this is not pitchfork

There were a couple of versions of this; the original studio album, the movie soundtrack, and the original cast recording from the Broadway show (I’m sure there are others). This is the one I remember the most, and contains my favorite versions of the songs.

My mother gave to me this love of musicals. I loved the whole idea of telling a story through songs, of people bursting out into spontaneous song and dance. There was something very powerful to me about relaying a story through music. I remember listening to the Fiddler on the Roof album and being intrigued by the story within in a way I might not have been if it were simply told to me.

The same thing happened with Jesus Christ, Superstar. Mom had the album for a while – I distinctly remember the almost plain brown box it came in – and I guess she started playing it again when the movie came out in 1973. Up until that point, my religious education consisted of a one hour catechism class, once a week, for a couple of months each year. We colored pictures, we read parables, we prepared for communion. Every Sunday, mom sent us off to church where we were supposed to put the things we learned into play. Mostly, I just played this game with the scripture book where I would find the longest word I could and then spend the next 45 minutes making smaller words of it. Church did not interest me; catechism taught me nothing but how to color inside the lines.

While listening to Jesus Christ, Superstar didn’t teach me about religion, per se, it did give me a much clearer understanding of, and sympathy for, the main players in the crucifixion story. The album came with a lyric booklet and I read along with each song, taking it all and forming a much different opinion of the story than the opinion they were trying to make me have in church. I formed an opinion that stayed with me for a very long time, through years of religious education, then into Catholic high school – it was an opinion that I kept to myself because to say it loud to my parents or teachers or any relatives would surely end with me either being struck by lightning or ostracized. It wasn’t until I ended up in a Catholic college (St. John’s University) that I finally talked to someone about all of it. I ended up having an hours long talk with the professor of one of my religion classes, a priest. We talked about Jesus Christ, Superstar, at first about the music, then about the message and when I told him my feelings; that while I believe Jesus existed, I also believe that he was just a regular guy, just a man with a mission – albeit a good one – who got in over his head and believed his own hype, and went on a power trip which ultimately led to his eventual demise. We discussed Pontius Pilate, and how we both perceived Judas as a victim of the cult of Jesus. It felt so good to have someone – especially a priest – listen to me and mostly agree with me.

I went home that night and listened to this soundtrack again. I know it’s a rock opera, it’s a theatrical production and it’s not scripture by any means, but it fully encompasses my view and my opinion of the story; I still get emotional listening to it, and I do listen to it at least once a week. When people ask the question “What albums have had the most impact on your life?” I think of this one. Jesus Christ, Superstar made an eleven year old girl understand the complicated thoughts that went on in her head when the nuns were trying to give her a version of a story she didn’t believe. It made a 25 year old girl accept the fact that she was, at best, agnostic, and helped her explain to her family that just because she doesn’t believe in God, does not mean she doesn’t believe the teachings of Jesus are a good way to live your life, and it still makes this 46 year old very emotional to listen to it.

I promise, this will be the first/last time I write about religion in a music review.