Why release the single before the album?

Decca wanted proof that a rock opera about Jesus could chart; they financed one track—Superstar—and it scored radio play months before the full LP.

How high did the single climb in America?

After three separate Hot 100 runs, it peaked at No. 14 on June 5, 1971.

Who sang it in the 1973 film adaptation?

Carl Anderson performed the number in Norman Jewison’s film, earning a Golden Globe nomination.

Most famous modern cover?

Brandon Victor Dixon’s 2018 NBC live concert rendition reignited interest and topped digital musical charts.

Did the record ever go gold?

Yes—the single crossed one million U.S. sales in late 1970, earning gold certification.

Superstar Lyrics – Jesus Christ Superstar

Superstar Lyrics

VOICE OF JUDAS

Every time I look at you I don't understand
Why you let the things you did get so out of hand.
You'd have managed better if you'd had it planned.
Why'd you choose such a backward time in such a strange land?
If you'd come today you could have reached a whole nation.
Israel in 4 BC had no mass communication.
Don't you get me wrong.
I only want to know.

CHOIR

Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ,
Who are you? What have you sacrificed?
Jesus Christ Superstar,
Do you think you're what they say you are?

VOICE OF JUDAS

Tell me what you think about your friends at the top.
Who'd you think besides yourself's the pick of the crop?
Buddha, was he where it's at? Is he where you are?
Could Mohammed move a mountain, or was that just PR?
Did you mean to die like that? Was that a mistake, or
Did you know your messy death would be a record breaker?
Don't you get me wrong.
I only want to know.

CHOIR

Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ,
Who are you? What have you sacrificed?
Jesus Christ Superstar,
Do you think you're what they say you are?
(Repeat many times)
Last Update: October, 03rd 2025

Song Overview

Superstar lyrics by Jesus Christ Superstar Original Studio Cast — Tim Minchin stuns with his rendition of 'Superstar' as Jesus (Ben Forster) is crucified in this iconic showstopper!

Personal Review

Superstar explodes like a brass-lined thunderclap—four minutes of symphonic-funk rock that turns the crucifixion into a stadium encore. First time I spun the brown-boxed LP, the room shook: Judas, back from the grave, interrogates Jesus over wah-wah guitars and a gospel choir that feels ripped from Sunday service and Saturday night in equal measure. The Lyrics slice through centuries of dogma with tabloid bluntness—“Who are you? What have you sacrificed?” Echoes of street-corner debates, yet wrapped in a chorus catchy enough to survive endless cover versions.

Song Meaning and Annotations

Jesus Christ Superstar cast performing Superstar — Performance in the music video.

Tucked near the climax of Jesus Christ Superstar – A Rock Opera, the song functions as the oratorio’s punchline. Tim Rice lets Judas voice modern skepticism—mass media timing, inter-faith comparisons, even marketing hype. Murray Head recorded the vocal on October 10, 1969 at Olympic Studios; Decca/MCA insisted on releasing the single first to prove the concept album’s commercial legs.

Musically, Andrew Lloyd Webber fuses symphonic pomp with a greasy back-beat courtesy of members of The Grease Band, layering Trinidad Singers’ gospel shouts atop fuzz guitars.

Annotation #1 reminds us the scene places Judas as a spectral commentator during Jesus’s crucifixion—he hurls questions, Jesus answers none. Annotation #8 nails the celebrity angle: Judas fears the message is lost in the merch.

The lyric’s provocations—“Buddha, was he where it’s at? … Could Muhammad move a mountain or was that just PR?”—collapse timelines intentionally, framing a first-century story through a twentieth-century news-desk lens. Webber’s chorus answers with sheer repetition, magnetizing the word Superstar until it feels both praise and accusation.

Verse Highlights

Superstar lyric video by Jesus Christ Superstar Original Studio Cast — A screenshot from the 'Superstar' video.

Opening Quatrain

“Every time I look at you / I don’t understand / Why you let the things you did get so out of hand.”

Rice’s Judas sounds part investigative reporter, part spurned friend—capturing the push-pull of admiration and outrage.

Mid-Song Interfaith Riff

The name-checks of Buddha and Muhammad yank the narrative into comparative-religion territory, reinforcing Judas’s central gripe: was the plan ever really universal?

Key Facts

Scene from Superstar by Jesus Christ Superstar Original Studio Cast — Scene from 'Superstar'.

Featured: Murray Head as Judas with The Trinidad Singers
Producers: Andrew Lloyd Webber & Tim Rice
Composer: Andrew Lloyd Webber
Lyricist: Tim Rice
Release Date: November 21, 1969 (UK); December 1, 1969 (US)
Genre: Symphonic rock, funk-rock show tune
Length: 4 minutes 15 seconds
Label: Decca / MCA
Mood: urgent, rhetorical, electrifying
Instruments: distorted guitars, brass section, gospel choir, kit drums, Hammond organ, strings
Track #: 21 on Jesus Christ Superstar – A Rock Opera
Language: English
Music style: call-and-response gospel fused with arena-rock groove
Poetic meter: predominantly trochaic bursts over a 4/4 back-beat
© 1969 Decca Records / ? 1969 MCA Records

Songs Exploring Themes of Faith & Doubt

“Like a Rolling Stone” by Bob Dylan frames spiritual disillusion through folk-rock swagger; Dylan’s open-ended questioning mirrors Judas’s litany, though Dylan turns the mirror on society rather than a single savior.

“Imagine” by John Lennon strips away religious structures, dreaming of unity beyond doctrine. Where Lennon envisions a faith-free utopia, Judas in “Superstar” demands clarity within faith—two sides of the same existential coin.

“Losing My Religion” by R.E.M. whispers internal doubt over mandolins, trading Judas’s shout for a mumble; yet both songs capture that suspended moment when belief wobbles on its axis.

Questions and Answers

Why release the single before the album?: Decca wanted proof that a rock opera about Jesus could chart; they bankrolled one track—Superstar—and it hit U.S. radio months ahead of the concept LP.
How high did the single climb in America?: After three separate Hot 100 runs, it peaked at No. 14 on June 5, 1971.
Who sang it in the 1973 film adaptation?: Carl Anderson, suspended from a star-shaped crane, delivered a searing reprise that earned him a Golden Globe nomination.
Most famous modern cover?: Brandon Victor Dixon’s 2018 NBC live version went viral, propelling the soundtrack to No. 1 on iTunes musicals.
Did the record ever go gold?: Yes—press reports in late 1970 noted U.S. gold certification and “Superstar sells a million.”

Awards and Chart Positions

Chart peaks: No. 14 US Billboard Hot 100, No. 47 UK, No. 6 Canada, No. 2 New Zealand, No. 4 Belgium (Flanders).

The single turned Gold in the U.S. within a year of release.

Carl Anderson, Ted Neeley, and Yvonne Elliman snagged Golden Globe nominations in 1974 for the 1973 film, cementing the song’s Hollywood reach.

The 2018 NBC Live in Concert special featuring John Legend and Brandon Victor Dixon won an Emmy for Outstanding Live Variety Special, bringing Superstar its first television trophy.

How to Sing?

The original key hovers in C minor, demanding a belt from G3 up to E?5 for Judas and a tight gospel blend for the choir. Keep consonants percussive—those repeated “Jesus Christ” hits slice through dense orchestration. The tempo sits around 118 BPM; lock groove with the ride cymbal, then lay back a hair on the tag line “Do you think you’re what they say you are?” Big breath before each questioning couplet, and don’t fear grit—a rasp underscores Judas’s exasperation.

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