Jesus Christ Superstar

Jesus Christ Superstar is a rock opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber, with lyrics by Tim Rice. First staged on Broadway in 1971, it highlights political and interpersonal struggles between Judas Iscariot and Jesus.

The opera is based very loosely on the Gospels' account of the last week of Jesus' life, beginning with the preparation for the arrival of Jesus and his disciples in Jerusalem, and ending with the Crucifixion. The resurrection is not included.

The work's depiction offers a free interpretation of the psychology of Jesus and the other characters. A large part of the plot focuses on the character of Judas, who is depicted as a tragic figure who is dissatisfied with the direction in which Jesus steers his disciples. Twentieth-century attitudes and sensibilities as well as contemporary slang pervade the lyrics, and ironic allusions to modern life are scattered throughout the depiction of political events. Stage and film productions accordingly feature many intentional anachronisms.

Jesus Christ Superstar is a 1973 American film adaptation of the Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice rock opera of the same name, based on the conflict between Judas and Jesus in the last weeks before the crucifixion of Jesus.

The film was directed by Norman Jewison. Ted Neeley and Carl Anderson were nominated for two Golden Globe Awards in 1974 for their portrayals of Jesus and Judas, respectively.

Although it attracted criticism from some religious groups, the film was generally well received and was the eighth highest-grossing film of that year.

A second film adaptation was released in 2000, starring Glenn Carter as Jesus, Jérôme Pradon as Judas, Renee Castle as Mary Magdalene and Rik Mayall as Herod. The film was directed by Gale Edwards and Nick Morris, and won an Emmy in 2001 for Best Performing Arts film. The style of the film is more like the stage version than the location-based 1973 adaptation, and used many of the ideas from the tour from around that time. Several members of the film's cast, including Carter, later went on to the Broadway production after shooting the film.

" The above text is a mashup from Wikipedia."

Superstar (Carl Anderson )

"Superstar" is the title song from the film. It is sung by the spirit of Judas Iscariot, 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 most well-known song from this production.

It was released as a single in 1970, before the album was completed. Sung by Murray Head with the Trindad Singers, it reached #78 on first release. Murray Head reached #14 in the U.S. with a single version in 1971.

" The above text is a mashup from Wikipedia."

I Don't Know How to Love Him (Yvonne Elliman)

"I Don't Know How to Love Him" is 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.

I Don't Know How to Love Him is among the highest profile songs to originate in a late twentieth century stage musical.

Elliman performed "I Don't Know How to Love Him" when she played the Mary Magdalene role first in the Broadway production of Jesus Christ Superstar which opened at the Mark Hellinger Theatre 12 October 1971, and then in the movie version.

Her version of "I Don't Know How to Love Him" from the movie soundtrack gave Elliman a hit in in Italy (#21) in 1974. Latterly Elliman has performed "I Don't Know How to Love Him" when she's revisited her Mary Magdalene role firstly at a Jesus Christ Superstar concert by the University Of Texas at El Paso Dinner Theatre staged 14 April 2003, and then for a live-in-concert one-night only performance of Jesus Christ Superstar on 13 August 2006 at the Ricardo Montalban Theater in Los Angeles.

" The above text is a mashup from Wikipedia."

Everything's Alright (Yvonne Elliman)

In ‘Everything's Alright’, Mary Magdalene--along with the wives of the married apostles--comforts Jesus, while Judas and Jesus contend about the use of expensive ointment.

The song is musically notable for its 5/4 time signature, similar to Dave Brubeck's "Take Five" (bah bap b' bah doot doo).

Yvonne Elliman, who played Mary Magdalene on the original cast album of Jesus Christ Superstar and in the Broadway and film versions, released a single of "Everything's Alright" in 1971, which reached #92 on the Billboard pop charts.

" The above text is a mashup from Wikipedia."

In Heaven On Their Minds (Carl Anderson)

In Heaven On Their Minds Judas talking about how he has doubts about the rise of Christianity, believing that Jesus is just a man and not actually God.

He is not portrayed as an evil man, but just a man unsure of what position Jesus' whole "King of the Jews" thing would leave the Jews in, in the long run.


An interesting part of the lyrics is the following :

"Listen Jesus, do you care for your race? Don't you see we must keep in our place?
We are occupied Have you forgotten how put down we are? I am frightened by the crowd
For we are getting much too loud. And they'll crush us if we go too far"

" The above text is a mashup from Wikipedia."

Nikos Xylouris - Itane mia fora ( 31st anniversary of his death. )

Nikos Xylouris ( 7 July 1936 - 8 February 1980), was a Greek composer and singer from the village of Anogeia in Crete and also the older brother of two other great musicians of Cretan music, Antonis Xylouris or Psarantonis and Yiannis Xylouris or Psaroyiannis.

His songs and music captured and described the Greek psyche and demeanor, gaining himself the title the archangel of Crete.
He acquired his first lyra at the age of twelve and displayed potential to play local folk music.

Xylouris was 17 years of age when he started performances at Kastro folk music-restaurant in Heraklion.

A turning point in Nikos Xylouris' career occurred with a recording in 1958. He first performed outside Greece in 1966 and won the first prize in the San Remo folk music festival.

In 1967 he established the first Cretan Music Hall, Erotokritos, in Heraklion

The recording of Anyfantou in 1969 was a big success. Xylouris soon started performances in Athens, which became his new permanent residence, at the Konaki folk music hall.

During the early 1970s, Xylouris' voice becomes identified not only with Cretan music but also with the new kind of artistic popular music that emerged

In 1971, Xylouris is awarded by the Academy Charles Cross of France for his performance in the Cretan Rizitika songs album with G. Markopoulos.

He died in 1980 from a brain tumor and today is the 31st anniversary of his death.