sound – and sound alone. We had none of the visual elements of theatres and film to fall back on. A cast-iron musical and dramatic structure was the key. Dialogue had no place on a record, so music and lyrics had to carry everything. In truth, we were writing a musical radio play. Ultimately, this gave us one enormous advantage. Audiences came to know our recordings so well that no future director or producer could add musical passages for scene changes or tamper with the construction. The score had become set in stone.”
Tim Rice recalled the creation of the album. “I have nothing but fond memories of the writing and recording of Jesus Christ Superstar. We were incredibly lucky; we had a record company and a management team who were willing to take huge risks. Not just in terms of belief in our idea but also in terms of providing a budget to fulfil our musical vision which brought together a rock band, a full orchestra and not just one but two separate choirs.”
He added, “I’m incredibly proud and grateful to have been part of it all, perhaps more now at 76 than I was at 25.”
The new edition will include as essay by Chic’s Nile Rodgers. “Jesus Christ Superstarpermeated every part of our lives then. It was a cultural explosion, like an earthquake or asteroid crashing…with Tim, he made a genius work in Jesus Christ Superstar, which was as revolutionary to hippies as Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew was to jazz,” he said
‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ 50th Anniversary Edition will be released on 17 September, 2021.
CD1
1. Overture
2. Heaven On Their Minds
3. What’s The Buzz – Strange Thing, Mystifying
4. Everything’s Alright
5. This Jesus Must Die
6. Hosanna
7. Simon Zealotes – Poor Jerusalem
8. Pilate’s Dream
9. The Temple
10. Everything’s Alright
11. I Don’t Know How To Love Him
12. Damned For All Time – Blood Money
CD2
1. The Last Supper
2. Gethsemane (I Only Want To Say)
3. The Arrest
4. Peter’s Denial
5. Pilate And Christ
6. King Herod’s Song
7. Judas’ Death
8. Trial Before Pilate (Including the 39 Lashes)
9. Superstar
10. Crucifixion
11. John Nineteen: Forty-one
CD3:
1. Blood Money (guide vocal)*
2. Herod’s Song (guide vocal)*
3. I Don’t Know How To Love Him (Tim Rice Commentary)*
4. This Jesus Must Die (scat vocal 1)*
5. This Jesus Must Die (scat vocal 2)* Unreleased Instrumental*
6. I Don’t Know How To Love Him (single edit)
7. 1970 open-end Interview with the creators Of Jesus Christ Superstar Part One (includes Superstar, Heaven On Their Minds, I Don’t Know How To Love Him)
8. 1970 open-end Interview with the creators Of Jesus Christ Superstar Part Two (includes Gethsemane, Herod’s Song and Superstar).
2CD DIGIPAK SET
CD1
1. Overture
2. Heaven On Their Minds
3. What’s The Buzz – Strange Thing, Mystifying
4. Everything’s Alright
5. This Jesus Must Die
6. Hosanna
7. Simon Zealotes – Poor Jerusalem
8. Pilate’s Dream
9. The Temple
10. Everything’s Alright
11. I Don’t Know How To Love Him
12. Damned For All Time – Blood Money
CD2
1. The Last Supper
2. Gethsemane (I Only Want To Say)
3. The Arrest
4. Peter’s Denial
5. Pilate And Christ
6. King Herod’s Song
7. Judas’ Death
8. Trial Before Pilate (Including the 39 Lashes)
9. Superstar
10. Crucifixion
11. John Nineteen: Forty-one
2LP GATEFOLD EDITION – HALF SPEED MASTERED AT ABBEY ROAD BY MILES SHOWELL
LP One
Side One
1. Overture
2. Heaven On Their Minds
3. What’s The Buzz – Strange Thing, Mystifying
4. Everything’s Alright
5. This Jesus Must Die
Side Two
1. Hosanna
2. Simon Zealotes – Poor Jerusalem
3. Pilate’s Dream
4. The Temple
5. Everything’s Alright
6. I Don’t Know How To Love Him
7. Damned For All Time – Blood Money
LP Two
Side One
1. The Last Supper
2. Gethsemane (I Only Want To Say)
3. The Arrest
4. Peter’s Denial
5. Pilate And Christ
6. King Herod’s Song
Side Two
1. Judas’ Death
2. Trial Before Pilate (Including the 39 Lashes)
3. Superstar
4. Crucifixion
5. John Nineteen: Forty-one
2LP GATEFOLD LIMITED EDITION
Replica of the 1970 original fold-out envelope sleeve. Half-speed mastered at Abbey Road. EDITION LIMITED TO 3000.
LP One
Side One
1. Overture
2. Heaven On Their Minds
3. What’s The Buzz – Strange Thing, Mystifying
4. Everything’s Alright
5. This Jesus Must Die
Side Two
1. Hosanna
2. Simon Zealotes – Poor Jerusalem
3. Pilate’s Dream
4. The Temple
5. Everything’s Alright
6. I Don’t Know How To Love Him
7. Damned For All Time – Blood Money
LP Two
Side One
1. The Last Supper
2. Gethsemane (I Only Want To Say)
3. The Arrest
4. Peter’s Denial
5. Pilate And Christ
6. King Herod’s Song
Side Two
1. Judas’ Death
2. Trial Before Pilate (Including the 39 Lashes)
3. Superstar
4. Crucifixion
5. John Nineteen: Forty-one
ALSO AVAILABLE IN SD/HD VERSIONS IN DELUXE AND STANDARD EDITION
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