Murray Head, "Superstar"

by Dick Mac

The original Concept Album release of Jesus Christ Superstar in 1970 featured a remarkable line-up of singers and musicians.

Ian Gillian of Deep Purple sang the part of Jesus, and Yvonne Elliman a young American singer living in London sang Mary Magdalene. Elliman would go to New York to become a member of the original Broadway production. The supporting cast included one Paul Raven (born Paul Francis Gadd) who went on to become Gary Glitter. The band was comprised of some of London's best studio musicians of the day:

Neil Hubbard, who went on to play guitar for Bryan Ferry; Henry McCulloch, from Spooky Tooth and later the original line-up of Wings played acoustic guitar; Chris Mercer, who played with John Mayall on sax; Peter Robinson who went on to score movies (including a number of 'horror' films) played keyboards; future Fairport Convention drummer, Bruce Rowland; and the amazing Allan Spenner (whose credits include stints with Spooky Tooth, Roxy Music, Peter Frampton, Joe Cocker and others) on bass guitar.

The depth of talent in this line-up is readily apparent when listening to the album.

Murray Head as Judas, in particular, bridges the entire production from "opera" to "rock." He infused a soulfulness, and an actor's sensibility that no future Judas would ever duplicate. His renditions of the songs are the best, by far, of all of the versions.

Although Carl Anderson did an excellent job as Judas Iscariot in the Broadway production, subsequent road shows, and the film, Murray Head set the bar very high. His version "Superstar" was a Top 40 hit.

This promotional video is over 40 years old, and although production standards were high, existing technology was not cooperative.



Murray Head performs "Superstar" at Proms in France in 2007.



I hope you and yours enjoy a blessed Passover and Easter, and no matter your religious beliefs, you should really listen to "Jesus Christ Superstar" from beginning to end some day.

Peace.

I Don't Know How To Love Him

by Dick Mac

Following the flogging and condemnation of Jesus Christ, his betrayer Judas Iscariot commits suicide.

In Jesus Christ Superstar, the four minute song includes an excerpt of Judas pleadingly singing "I Don't Know How To Love Him."

Earlier in the opera the same song is sung by Mary Magdalene, in a much different tone, appealing to an equally intense relationship that ends much differently than the one between Jesus and Judas.

It is a very dramatic rendition of the song, and Murray Head delivers it convincingly. The passion, the depth of love between the two men can be heard in the antagonist's voice.

Like all his performances as Judas on the record, Head nails this song.

Here is the excerpt:

This excerpt is used without permission for non-commercial purposes, and indulgence is begged. The copyright is held by legitimate sources. Please support the creation of art by purchasing this music at the links below.

It's Rock N Roll, It's Opera, It's Rock, It's Opera: Stop! You're both right!

by Dick Mac

There is a point where it IS opera, most decidedly opera.

The scene takes place at the end of Passover, in Jerusalem, a very long time ago. Jesus Christ has been arrested. The Roman prelate, Pontius Pilate, has already refused to participate in the lynching happening around him.

Pilate sent Christ be dealt with by local authorities. Herod was too smart to get involved with this fiasco and gave the prisoner back to the local civic and religious leaders.

Since it is a holy day, and believing they had no authority to condemn Jesus to death, the local leaders return Christ to Pilate.

In the rock opera, Jesus Christ Superstar, this encounter is titled "Trial Before Pilate (Including The 39 Lashes)."

Much of Jesus Christ Superstar is rock n roll, or folk rock. There is certainly some classical musical influence, but most of it is not terribly "operatic" in my view. This track however, has all the elements of an opera aria (not all arias are solo performances).

There is a protagonist and an antagonist, and a chorus. The music is decidedly classical in style, if modern in execution with some modern rock interspersed. The back and forth could have been written by Puccini or Bizet (if they had been post-hippie Englishmen of privilege with a penchant for the absurd and a burning desire to succeed).

The piece opens with Pilate telling high-priest Caiaphas that he wants nothing to do with the whole Jesus thing; but Caiaphas and his entourage insist that Pilate handle the political morass that is the arrest of the outsider, the Nazarene.

The dramatic back and forth between Pilate and Jesus, and the chorus interjecting provocation, create the operatic highlight of the entire show.

When Pilate has Jesus flogged, a rock 'n roll riff is inserted as the lashes are counted.

After the flogging, Pilate's anger increases as Jesus becomes more adamant in his debate. Pilate reaches wit's end and he sings in a rage: "Don't let me stop your great self-destruction. Die if you want to, you misguided martyr. I wash my hands of your demolition. Die if you want to you innocent puppet."

When this ends, the opera moves into its most famous piece: "Superstar" with its magnificent opening chords, the strains of which are familiar to anyone who could hear and comprehend music in 1970.