Superstar (Jesus Christ Superstar song)
Encyclopedia
"Superstar" is the title song from the 1970 rock opera
Jesus Christ Superstar
written by Andrew Lloyd Webber
and Tim Rice
. It was released as a single in 1969, before the album was completed. Sung by Murray Head
with the Trinidad Singers, it reached number 78 on first release. Murray Head reached number 14 in the U.S. with a single version in 1971.
, where he questions why Jesus
chose to arrive in the manner that he did and if what happened to him was truly part of a divine plan. Although it may be considered accusatory, it is dominated by the repetitive apologies of Judas for questioning ("Don't you get me wrong", "I only want to know"). Along with "I Don't Know How to Love Him
", it is the best-known song from this production.
, female winner of Grease: You're the One That I Want performed the song during the showtunes week.
Carly Smithson
sang the song during the seventh season of American Idol
the week the theme was the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber
. Although judge Simon Cowell
called it one of his favorite performances of the night, Smithson was eliminated the following results night.
Jodie Prenger
and Samantha Barks
performed a duet of the song onI'd Do Anything
which was highly acclaimed. Prenger went onto to win the BBC
competition and become Nancy in the west end musical by Webber Oliver!
.
Anastacia
performed the song at "Concert for Diana
" on the 1st of July 2007.
The 1970s ABC Sports TV show The Superstars used the instrumental version of the song as the show's theme song.
Rock opera
A rock opera is a work of rock music that presents a storyline told over multiple parts, songs or sections in the manner of opera. A rock opera differs from a conventional rock album, which usually includes songs that are not unified by a common theme or narrative. More recent developments include...
Jesus Christ Superstar
Jesus Christ Superstar
Jesus Christ Superstar is a rock opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber, with lyrics by Tim Rice. The musical started off as a rock opera concept recording before its first staging on Broadway in 1971...
written by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber is an English composer of musical theatre.Lloyd Webber has achieved great popular success in musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 13 musicals, a song cycle, a set of...
and Tim Rice
Tim Rice
Sir Timothy Miles Bindon "Tim" Rice is an British lyricist and author.An Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, Tony Award and Grammy Award-winning lyricist, Rice is best known for his collaborations with Andrew Lloyd Webber, with whom he wrote Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus...
. It was released as a single in 1969, before the album was completed. Sung by Murray Head
Murray Head
Murray Seafield Saint-George Head is a British actor and singer, most recognised for his international hit songs "Superstar" and "One Night in Bangkok" and his album Say It Ain't So...
with the Trinidad Singers, it reached number 78 on first release. Murray Head reached number 14 in the U.S. with a single version in 1971.
Content
It is sung by the spirit of Judas IscariotJudas Iscariot
Judas Iscariot was, according to the New Testament, one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. He is best known for his betrayal of Jesus to the hands of the chief priests for 30 pieces of silver.-Etymology:...
, where he questions why Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
chose to arrive in the manner that he did and if what happened to him was truly part of a divine plan. Although it may be considered accusatory, it is dominated by the repetitive apologies of Judas for questioning ("Don't you get me wrong", "I only want to know"). Along with "I Don't Know How to Love Him
I Don't Know How to Love Him
"I Don't Know How to Love Him" is a song from the 1970 rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice , a torch ballad sung by the character of Mary Magdalene who in Jesus Christ Superstar is presented as bearing an unrequited love for the title character...
", it is the best-known song from this production.
Other versions
Laura OsnesLaura Osnes
Laura Ann Osnes is an American stage actress, and the winner of the role of "Sandy" on the televised Grease: You're the One that I Want! competition. She played Sandy in the 2007 Broadway run of Grease, which opened August 19, 2007, starring alongside the other winner, Max Crumm, who played the...
, female winner of Grease: You're the One That I Want performed the song during the showtunes week.
Carly Smithson
Carly Smithson
Carly Smithson is an Irish soul/pop rock singer-songwriter and actress from San Diego, California who was the sixth place finalist on the seventh season of American Idol. In 2001, Smithson released her first studio album for MCA Records called Ultimate High. Smithson was dropped from the record...
sang the song during the seventh season of American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
the week the theme was the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber is an English composer of musical theatre.Lloyd Webber has achieved great popular success in musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 13 musicals, a song cycle, a set of...
. Although judge Simon Cowell
Simon Cowell
Simon Phillip Cowell is an English A&R executive, television producer, entrepreneur, and television personality. He is known in the United Kingdom and United States for his role as a talent judge on TV shows such as Pop Idol, The X Factor, Britain's Got Talent and American Idol...
called it one of his favorite performances of the night, Smithson was eliminated the following results night.
Jodie Prenger
Jodie Prenger
Jodie Prenger is an English actress and singer. She was the winner of BBC talent show-themed television series I'd Do Anything on 31 May 2008. She was also the winner of the second series of The Biggest Loser on Living in 2006...
and Samantha Barks
Samantha Barks
Samantha Barks is a professional singer and actress who came third in the BBC talent show-themed television series I'd Do Anything in 2008.-Background:Samantha was born and brought up on the Isle of Man...
performed a duet of the song onI'd Do Anything
I'd Do Anything (BBC TV series)
I'd Do Anything is a 2008 talent show-themed television series produced by the BBC in the United Kingdom and broadcast on BBC One. It premièred on 15 March 2008...
which was highly acclaimed. Prenger went onto to win the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
competition and become Nancy in the west end musical by Webber Oliver!
Oliver!
Oliver! is a British musical, with script, music and lyrics by Lionel Bart. The musical is based upon the novel Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens....
.
Anastacia
Anastacia
Anastacia is an American singer-songwriter. Anastacia has been highly successful in Europe, Asia, South Africa and South America, but has had only minor success in her native United States...
performed the song at "Concert for Diana
Concert for Diana
Concert for Diana was a concert held at the then new Wembley Stadium in London, England, United Kingdom in honour of Diana, Princess of Wales, on 1 July 2007, which would have been her 46th birthday; 31 August that year brought the 10th anniversary of her death...
" on the 1st of July 2007.
The 1970s ABC Sports TV show The Superstars used the instrumental version of the song as the show's theme song.
Chart performance
| Chart (1969-1971) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian RPM Top Singles | 6 |
| Dutch Singles Chart | 9 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
14 |