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What's the best Jesus Christ Superstar Recording?

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#1

What's the best Jesus Christ Superstar Recording?

Posted: 4/7/07 at 5:04pm

Just wondering, what's the best recording available? As far as I know, the main ones are the OLCR, 1996, and the Movie Soundtrack. Any others? And which is the best?
The rain we knew is a thing of the past -
deep-delving, dark, deliberate you would say
browsing on spire and bogland; but today
our sky-blue slates are steaming in the sun,
our yachts tinkling and dancing in the bay
like racehorses. We contemplate at last
shining windows, a future forbidden to no one.

Derek Mahon

"Maybe all one can do is hope to end up with the right regrets."

Arthur Miller
#7

re: What's the best Jesus Christ Superstar Recording?

Posted: 4/7/07 at 5:30pm

I want the whole thing, overture 'n all (The overture is a master, everyone should have it, if nothing else). I'd rather not have something different, I want something professional and complete. The Black-covered one with Alice Cooper is the 1996 London Cast, I believe. I think I'll go for that, it has good prices on Amazon.
The rain we knew is a thing of the past -
deep-delving, dark, deliberate you would say
browsing on spire and bogland; but today
our sky-blue slates are steaming in the sun,
our yachts tinkling and dancing in the bay
like racehorses. We contemplate at last
shining windows, a future forbidden to no one.

Derek Mahon

"Maybe all one can do is hope to end up with the right regrets."

Arthur Miller
#8

re: What's the best Jesus Christ Superstar Recording?

Posted: 4/7/07 at 5:35pm

This is a clip from the 1996 recording, on the ALW site. Sounds good to me, so I think I'll go for it.
JCS Overture - Short Clip
The rain we knew is a thing of the past -
deep-delving, dark, deliberate you would say
browsing on spire and bogland; but today
our sky-blue slates are steaming in the sun,
our yachts tinkling and dancing in the bay
like racehorses. We contemplate at last
shining windows, a future forbidden to no one.

Derek Mahon

"Maybe all one can do is hope to end up with the right regrets."

Arthur Miller
#11

re: What's the best Jesus Christ Superstar Recording?

Posted: 4/7/07 at 6:00pm

Your username doesn't describe you well, JustChillin. I had no idea which was the best recording was the best. I knew I liked what I had heard of the 1996 one on alw.com, but I didn't know if it was the best i could get, and I asked an honest question. Many people gave nice, constructive and honest answers, and I thank them for that (Thank you all very much, btw). Some people, on the other hand, obviously haven't heard of the saying "If you have nothing good to say, it's better to say nothing at all".

I don't start many threads, so when I do, I do it for a reason. I'm very sorry if I haven't met your standards with this thread, JustChillin8908. Would you have me consult you in future?
The rain we knew is a thing of the past -
deep-delving, dark, deliberate you would say
browsing on spire and bogland; but today
our sky-blue slates are steaming in the sun,
our yachts tinkling and dancing in the bay
like racehorses. We contemplate at last
shining windows, a future forbidden to no one.

Derek Mahon

"Maybe all one can do is hope to end up with the right regrets."

Arthur Miller
#12

re: What's the best Jesus Christ Superstar Recording?

Posted: 4/7/07 at 6:05pm

Many? You got six responses and the one you ended up choosing was only recommended once.

I'm sorry if I offended you, I just found this thread pretty pointless.
#13

re: What's the best Jesus Christ Superstar Recording?

Posted: 4/7/07 at 6:10pm

No, I'm not offended. I know that I said 'I think I'll go for that one' or something along those lines only half an hour after posting the thread, but I still wanted opinions of others. I could have started a thread saying 'Should I buy the 1996 recording of JCS, or not?', but I thought this would be better. I honestly didn't know which one to get when I started the thread. In fact, I didn't realize which recording the clips on the Webber site were from until I went back and checked.

Sorry for getting all moany at you, JC. (Just Chilling, not Jesus Christ).
The rain we knew is a thing of the past -
deep-delving, dark, deliberate you would say
browsing on spire and bogland; but today
our sky-blue slates are steaming in the sun,
our yachts tinkling and dancing in the bay
like racehorses. We contemplate at last
shining windows, a future forbidden to no one.

Derek Mahon

"Maybe all one can do is hope to end up with the right regrets."

Arthur Miller
#15

re: What's the best Jesus Christ Superstar Recording?

Posted: 4/7/07 at 9:31pm

I really like the concept album (love teh Murray Head!) but Pilate's stuff is not as lengthy as in later recordings and I LURVE teh Pilate as well. There is something about the original Jesus that is... beefier somehow. But I have really grown to appreciate the movie. Not such a fan of the "newer" recordings (the older ones seem to GROOVE more), but I do have the Indigo Girls version and can appreciate it as well.

*this post fueled by wine, but the "teh" is on purpose!

Updated On: 4/7/07 at 09:31 PM

#16

re: What's the best Jesus Christ Superstar Recording?

Posted: 4/7/07 at 9:51pm

I agree that the original concept album is the ideal.

I watched the DVD based on the last Broadway revival...and I couldnt help thinking "Why can't Andrew Lloyd Webber ever just leave his scores alone?" It seems that whenever he has a revival he feels like he has to "improve" it. (Kind of like George Lucas with "Star Wars").

For example, I feel that the crucifixtion scene in the movie doesn't have half of the impact as the original scene since for the movie, they chose to do it mostly in silence. There's no build up of tension in the harmonies and crescendo in the sound that then abruptly cuts off at "It is Finished". It worked the first way, why change it????
#17

re: What's the best Jesus Christ Superstar Recording?

Posted: 4/7/07 at 10:56pm

I like the 1996 London cast the best. And also the Vienna cast with Drew Sarich. Also the new movie soundtrack with Tony Vincent although I would have prefered he played Judas as he did on Broadway. But his Simon steals the show too.
#18

re: What's the best Jesus Christ Superstar Recording?

Posted: 4/7/07 at 11:05pm

I honestly don't care for this show, but Ben Vereen's opening number and his second act soliloquy-death scene were chilling and thankfully on an abridged Broadway cast album.
#21

re: What's the best Jesus Christ Superstar Recording?

Posted: 4/8/07 at 1:00am

I'm probably alone in this, but I actually like the movie recording the best because I think the cast, minus Yvonne Elliman, is the strongest of all the albums. Plus, I can't stand Murray Head's Judas.
Jimmy, what are you doing here in the middle of the night? It's almost 9 PM!
#22

re: What's the best Jesus Christ Superstar Recording?

Posted: 4/8/07 at 1:22am

JCS is one of those shows where I grab up every cast recording I can find. I can never have too many.

There has not yet been to date a definitive JCS recording, in my opinion. The closest you would come to definitive would be the original concept album, but for all the growing and changing this show has done that album is incomplete. Unfortunately, most subsequent productions have only served to "Lite Rock Top 40" the score. That is why I just get every recording there is out there and pick-and-choose tracks to make my own "best" JCS recording.
And no one grew into anything new, we just became the worst of what we were."
#24

re: What's the best Jesus Christ Superstar Recording?

Posted: 4/8/07 at 11:30am

I have to agree with Zachary and throw in my vote for the fresh updated score of the '92 Australian cast. Helluva drum chart with double bass....fluttered tongue flute work in the overture...hilarious tinpan special effect noises to go with Herod's song in the latter half of the show...awesome rock vocals! As I understand it, the entire version was incredible, but they only recording the highlights. Man, what I wouldn't give to hear that whole thing!

Apparently there is a theater in NJ who did this very version a few years back. Sorry I missed it. re: What's the best Jesus Christ Superstar Recording?
"Sticks and stones, sister. Here, have a Valium!"
#25

re: What's the best Jesus Christ Superstar Recording?

Posted: 4/8/07 at 11:39am

I agree that the original concept album is the best. When I was looking at vinyl at Applause in Minneapolis with a friend the other day, I saw tons of JCS for sale and about $3 apiece. I must say, too, that I like the movie soundtrack, but only because I really like the song that was added for the movie, "Could We Start Again, Please?"

If you want the vinyl, check out a vintage record store, or ebay. Good luck.
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