Jesus Christ Superstar
Authors:
Andrew Lloyd Webber – music, orchestration, musical direction
Tim Rice – lirics
The singers:
Judas Iscariot – Murray Head
Jesus Christ – Ian Gillan
Mary Magdalene – Ivonna Elliman
Pontius Pilate – Barry Dennen
King Herod – Mike D'Abo
Peter – Paul Devis
Caiaphas, High Priest – Victor Brox
Priest – Paul Raven
Annas – Brain Keith
Simon Zealotes – John Gustafson
Maid by the Fire – Annette Brox
ACT-I
Overture.
No text.
Heaven on their minds.
JUDAS
My mind is clearer now – at last all too wellI can see where we all soon will beIf you strip away the myth from the manYou will see where we all soon will beJesus! You've started to believeThe things they say of youYou really do believeThis talk of God is trueAnd all the good you've doneWill soon get swept awayYou've begun to matter moreThan the things you say
Listen Jesus I don't like what I seeAll I ask is that you listen to meAnd remember – I've been your right hand man all alongYou have set them all on fireThey think they've found the new MessiahAnd they'll hurt you when they find they're wrongI remember when this whole thing beganNo talk of God then – we called you a manAnd believe me – my admiration for you hasn't diedBut every word you say todayGets twisted round some other wayAnd they'll hurt you if they think you've lied
Nazareth your famous son should have stayed a great unknownLike his father carving wood – he'd have made goodTables chairs and oaken chests would have suited Jesus bestHe'd have caused nobody harm – no-one alarmListen 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'm frightened by the crowdFor we are getting much too loudAnd they'll crush us if we go too far
Listen Jesus to the warning I givePlease remember that I want us to liveBut it's sad to see our chances weakening with every hourAll your followers are blindToo much heaven on their mindsIt was beautiful but now it's sourYes it's all gone sour
What's the buzz. / Strange thing, Mystifying.
Bethany, Friday Night
APOSTLES
What's the buzz? Tell me, what's happening?JESUS
Why should you want to know?Don't you mind about the future,Don't you try to think aheadSave tomorrow for tomorrow,Think about today insteadAPOSTLES
What's the buzz? Tell me what's happening?JESUS
I could give you facts and figures -I could give you plans and forecastsEven tell you where I'm going -APOSTLES
When do we ride into Jerusalem?JESUS
Why should you want to know?Why are you obsessed with fightingTimes and fates you can't defy?If you knew the path we're ridingYou'd understand it less than IAPOSTLES
What's the buzz? Tell me what's happeningMARY MAGDALENE
Let me try to cool down your face a bitJESUS
That feels nice, so nice...Mary that is good -While you prattle through your supper – Where and when and who and howShe alone has tried to give meWhat I need right here and nowAPOSTLES
What's the buzz? Tell me what's happening?JUDAS
It seems to me a strange thing, mystifyingThat a man like you can waste his time on women of her kindYes, I can understand that she amusesBut to let her stroke you, kiss your hair, is hardly in your lineIt's not that I object to her professionBut she doesn't fit in well with that you teach and sayIt doesn't help us if you're inconsistentThey only need a small excuse to put us all away
JESUS
Who are you to criticise her? Who are you to despise her?Leave her, leave her, let her be nowLeave her, leave her, she's with me nowIf your slate is clean – then you can throw stonesIf your slate is not then leave her aloneI'm amazed that men like you can be soShallow thick and slowThere is not a man among you who knowsor cares if I come or go
ALL (save JUDAS)
No you're wrong! You're very wrong!How can you say that?JESUS
Not one – not one of you!