Superstar (Jesus Christ Superstar song)

"Superstar" is the title song from the 1970 album and 1971 rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice.

"Superstar"
Single by Murray Head and ensemble
from the album Jesus Christ Superstar
Released
  • 21 November 1969 (UK)
  • 1 December 1969 (US)
Recorded10 October 1969
StudioOlympic, Barnes, London
Genre
Length4:15
LabelDecca/MCA
Composer(s)Andrew Lloyd Webber
Lyricist(s)Tim Rice
Producer(s)
  • Andrew Lloyd Webber
  • Tim Rice
Murray Head and ensemble singles chronology
"Superstar"
(1969)		 "I Don't Know How to Love Him"
(1971)

Content

The song is sung by the spirit of Judas Iscariot, who had died by suicide earlier in the show. The song consists of a series of questions addressed to Jesus, such as why Jesus chose to come to Israel in 4 BC when it had no "mass communication" as opposed to modern times, whether Jesus had planned his own death, whether Jesus knew beforehand that his death would become famous, and whether religious figures such as Gautama Buddha and Muhammad are his equals. It is dominated by repeated apologies for asking these questions ("Don't you get me wrong", "I only want to know"). Typically, Judas is accompanied by a choir of angels, and the song is performed during the crucifixion scene, if not immediately before it.

Versions

Original Murray Head version

"Superstar" was released as a single in 1969, before the album was completed. Sung by Murray Head with the Trinidad Singers, it initially debuted on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for the week ending 31 January 1970, eventually peaking at No. 74 in late February 1970.[1] Nearly one year later, the single re-entered the Hot 100 chart for the week ending 2 January 1971, eventually peaking at No. 60 on the chart in early March 1971. The single then fell off the chart three weeks later, but then almost immediately re-entered the Hot 100 chart a third and final time for the week ending 10 April 1971. It then rapidly climbed the Hot 100 chart during its third chart run, eventually spending two consecutive weeks at its peak position of No. 14 in late May and early June 1971.[1] It performed even better in Canada, where it peaked on the RPM Top Singles chart at No. 6, and in New Zealand, where it reached No. 2 on Listener magazine. A video of the song was released to promote the album, with Murray Head and the Trinidad Singers appearing.[2]

Recording

In order to get the concept album of Jesus Christ Superstar off the ground, Decca/MCA first gave Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice money to make the single and begin the album. They wanted to release the single first, which caused uproar within the MCA board at the time.

The single was recorded on 8-track equipment at the Olympic Studios in Barnes, London, with Irish 22-year-old Alan O'Duffy as the chief engineer. Lloyd Webber and Rice were backed by MCA and spent a small fortune on the recording, including using a full orchestra and the backing vocals of the Trinidad Singers. The Grease Band, one of the best rhythm sections in the world at that time, were brought in as the foundation of the ensemble.[3]

Charts
Chart (1969–72) Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[4] 4
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[5] 20
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[6] 6
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[7] 11
New Zealand (Listener)[8] 2
UK Singles Chart[9] 47
US Billboard Hot 100[10] 14
US Cashbox Top 100[11] 8

Carl Anderson version

When the 1973 film version and its accompanying soundtrack was released, Carl Anderson played Judas. During the scene in the film when the song "Superstar" is played, Anderson was lowered onto the stage by a crane made to look like a star during the song's intro. Ted Neeley as Jesus is shown during the song being lowered onto a cross.[12]

Other versions
  • The 1970s ABC Sports TV show The Superstars used the instrumental version of the song as the show's theme song.
  • The song's intro was used several times as an entrance theme for various professional wrestlers such as Superstar Billy Graham, Don Muraco and Stone Cold Steve Austin.
  • On the eighth episode of the fourth season of Orphan Black, "The Redesign of Natural Objects", the song is sung by Tatiana Maslany, Terra Hazelton, Barbara Johnston, and Anika Johnson. Maslany portrays Alison Hendrix playing the role of Judas, while Hazelton acts as Sarah Stubbs singing a slightly altered verse as Jesus. Johnston and Johnson act as backup singers, singing the part of the Trinidad Singers in the album production. Ryan Blakely, as Reverend Mike, is shown playing the piano. Alison faces a similar dilemma to the one faced by Judas, as she is pressured to betray her sisters to save her husband.[13][14][15][16]

References
  1. Whitburn, Joel (2003). Top Pop Singles (1955–2002). Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. p. 307. ISBN 0-89820-155-1.
  2. "Promotional Video for Jesus Christ Superstar album". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-14. Retrieved September 17, 2016.
  3. "Superstar single recorded", 10 October 1969, 2014 tour
  4. "Murray Head – Superstar" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  5. "Murray Head – Superstar" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  6. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 5390." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  7. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Murray Head" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  8. "NZ Listener chart statistics for Superstar". flavourofnz.co.nz. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  9. Official UK Singles Chart
  10. Billboard Allmusic.com (Retrieved 4 September 2008)
  11. "Cash Box Top 100 Singles, week ending June 5, 1971". Archived from the original on June 2, 2012. Retrieved August 14, 2012.
  12. "Clip from the 1973 film Jesus Christ Superstar". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-14. Retrieved September 17, 2016.
  13. Derschowitz, Jessica (June 2, 2016). "Orphan Black recap: 'The Redesign of Natural Objects'". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved September 17, 2016.
  14. Cohen, Noam (June 3, 2016). "'Orphan Black' Recap 4×08: Oh, Jesus". The Observer. Retrieved September 17, 2016.
  15. Maloney, Devon (June 2, 2016). "Orphan Black Recap: Who Are You? What Have You Sacrificed?". Vulture. Retrieved September 17, 2016.
  16. "The Redesign of Natural Objects". BBC America. Retrieved September 17, 2016.
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