the whole 1973 version of Jesus Christ Superstar is amazing. I especially love Yvonne Elliman doing Everything's Alright and I Don't Know How to Love Him. you should check some of it out.
Yeah, the movie is amazing. I think this performance is later, maybe with a younger cast. But the movie version is strong. Neely actually performed this for decades, but he's the right age in the film.
The original 1970 studio version with Yvonne Elleman, Ian Gillan and Murray Head is so far superior to the 1973 movie version, as to make watching the movie painful and cringe.
I've seen Ted Neely in Jesus Christ 3 times in my life. He still rocks it here, but he was much better in his youth. Watch him in the movie version to get a full appreciation of the strength in this mans voice.
Yes, the Ian Gillian version is THE one. I used to own this album, knew it all word for word,and got to see it live at a local theater. So much good music in it. The entire story, brought forth as a rock opera, touched so many people. It was incredible!
The movie soundtrack is disappointing by comparison, imo. I was really let down when I first saw the movie. All the passion and projection of ideas was just superficial, in favor of visual spectacle.
I totally agree with your definitive Jesus choice! The first time I heard this song was on the original album, and I was blown away by this song and the singer!
@@willcool713 Same here! But I was lucky enough to see Ted Neeley and Carl Anderson on the tour in 94 or 95 and they were both amazing live! The whole cast was amazing!
This performance was live about 35 to 40 years AFTER the original movie version, when Neeley was 29 or 30! The cast members stood just offstage watching..mesmerized. To be fair, I believe you should watch/react to the original first. Dan Vasc does a great job also but how woll he sound when he's in his late 60s? Thanks so much again! ❤👍
Ted Neeley is much older in this version and he's still great! The original movie is so awesome. I saw it when it first came out in '73 I was in the 3rd grade and it had a huge impact on me. Still love it to this day.
This was huge in the 70's. It came out on a double vinyl album with Ian Gillian of Deep Purple singing the lead role. I saw it performed live in Chicago back in the day, when I was 14; really a memorable experience! There was some criticism that Jesus was portrayed more as a political pawn than the Son of God...but yet, the emphasis on His humanity made the story emotionally relatable and I think it did challenge listeners to reflect on their own beliefs. Jesus Christ Superstar is an entire rock opera (that was later put to film) which deserves a listen all the way through.
My sister was surprised that our mom and aunt (both church ladies) were quite positive about this when the movie first came out in the '70s. But they both felt that it made the story relatable, and if it gave young people an interest, then it could only be positive.
Jesus Christ Superstar is a friggin masterpiece! All lyric done in what then was the common vernacular of American youth. It tells the story of the last 6 days of Jesus from the perspective of Judas. Each of the main characters, Jesus, Judas, Pilot and Caiaphas all are making decisions for what they believe to be the good of their people. There are no true villains, all had what they felt was a logical course of action that needed to be taken during this repressive Roman occupation. The original album (my favorite!) cast rocker Ian Gillan from the band 'Deep Purple' as Jesus and he knocks it out of the park! It really is a must listen! We used to listen to this in a dark room with good speakers just to let your mind be undistracted and you could put yourself IN the performance! Still to this day I listen to this CD EVERY Easter! It is a work of genius, and written by two men in their twenties! The lyrics, the music, the rock band which was the same group of musicians that played with Joe Cocker at Woodstock in 1969. The guitar work is moving and flawless, the bass line is captivating, and the singers ALL are just great!
I watch a version of this every year at Easter. On Broadway HD they have the John Legend version as well as a filmed stage performance from an arena tour a few years back and then Anazon has the movie from the 70’s classic
@@Jayscollo I really didn't care John Legend version. I thought his voice not strong enough to compare with Ian Gillan orTed Neeley. As Clare Torry is to Pink Floyds "Great Gig In The Sky", Ian Gillan is "The Bench Mark"! Everyone else is a just a rendition of his template. Gillan OWNES this!
Librettist Tim Rice wasn't a Christian when he wrote the lyrics to "Jesus Christ Superstar", and in fact Jesus isn't portrayed as divine in the musical. To think that a non-believer could be used to co-create such a magnificent work of faith is mind-bending.
@@boosuedon totally agree with your assessment. I was surprised that John Legend was cast; he's got a beautiful, smooth voice but lacks the power and CRAZY range to follow Neeley, Gillan, and Steve Balsamo, all of whom were just incredibly powerful in the role of Jesus. However...I was glad to see the production done live on TV and thought they did a great job overall. Very clever to use the live audience as part of the mobs or crowds in scenes, and the crucifixion scene was stunning. But they needed a big voice, like Adam Lambert or equivalent, to do the role justice.
Jesus Christ Superstar was what was called "Rock Gospel", It is lifted from the book of John (I saw this when it first came out and also owned the Vinal CDs weren't even a thing yet. (Yes I'm a boomer)
The original version with Ian Gillan is the one to listen to. To me, it is the one I will always listen to. Maybe because it is the one I heard first as a teen it is etched into my memory! From Wikipedia: In 1970, Gillan received a call from Tim Rice, asking him to perform the part of Jesus on the original 1970 album recording of Jesus Christ Superstar, having been impressed with his performance on "Child in Time". After rehearsing a few times with Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber, he recorded his entire vocal contributions in three hours.[32] He was subsequently offered the lead role in the 1973 film adaptation. Gillan demanded to not only be paid £250,000[33] for his role in the movie, but also insisted, without the consent of his manager, that the entire band be paid because filming would conflict with a scheduled tour. The producers declined, instead casting Ted Neeley in the Jesus role, and Gillan continued on in the band.[34]
@@DocRock71 Yeah, the movie version was massively disappointing to me, and the performances seem much more superficial. The original stage recording is the one.
@@docmetal8194 If he listens to the original album as well, he will prefer the original album version over this cheesy movie version, as almost all fans of this musical do.
Tears every, single, time! I’ve loved Jesus Christ Superstar since first seeing it as a teen in the 70s. Got to see Ted perform this about a decade ago. I definitely recommend the movie version of this and of course the whole movie. Like many, I know every word. Thanks for the reaction!
Jesus Christ Superstar has always been my all time favorite musical, hands down, no if ands or buts about it. 💯 I use to work at a theatrical Broadway costume company called Barbara Matera Ltd for 12 years back in the day before they closed their doors for good in 2011. I had the great fortune to work on some of the costumes for the early 2000s version of Jesus Christ Superstar on Broadway. They use to give us free tickets to see the shows we worked on and it was how I got my heavy metal brother hooked on this musical. I was fortunate enough to land 2 free tickets instead of the usual 1 and took him. Up until then I had only seen the original movie version from the early 1970s with Ted Neeley. But seeing this incredible musical live was a totally different experience even while being performed by a totally different new younger cast. Also that particular stage version of Jesus Christ Superstar that I saw live with my brother was an even more modern take of the story which made me relate and have even a more deeper understanding of what went on during the lasts days of Jesus. Since then I have seen Jesus Christ Superstar performed several times in different formats and by different casts. The last time I watched it was in a live television broadcast and John Legend played Jesus Christ. But dispite all the different interpretations of Jesus, I find the absolute best performance is still Ted Neeley's. Those notes are out of this world and I have yet to see anyone hit them so perfectly as he did even by the original Broadway and Westend stage cast which I have the CD of. You really need to check out the full original movie version with Ted Neeley. It is utterly well worth the watch. 🎶✝️🎶🎞
I love, love LOVE, the album and the movie, when Ted Neeley was young and his voice was even more stronger and clear, but Ted at this age still has it.
I personally love the movie, with Carl Anderson as Judas in a performance that will tear your heart. Now I want to get my copy and watch it again...Ted Neely is of age now where he understands how unfair life is, how scary it is to see how close death is. His performance is full of that fear, and it breaks my heart. I don't believe in this religion, or any religion but this man has lived life, and understands many things.
This thrills me to my bones every time I watch it. And why does the rest of the crew watch so intens?? Ted was sick this evening! I think he had a cold and they wanted to let his understudy play the performance, Ted said he could do it, and he did!!!!
This is what allowed me to understand the human part of Jesus. I went to Gesthemane and I was so moved. Now Ted is awesome but you MUST LISTEN TO THE 1970S version when he was younger.
WOW!!! I'm so HAPPY TO SEE THIS, SEBS!!! I have suggested this performance to SEVERAL reactors, and no one has listened to it!! ENJOY!!! This WHOLE PRODUCTION is musically: FIRE!! You should watch the movie!! HUGS!!
One of the best live theatre shows I have ever seen 🔥 Listen to the entire album; it will touch your soul . Wishing you and your family a blessed Easter
LOVE both the album (Gillan) AND the movie, both close to my heart since i was a baby in '73. Seen the original cast LIVE on stage and again with just Neeley in 2006 (same tour as your reaction video) I've never ever seen a standing ovation the second he graced the stage and had to stop the show temporarily for the audience to calm down lol. Thank you for this ❤
I'm not a religious person... at all...lol... but I can't watch Jesus Christ superstar without tears flowing. It really moves me. Anyway, great choice for a reaction. 😊
Great reaction Sebastien, I really enjoyed what you had to say! In the mid to late 90's we saw Jesus Christ Superstar live with a touring cast. The producers for that tour told Ted Neeley that Carl Anderson wanted to do the show, but only if he would play Jesus. They also told Carl that Ted wanted to do the show, but only if Carl signed on to play Judas, as they had done together in the film! It worked and we got to see the two of them perform this wonderful musical live!!
The cast was so mesmerized because Ted had refused to sing this in all the rehearsals. This was the first time for them too. That's why the reaction from the cast. They were as enthralled as the audience.
I would love to see you react to the movie itself. It’s a classic and honestly one of my favorite movies of all time. It would be a beast to edit since it’s a full musical with no talking, all singing. Ted’s vocal talent is immense but so is everyone else in the movie. Love this reaction! I hope you do more from this musical.
Lovd the movie but seeing Ted Neeley and Carl Anderson in the Broadway touring musical in the 90s was amazing! Ted has always made the part of Jesus his own.
I have been a fan of Jesus Christ Superstar for as long as I can remember. My mom was a fan and played the album from the original soundtrack all the time growing up and any chance we could see the movie. We went to see it on Broadway together when I was in my 20’s. I enjoyed seeing many interpretations of this show and the music over the years, including John Legends live TV musical version (I’m 51 now) but this is my 1st time seeing Dan Vasc, ever and my mind is blown, he gave me chills and brought me to tears. I will definitely be going to his page! Thank you for doing this reaction
Glad you did this. Jesus Christ Superstar started my spiritual journey. This song and the song "dammed for all time" are 2 of my favorite. Good job man.
I watched the movie version filmed in the Holy Land at the actual sites every year when I was a child. It would come on broadcast TV every year and I would be mesmerized watching it. I still have the original songs and visuals in my head, these many seasons later.
Jesus Christ Superstar is a very hard rock show! The movie is amazing. This performance is special. A real man who doesn't want to die but concedes to the larger plan. It's beautiful and haunting......Thank you for this.
this is a great version to see. The cast that was assembled and you see in spots were watching because this is a much older Ted and he would not let them hear the final notes in rehearsal. They wanted to see if he could still bring it. His voice is almost as good as it was when he was young in the movie. Movie would give you more context.
The originbal 1970 album is the best way to experience JCST, other than seeing it on Broadway. The movie version is just not very good compared to the studio album.
Thank you so much for reacting to this. I was thinking that I had to hunt down my cd of JCSuperstar since it has been a few years since I've listened to it. But this, this was amazing! His interpretation in this live performance, after who knows how many performances, was sublime. And thank you for your feelings. Loved seeing it hit someone as it did me, all those years ago (1982) in Jerusalem, the first time I heard it.
I watch "Godspell" every Good Friday & "Jesus Christ Superstar" (either the 1979 film or the 2012 arena tour video, the Jesus in that one isn't my fav but I liked how they updated it) every Easter
Sorry, Sebs, I can't make it through this with you. I can hardly see through my tears. The Lord has blessed me with an immense amount of empathy. I feel everything in abundance. Thank you for doing this one. I have a cassette of the original.❤
Had to watch just because of what you said at the beginning. But the end really touched me. What an amazing version of this song! Hope you had a blessed Easter! You got yourself a new sub.
One thing about this piece is that it greatly evokes the humanity of him, the doubts, the fear, the anger at being put in that situation, the resolution, and the process of working through all of it. And widely considered to be one of the most technically difficult roles for male singers to play on stage.
Gethsemane is one of most stirring pieces of music I've ever heard. It shaped my childhood. I was 13 when "Jesus Christ Superstar" was released on vinyl in 1971 (Just 8 months before "The Dark Side Of The Moon" - what a time to be into music!). I bought a copy with my own 13-year-old money, and prolly wore out my father's needle listening to it. Gethsemane caught my ear, but I confess I can't hear anyone but Ian Gillian singing it. From faint and tired, to angry and afraid, to, ultimately, obedient. Everyone else is just riffing on his version. But there's so much theology going on here. Lyricist Tim Rice was not a Christian when he wrote the libretto, and Jesus is not portrayed as divine in the musical. But Rice has his Jesus arguing with God in the garden, a God Rice himself didn't believe in. Is Jesus questioning the will of the Father? If so, is that always a bad thing? The lyrics imply Jesus doesn't completely understand what's going on, which can't be true for an omniscient God. So many interesting discussions to be had! Thanks, Sebs.
In terms of story and connection, it makes more sense to humanize Jesus more, to make him a person who doubts and fears and isn't above being such feelings and concerns. If you make a character too aloof and away from humanity it's really hard to connect with them. So purely from story writing, whether that's books or musicals or whatever, it makes more sense to have the main character be a person the audience can connect to, otherwise we won't be invested in the story and won't care about it.
When I first watched this reaction video and saw which version of the song was being used, I realized I had never seen that before & Ted is much older than other performances of his I have seen. I personally found the camera going back-and-forth to the cast reactions to the performance, a little distracting, as it took us away from this incredible performance. I just saw a documentary that is clearly the source material and now I understand why the camera was doing that. Fun fact: this was the opening night performance of Jesus Christ Superstar with Ted Neely doing this iconic role again. According to the documentary Ted refused to sing this song in rehearsals but promised on opening night he will sing the song during the show. He had not sang this song since he had sang it at his dear friend Carl Anderson (Judas in the movie version) funeral. So after not singing this song for years he sang it on opening night in this performance! That’s why they filmed the cast reactions as they had never heard him sing it live! It’s incredible that he could perform it so well after years of purposefully not singing this song.He is an incredible talent. I recommend you watch the movie version when his in his prime. The entire soundtrack is incredible, a masterpiece Rock Opera!
This performance was at least 40 years after Ted Neely performed Jesus in the movie version, and I got chills from the power of his performance here. And he did a pretty good job at hitting those high notes still. He was in a performance of this a while back in the city where I live...I wish that I'd gone to see it.
You should check out him singing this in the scene from the 1973 rock opera movie. Very powerful. I saw it when I was five or six and it made a huge impact on me -- at that age I memorized every lyric of every song from the entire album. Ted Neeley became Jesus for me ever since.
First off, you couldn't have shared my thoughts or my heart felt response any better. Thank you so much for exploring this musical with us! May God richly bless you and yours!
Oh my gosh, I love this musical. My all time favorite. Saw it in theater when it was first released. I was a freshman in high school. I have the album and can sing it word for word. Just saw last month.
Fun fact in the dvd commentary to this show they said that Ted never did this song in rehearsal. The last time he sang it was at Carl Anderson's (the actor/singer who played Judas in the movie in 1973) funeral so he wanted to keep the song only for the live performance. The cast was so blown away because it was the first time they heard him do this. I love Ted Neeley as Jesus. In my opinion he delivers the most heart wrenching and inpactfull version of this song in the 1973 movie.
This is awesome also - "A five-track EP, entitled She is Risen: Volume One, reunites Broadway veterans and recording artists Morgan James (Motown, Godspell) as Jesus Christ and Shoshana Bean (Wicked, Hairspray) as Judas Iscariot plus Grammy and Tony winner Cynthia Erivo (The Color Purple, Harriet) as Mary, Tony nominee Orfeh (Legally Blonde, Pretty Woman) as Pilate, and Grammy-nominated recording artist Ledisi as Simon."
Ted Neely, in that role, really is the GOAT. The show opened in 1971 and this performance was in 2006. As the original Jesus, he's been singing this role for 35 years. Imagine what his voice was like in the 1970s. What we see today, while it may not be Ted in his prime vocal period, the maturity and understanding he brings to the role takes this performance to another level, and I think THAT is what brings people to tears every time.
I saw Ted Neely on the 20th anniversary tour of JCS and was fortunate enough to meet him. He was super sweet and humble. Wonderful experience. I was 17 at the time.
Jesus Christ Superstar was predominantly in m record collection!! Thanks for sharing this with everyon!!! Loved it then and live it now!! 💚💚💚 “Love is all You Need”!!! You should do the lead song as well!!!
You need to watch the movie from 1973!!! Ted Neely in this song and Carl Anderson in every song are insanely good. The passion in their performances in the movie…simply amazing.
The best version is the one from the movie and Ted Neely and Carl Anderson together singing The Last Super will blow your mind. The first version of Jesus Christ Super Star I heard was the UK album from the play and it blew me away but nothing has been as mind blowing as Ted Neely. I’m not religious but some of the best music has come from religions. All the music from this show is incredible. It was one of the first rock opera’s. I saw it in the theaters when it first came out. I took my Cahtolic dad to see it and there were some nuns in the theater. It was kinda of scandalous at the time so my dad asked the nuns what they thought and they thought is was great.
What i think is wonderful is his young castmates are in total awe of his performance!!! Back in the 70's, my high school sunday school class actually studied this album. It was a life changing experience for me. I felt as though I learned more about the bible than I ever had before.... or, since. ♥️ (And, I grew up in the church, both Baptist and Presbyterian. ) The album is AWESOME.
I got my Mom to watch Jesus Christ Superstar with me she actually liked it at the end. My Dad came in about half way through and lead to a spirited discussion about Judss, was he really a sinner after all he did what was expected of him in the overall Plan of the end of Christ's life. He played his part in that Plan. You should check out Judas' song it will make you think.
Dude you need to watch the movie! It’s fantastic! I was lucky enough to see him do this live, like this. I saw the whole play. What you’re seeing is the reactions of the younger actors watching him do this. I don’t know when this was made but at the very least 20 years after the movie came out. The movie was exceptional.
His voice in his prime during the movie and the setting shot on location in what was the former Judea where it all took place is amazing. It likens Jesus and the Apostles to the youth and counterculture/hippies of the late 1960's and early 70's (when the rock opera was composed) looking for meaning in life and following gurus of the day, with music of the day from Andrew Lloyd Webber and the incredible lyrics of Tim Rice.
I saw Ted Neeley perform this live. His performance is breathtaking and really helped deepen my faith in a lot of ways. Its my annual tradition to watch/listen to this during Lent
One other note, St. Luke, who was what passed for a "Doctor" at the time, said that Jesus was so overwrought in the Garden, that he sweated blood as he prayed. This is the most intense song of the show, since during the crucifixion, he was "3/4 dead" and speaking through it, not singing. Your interpretation is spot on,,,Jesus as a most human pop star, with popparazzi and all, yet also the Son of God.
People may not realise this but on stage on Broadway and in the first LP, the original singer for Jesus was the lead singer for Deep Purple. Ted Neely was the understudy at the time but the film is a masterpiece. Filmed in Israel.(when Israel wasn’t so bloody nasty) and as many has said here, you need to see the film. Ciao PS: Ted Neely was here in Italy three times 4 the reenactment of Jesus Christ Superstar. The Italians were wall-to-wall including priests including nons I was in shock. I am not Italian by the way. I just worked here. Oh, and one interesting event Ted Neely met the Pope. Just some interesting thing I had to say ciao.
When this came to Theatres. A couple friends and I skipped our Catholic Central HS to see this . The sound track is amazing! Just wait till you get into the Album! One song “ I Don’t Know How To Love Him“ there were Nuns in the Theatre too😮
If you have time to check out another version, I can recommend Sebastian Bach's performance of Gethsemane as well. I saw the performance live in Las Vegas on a afternoon show. There were three older ladies in the row in front of me, who had no idea who Sebastian Bach is, but I was an original Skid Row fangirl and was thrilled to watch them moved to tears during his performance.
All credit to Ted Neely, who did a very creditable job in a very difficult role, but there is simply no comparison to the Ian Gillan performances on the "original cast recording" (which was never performed live). The movie was really good, but it's the original London cast recording that I continue to play over and over and over.
As you almost state, the original 1970 London recording is not a cast album, but simply a studio recording. Properly, it should be referred to as the original 1970 "concept" album.
I've listened to several versions of the musical and seen a few as well and Gethsemane is really my favorite song in the musical. Neeley does a great job here and he's not even in his prime at this point.
I saw Ted in JCS 5 years ago, He was 75. Much like this performance. Voice definitely not as strong as when he was younger, but unbelievable given his age and the battering his cords must have taken over the years singing this over and over. Plus, I find his performances now to be much more moving. Here, he really sells Christ's weariness and fragility. Much better than in 1973, I'd say.
Your facial expression says it all ❤The word to describe Dan's voice and his ability to "become" every word he sings is not invented. I am in awe every time, regardless of the song. 🌟❤️
I don't care that it's almost Easter, and I don't care about religion. What I do care about is a well scored song, well told story, and amazingly sung songs, and that's what I get with Jesus Christ Superstar.
The original album of Jesus Christ Superstar is a STAPLE in my house during Lent, and it has been since I was born. I took it with me out of my parents' house and still listen to it every Lent season since. This is probably my favorite song, and I'm SO GLAD someone reacted to it!!! I think this is actually reasonably accurate, if a little more whiny than I think Jesus was, but we'll never know, so I like to imagine it was a lot like this. It makes Jésus even more of a bad ass in my opinion.
You really need to watch the original movie. I got to see a version of this here in Australia and it was a fabulous stage play. You could here the album but the visual is stunning. He was great in this version, but as a much younger man in the film? Incredible!
the whole 1973 version of Jesus Christ Superstar is amazing. I especially love Yvonne Elliman doing Everything's Alright and I Don't Know How to Love Him. you should check some of it out.
You need to watch the movie, "Jesus Christ Superstar!!! It's the ONLY way to appreciate it!! 😢 ❤
Yeah, the movie is amazing. I think this performance is later, maybe with a younger cast. But the movie version is strong. Neely actually performed this for decades, but he's the right age in the film.
@@nancymunroe3672 The movie is an abomination in comparison to the original 1970 studio album.
The original 1970 studio version with Yvonne Elleman, Ian Gillan and Murray Head is so far superior to the 1973 movie version, as to make watching the movie painful and cringe.
Part of my childhood!
I've seen Ted Neely in Jesus Christ 3 times in my life. He still rocks it here, but he was much better in his youth. Watch him in the movie version to get a full appreciation of the strength in this mans voice.
Ted Neeley...no one better JESUS 🙏👏👏👏👏CHRIST SUPERSTAR ❤
Yes, the Ian Gillian version is THE one.
I used to own this album, knew it all word for word,and got to see it live at a local theater. So much good music in it.
The entire story, brought forth as a rock opera, touched so many people.
It was incredible!
The movie soundtrack is disappointing by comparison, imo. I was really let down when I first saw the movie. All the passion and projection of ideas was just superficial, in favor of visual spectacle.
I totally agree with your definitive Jesus choice! The first time I heard this song was on the original album, and I was blown away by this song and the singer!
I have the original album set from the original run of JCS. Love it.
@@seanprice6535 that's a treasure!
@@willcool713 Same here! But I was lucky enough to see Ted Neeley and Carl Anderson on the tour in 94 or 95 and they were both amazing live! The whole cast was amazing!
This performance was live about 35 to 40 years AFTER the original movie version, when Neeley was 29 or 30! The cast members stood just offstage watching..mesmerized. To be fair, I believe you should watch/react to the original first. Dan Vasc does a great job also but how woll he sound when he's in his late 60s? Thanks so much again! ❤👍
Ted Neeley is much older in this version and he's still great! The original movie is so awesome. I saw it when it first came out in '73 I was in the 3rd grade and it had a huge impact on me. Still love it to this day.
Ted Neeley did this for decades. I was blessed to see him in person in Jesus Christ Superstar. This just moves me.
This was huge in the 70's. It came out on a double vinyl album with Ian Gillian of Deep Purple singing the lead role. I saw it performed live in Chicago back in the day, when I was 14; really a memorable experience! There was some criticism that Jesus was portrayed more as a political pawn than the Son of God...but yet, the emphasis on His humanity made the story emotionally relatable and I think it did challenge listeners to reflect on their own beliefs. Jesus Christ Superstar is an entire rock opera (that was later put to film) which deserves a listen all the way through.
Same here. Saw it live in Tucson AZ 1976ish
My sister was surprised that our mom and aunt (both church ladies) were quite positive about this when the movie first came out in the '70s. But they both felt that it made the story relatable, and if it gave young people an interest, then it could only be positive.
Jesus Christ Superstar is a friggin masterpiece! All lyric done in what then was the common vernacular of American youth. It tells the story of the last 6 days of Jesus from the perspective of Judas. Each of the main characters, Jesus, Judas, Pilot and Caiaphas all are making decisions for what they believe to be the good of their people. There are no true villains, all had what they felt was a logical course of action that needed to be taken during this repressive Roman occupation.
The original album (my favorite!) cast rocker Ian Gillan from the band 'Deep Purple' as Jesus and he knocks it out of the park! It really is a must listen! We used to listen to this in a dark room with good speakers just to let your mind be undistracted and you could put yourself IN the performance!
Still to this day I listen to this CD EVERY Easter! It is a work of genius, and written by two men in their twenties! The lyrics, the music, the rock band which was the same group of musicians that played with Joe Cocker at Woodstock in 1969. The guitar work is moving and flawless, the bass line is captivating, and the singers ALL are just great!
I watch a version of this every year at Easter. On Broadway HD they have the John Legend version as well as a filmed stage performance from an arena tour a few years back and then Anazon has the movie from the 70’s classic
@@Jayscollo I really didn't care John Legend version. I thought his voice not strong enough to compare with Ian Gillan orTed Neeley. As Clare Torry is to Pink Floyds "Great Gig In The Sky", Ian Gillan is "The Bench Mark"! Everyone else is a just a rendition of his template. Gillan OWNES this!
Librettist Tim Rice wasn't a Christian when he wrote the lyrics to "Jesus Christ Superstar", and in fact Jesus isn't portrayed as divine in the musical. To think that a non-believer could be used to co-create such a magnificent work of faith is mind-bending.
@@boosuedon totally agree with your assessment. I was surprised that John Legend was cast; he's got a beautiful, smooth voice but lacks the power and CRAZY range to follow Neeley, Gillan, and Steve Balsamo, all of whom were just incredibly powerful in the role of Jesus. However...I was glad to see the production done live on TV and thought they did a great job overall. Very clever to use the live audience as part of the mobs or crowds in scenes, and the crucifixion scene was stunning. But they needed a big voice, like Adam Lambert or equivalent, to do the role justice.
Jesus Christ Superstar was what was called "Rock Gospel", It is lifted from the book of John (I saw this when it first came out and also owned the Vinal CDs weren't even a thing yet. (Yes I'm a boomer)
Owned the vinals and now own the CD’s! Love this and Godspell! Great, emotive music!
The original version with Ian Gillan is the one to listen to. To me, it is the one I will always listen to. Maybe because it is the one I heard first as a teen it is etched into my memory!
From Wikipedia: In 1970, Gillan received a call from Tim Rice, asking him to perform the part of Jesus on the original 1970 album recording of Jesus Christ Superstar, having been impressed with his performance on "Child in Time". After rehearsing a few times with Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber, he recorded his entire vocal contributions in three hours.[32] He was subsequently offered the lead role in the 1973 film adaptation. Gillan demanded to not only be paid £250,000[33] for his role in the movie, but also insisted, without the consent of his manager, that the entire band be paid because filming would conflict with a scheduled tour. The producers declined, instead casting Ted Neeley in the Jesus role, and Gillan continued on in the band.[34]
Same here! It was the first I heard. Same thing with Chess.
You might want to check out the 1973 movie, starring Ted Neeley.
If just for yourself, watch Jesus Christ Superstar. It's a wonderful movie!
Listening to the original 1970 album is far more rewarding than the barely watchable movie version.
@@DocRock71 Yeah, the movie version was massively disappointing to me, and the performances seem much more superficial. The original stage recording is the one.
I'm pretty sure Sebs can decide for himself if he likes the movie.
@@docmetal8194 If he listens to the original album as well, he will prefer the original album version over this cheesy movie version, as almost all fans of this musical do.
@@docmetal8194 He will probably like the original album version better than the movie version, like most people.💯🤷
Tears every, single, time! I’ve loved Jesus Christ Superstar since first seeing it as a teen in the 70s. Got to see Ted perform this about a decade ago. I definitely recommend the movie version of this and of course the whole movie. Like many, I know every word. Thanks for the reaction!
Jesus Christ Superstar has always been my all time favorite musical, hands down, no if ands or buts about it. 💯
I use to work at a theatrical Broadway costume company called Barbara Matera Ltd for 12 years back in the day before they closed their doors for good in 2011. I had the great fortune to work on some of the costumes for the early 2000s version of Jesus Christ Superstar on Broadway. They use to give us free tickets to see the shows we worked on and it was how I got my heavy metal brother hooked on this musical. I was fortunate enough to land 2 free tickets instead of the usual 1 and took him. Up until then I had only seen the original movie version from the early 1970s with Ted Neeley. But seeing this incredible musical live was a totally different experience even while being performed by a totally different new younger cast. Also that particular stage version of Jesus Christ Superstar that I saw live with my brother was an even more modern take of the story which made me relate and have even a more deeper understanding of what went on during the lasts days of Jesus.
Since then I have seen Jesus Christ Superstar performed several times in different formats and by different casts. The last time I watched it was in a live television broadcast and John Legend played Jesus Christ.
But dispite all the different interpretations of Jesus, I find the absolute best performance is still Ted Neeley's. Those notes are out of this world and I have yet to see anyone hit them so perfectly as he did even by the original Broadway and Westend stage cast which I have the CD of.
You really need to check out the full original movie version with Ted Neeley. It is utterly well worth the watch.
🎶✝️🎶🎞
I love, love LOVE, the album and the movie, when Ted Neeley was young and his voice was even more stronger and clear, but Ted at this age still has it.
I personally love the movie, with Carl Anderson as Judas in a performance that will tear your heart. Now I want to get my copy and watch it again...Ted Neely is of age now where he understands how unfair life is, how scary it is to see how close death is. His performance is full of that fear, and it breaks my heart. I don't believe in this religion, or any religion but this man has lived life, and understands many things.
You will be far more impressed with the original 1970 studio version, as the movie version is overall terrible in comparison.
Ted the OG. Magnificent performance. Please watch him in the original movie. He portrayed Jesus so well; it makes me cry EVERYTIME 🧡🙏
This song hits me hard every time!
This thrills me to my bones every time I watch it. And why does the rest of the crew watch so intens?? Ted was sick this evening! I think he had a cold and they wanted to let his understudy play the performance, Ted said he could do it, and he did!!!!
I loved the movie with Ted Neeley, Carl Anderson and Yvonne Elliman. I was so lucky to see him live in the 90's with a touring company.
This is what allowed me to understand the human part of Jesus. I went to Gesthemane and I was so moved.
Now Ted is awesome but you MUST LISTEN TO THE 1970S version when he was younger.
WOW!!! I'm so HAPPY TO SEE THIS, SEBS!!! I have suggested this performance to SEVERAL reactors, and no one has listened to it!! ENJOY!!! This WHOLE PRODUCTION is musically: FIRE!! You should watch the movie!! HUGS!!
Ted Neely is amazing❤ You're gonna LOVE Dan's version❤❤❤
One of the best live theatre shows I have ever seen 🔥 Listen to the entire album; it will touch your soul . Wishing you and your family a blessed Easter
LOVE both the album (Gillan) AND the movie, both close to my heart since i was a baby in '73. Seen the original cast LIVE on stage and again with just Neeley in 2006 (same tour as your reaction video) I've never ever seen a standing ovation the second he graced the stage and had to stop the show temporarily for the audience to calm down lol. Thank you for this ❤
I saw Ted Neely play Jesus in JCS twice live. Spectacular!!!
I'm not a religious person... at all...lol... but I can't watch Jesus Christ superstar without tears flowing. It really moves me. Anyway, great choice for a reaction. 😊
You need to listen to Ian Gillan (from Deep Purple) sing this song. He sang the original part of Jesus.
?????
@@aartsipman6854 Why ?????
Great reaction Sebastien, I really enjoyed what you had to say! In the mid to late 90's we saw Jesus Christ Superstar live with a touring cast. The producers for that tour told Ted Neeley that Carl Anderson wanted to do the show, but only if he would play Jesus. They also told Carl that Ted wanted to do the show, but only if Carl signed on to play Judas, as they had done together in the film! It worked and we got to see the two of them perform this wonderful musical live!!
The cast was so mesmerized because Ted had refused to sing this in all the rehearsals. This was the first time for them too. That's why the reaction from the cast. They were as enthralled as the audience.
The original album of JCS stars Ian Gillan (from Deep Purple) as Jesus. You MUST hear his version of Jesus.
I still have my album from the 70's. Yvonne Elliman is amazing in it!
Ted Neely is THE BEST! He did this on stage for decades.
Watch the 1973 Original Rock Opera movie! PERFECTION.😊❤
Ian Gillan of Deep Purple does my favorite version!!! 💜💜
Genius song 😭 Ted Neely gives it everything and feels every moment. Could watch this over and over and still cry.
I would love to see you react to the movie itself. It’s a classic and honestly one of my favorite movies of all time. It would be a beast to edit since it’s a full musical with no talking, all singing. Ted’s vocal talent is immense but so is everyone else in the movie. Love this reaction! I hope you do more from this musical.
Lovd the movie but seeing Ted Neeley and Carl Anderson in the Broadway touring musical in the 90s was amazing! Ted has always made the part of Jesus his own.
I have been a fan of Jesus Christ Superstar for as long as I can remember. My mom was a fan and played the album from the original soundtrack all the time growing up and any chance we could see the movie. We went to see it on Broadway together when I was in my 20’s. I enjoyed seeing many interpretations of this show and the music over the years, including John Legends live TV musical version (I’m 51 now) but this is my 1st time seeing Dan Vasc, ever and my mind is blown, he gave me chills and brought me to tears. I will definitely be going to his page! Thank you for doing this reaction
GREAT reaction my friend, my brother. I loved this in the 70s and I still love it today. I still tear up every time I watch it.
Glad you did this. Jesus Christ Superstar started my spiritual journey. This song and the song "dammed for all time" are 2 of my favorite. Good job man.
I watched the movie version filmed in the Holy Land at the actual sites every year when I was a child. It would come on broadcast TV every year and I would be mesmerized watching it. I still have the original songs and visuals in my head, these many seasons later.
Jesus Christ Superstar is a very hard rock show! The movie is amazing. This performance is special. A real man who doesn't want to die but concedes to the larger plan. It's beautiful and haunting......Thank you for this.
I love this musical and soundtrack. The movie is so powerful! I cry! Now I have to go watch it as I do every Easter!❤️
this is a great version to see. The cast that was assembled and you see in spots were watching because this is a much older Ted and he would not let them hear the final notes in rehearsal. They wanted to see if he could still bring it. His voice is almost as good as it was when he was young in the movie. Movie would give you more context.
The originbal 1970 album is the best way to experience JCST, other than seeing it on Broadway. The movie version is just not very good compared to the studio album.
Thank you so much for reacting to this. I was thinking that I had to hunt down my cd of JCSuperstar since it has been a few years since I've listened to it. But this, this was amazing! His interpretation in this live performance, after who knows how many performances, was sublime.
And thank you for your feelings. Loved seeing it hit someone as it did me, all those years ago (1982) in Jerusalem, the first time I heard it.
This musical and Godspell are great to share with your kids.
Ted Neeley sang this this yr. He’s 80 yrs old & I am floored by how he can still make the hairs on my arm stand up.
TED NEELY is a miracle.
Ted portrayed Jesus over 5000 times on stage. He also preformed 1500 from n tour
I watch "Godspell" every Good Friday & "Jesus Christ Superstar" (either the 1979 film or the 2012 arena tour video, the Jesus in that one isn't my fav but I liked how they updated it) every Easter
Sorry, Sebs, I can't make it through this with you. I can hardly see through my tears. The Lord has blessed me with an immense amount of empathy. I feel everything in abundance.
Thank you for doing this one. I have a cassette of the original.❤
You really need to see this scene from the movie, same actor but voice is even more unbelievable
Do yourself a favor and listen to the original London version- especially Murray Head and Ian Gillian (from Deep Purple) Absolutely sublime!
Agreed. I literally cannot stand to watch the movie version, which is like a bad dinner theater version compared to the original album.
@DocRock71 Oh man-I SO agree!!!
Had to watch just because of what you said at the beginning. But the end really touched me. What an amazing version of this song!
Hope you had a blessed Easter! You got yourself a new sub.
One thing about this piece is that it greatly evokes the humanity of him, the doubts, the fear, the anger at being put in that situation, the resolution, and the process of working through all of it. And widely considered to be one of the most technically difficult roles for male singers to play on stage.
Gethsemane is one of most stirring pieces of music I've ever heard. It shaped my childhood. I was 13 when "Jesus Christ Superstar" was released on vinyl in 1971 (Just 8 months before "The Dark Side Of The Moon" - what a time to be into music!). I bought a copy with my own 13-year-old money, and prolly wore out my father's needle listening to it. Gethsemane caught my ear, but I confess I can't hear anyone but Ian Gillian singing it. From faint and tired, to angry and afraid, to, ultimately, obedient. Everyone else is just riffing on his version.
But there's so much theology going on here. Lyricist Tim Rice was not a Christian when he wrote the libretto, and Jesus is not portrayed as divine in the musical. But Rice has his Jesus arguing with God in the garden, a God Rice himself didn't believe in. Is Jesus questioning the will of the Father? If so, is that always a bad thing? The lyrics imply Jesus doesn't completely understand what's going on, which can't be true for an omniscient God. So many interesting discussions to be had! Thanks, Sebs.
In terms of story and connection, it makes more sense to humanize Jesus more, to make him a person who doubts and fears and isn't above being such feelings and concerns. If you make a character too aloof and away from humanity it's really hard to connect with them. So purely from story writing, whether that's books or musicals or whatever, it makes more sense to have the main character be a person the audience can connect to, otherwise we won't be invested in the story and won't care about it.
If you never heard the whole album, you MUST!!!! The original is the best!! Trust me, it is my favorite show. It is outstanding!!!
When I first watched this reaction video and saw which version of the song was being used, I realized I had never seen that before & Ted is much older than other performances of his I have seen. I personally found the camera going back-and-forth to the cast reactions to the performance, a little distracting, as it took us away from this incredible performance. I just saw a documentary that is clearly the source material and now I understand why the camera was doing that. Fun fact: this was the opening night performance of Jesus Christ Superstar with Ted Neely doing this iconic role again. According to the documentary Ted refused to sing this song in rehearsals but promised on opening night he will sing the song during the show. He had not sang this song since he had sang it at his dear friend Carl Anderson (Judas in the movie version) funeral. So after not singing this song for years he sang it on opening night in this performance! That’s why they filmed the cast reactions as they had never heard him sing it live! It’s incredible that he could perform it so well after years of purposefully not singing this song.He is an incredible talent. I recommend you watch the movie version when his in his prime. The entire soundtrack is incredible, a masterpiece Rock Opera!
This performance was at least 40 years after Ted Neely performed Jesus in the movie version, and I got chills from the power of his performance here. And he did a pretty good job at hitting those high notes still. He was in a performance of this a while back in the city where I live...I wish that I'd gone to see it.
You should check out him singing this in the scene from the 1973 rock opera movie. Very powerful. I saw it when I was five or six and it made a huge impact on me -- at that age I memorized every lyric of every song from the entire album. Ted Neeley became Jesus for me ever since.
It's been so many years thank you for doing this he still sings this I can't even imagine but he still sings this
First off, you couldn't have shared my thoughts or my heart felt response any better. Thank you so much for exploring this musical with us! May God richly bless you and yours!
Oh my gosh, I love this musical. My all time favorite. Saw it in theater when it was first released. I was a freshman in high school. I have the album and can sing it word for word. Just saw last month.
If you ever get a chance to see this play you need to see it. It is incredible. You would love it. Great reaction. Happy Easter, Sebs. He is Risen!!
I feel like this song shows his "human" side.
Fun fact in the dvd commentary to this show they said that Ted never did this song in rehearsal. The last time he sang it was at Carl Anderson's (the actor/singer who played Judas in the movie in 1973) funeral so he wanted to keep the song only for the live performance. The cast was so blown away because it was the first time they heard him do this. I love Ted Neeley as Jesus. In my opinion he delivers the most heart wrenching and inpactfull version of this song in the 1973 movie.
Como esta version en vivo .y ted con unos cuantos años encima .es espectacular.❤
The entire musical is fantastic. All the different cast through the years are wonderful.
This is awesome also - "A five-track EP, entitled She is Risen: Volume One, reunites Broadway veterans and recording artists Morgan James (Motown, Godspell) as Jesus Christ and Shoshana Bean (Wicked, Hairspray) as Judas Iscariot plus Grammy and Tony winner Cynthia Erivo (The Color Purple, Harriet) as Mary, Tony nominee Orfeh (Legally Blonde, Pretty Woman) as Pilate, and Grammy-nominated recording artist Ledisi as Simon."
Ted Neely, in that role, really is the GOAT. The show opened in 1971 and this performance was in 2006. As the original Jesus, he's been singing this role for 35 years. Imagine what his voice was like in the 1970s. What we see today, while it may not be Ted in his prime vocal period, the maturity and understanding he brings to the role takes this performance to another level, and I think THAT is what brings people to tears every time.
I saw Ted Neely on the 20th anniversary tour of JCS and was fortunate enough to meet him. He was super sweet and humble. Wonderful experience. I was 17 at the time.
No one beats the version of Gethsemane done by "The Voice" John Farnham! Our Aussie legend.
Love musicals and live performances ❤️
I thought you were going to watch the clip from the movie! It is sooooo inspiring and just absolutely PERFECT!!!
Thank you for sharing yourself. Your child is lucky to have you as a parent.
Dan Vasc does an amazing cover of this song. It blew me away.
Well young man you just got the holy Spirit ent thru your earthly body. I saw Teddy in his last live performance. God continue to bless you and yours❤
Jesus Christ Superstar was predominantly in m record collection!! Thanks for sharing this with everyon!!! Loved it then and live it now!! 💚💚💚 “Love is all You Need”!!! You should do the lead song as well!!!
You need to watch the movie from 1973!!! Ted Neely in this song and Carl Anderson in every song are insanely good.
The passion in their performances in the movie…simply amazing.
Wonderful album start to finish...
The best version is the one from the movie and Ted Neely and Carl Anderson together singing The Last Super will blow your mind. The first version of Jesus Christ Super Star I heard was the UK album from the play and it blew me away but nothing has been as mind blowing as Ted Neely. I’m not religious but some of the best music has come from religions. All the music from this show is incredible. It was one of the first rock opera’s. I saw it in the theaters when it first came out. I took my Cahtolic dad to see it and there were some nuns in the theater. It was kinda of scandalous at the time so my dad asked the nuns what they thought and they thought is was great.
What i think is wonderful is his young castmates are in total awe of his performance!!!
Back in the 70's, my high school sunday school class actually studied this album. It was a life changing experience for me. I felt as though I learned more about the bible than I ever had before.... or, since. ♥️ (And, I grew up in the church, both Baptist and Presbyterian. ) The album is AWESOME.
I got my Mom to watch Jesus Christ Superstar with me she actually liked it at the end. My Dad came in about half way through and lead to a spirited discussion about Judss, was he really a sinner after all he did what was expected of him in the overall Plan of the end of Christ's life. He played his part in that Plan.
You should check out Judas' song it will make you think.
Dude you need to watch the movie! It’s fantastic!
I was lucky enough to see him do this live, like this. I saw the whole play. What you’re seeing is the reactions of the younger actors watching him do this. I don’t know when this was made but at the very least 20 years after the movie came out. The movie was exceptional.
His voice in his prime during the movie and the setting shot on location in what was the former Judea where it all took place is amazing. It likens Jesus and the Apostles to the youth and counterculture/hippies of the late 1960's and early 70's (when the rock opera was composed) looking for meaning in life and following gurus of the day, with music of the day from Andrew Lloyd Webber and the incredible lyrics of Tim Rice.
I saw Ted Neeley perform this live. His performance is breathtaking and really helped deepen my faith in a lot of ways. Its my annual tradition to watch/listen to this during Lent
I was privileged to see the original as a teenager back in the seventies. Absolutely amazing.
One other note, St. Luke, who was what passed for a "Doctor" at the time, said that Jesus was so overwrought in the Garden, that he sweated blood as he prayed. This is the most intense song of the show, since during the crucifixion, he was "3/4 dead" and speaking through it, not singing. Your interpretation is spot on,,,Jesus as a most human pop star, with popparazzi and all, yet also the Son of God.
Saw him do this live in the 90s. Was the most moving musical experience of my life.
Thanks for being so open and real
Neeley is good, but no one beats Dan Vasc! He's the G.O.A.T! Neeley doesn't make me cry. Dan makes me cry every time I hear him sing Gethsemane!
People may not realise this but on stage on Broadway and in the first LP, the original singer for Jesus was the lead singer for Deep Purple. Ted Neely was the understudy at the time but the film is a masterpiece. Filmed in Israel.(when Israel wasn’t so bloody nasty) and as many has said here, you need to see the film. Ciao PS: Ted Neely was here in Italy three times 4 the reenactment of Jesus Christ Superstar. The Italians were wall-to-wall including priests including nons I was in shock. I am not Italian by the way. I just worked here. Oh, and one interesting event Ted Neely met the Pope. Just some interesting thing I had to say ciao.
When this came to Theatres. A couple friends and I skipped our Catholic Central HS to see this . The sound track is amazing! Just wait till you get into the Album! One song “ I Don’t Know How To Love Him“ there were Nuns in the Theatre too😮
Love "I Don't Know How To Love Him"! The whole album is amazing. My older sister gave me hers. Thanks Sissy.
I loved your comments and opinions at the end❤ absolutely beautiful ❤ God bless you and happy Easter to you and your family🙏💝
If you have time to check out another version, I can recommend Sebastian Bach's performance of Gethsemane as well. I saw the performance live in Las Vegas on a afternoon show. There were three older ladies in the row in front of me, who had no idea who Sebastian Bach is, but I was an original Skid Row fangirl and was thrilled to watch them moved to tears during his performance.
All credit to Ted Neely, who did a very creditable job in a very difficult role, but there is simply no comparison to the Ian Gillan performances on the "original cast recording" (which was never performed live). The movie was really good, but it's the original London cast recording that I continue to play over and over and over.
As you almost state, the original 1970 London recording is not a cast album, but simply a studio recording. Properly, it should be referred to as the original 1970 "concept" album.
I've listened to several versions of the musical and seen a few as well and Gethsemane is really my favorite song in the musical. Neeley does a great job here and he's not even in his prime at this point.
I saw Ted in JCS 5 years ago, He was 75. Much like this performance. Voice definitely not as strong as when he was younger, but unbelievable given his age and the battering his cords must have taken over the years singing this over and over. Plus, I find his performances now to be much more moving. Here, he really sells Christ's weariness and fragility. Much better than in 1973, I'd say.
Your facial expression says it all ❤The word to describe Dan's voice and his ability to "become" every word he sings is not invented. I am in awe every time, regardless of the song. 🌟❤️
I don't care that it's almost Easter, and I don't care about religion. What I do care about is a well scored song, well told story, and amazingly sung songs, and that's what I get with Jesus Christ Superstar.
The original album of Jesus Christ Superstar is a STAPLE in my house during Lent, and it has been since I was born. I took it with me out of my parents' house and still listen to it every Lent season since. This is probably my favorite song, and I'm SO GLAD someone reacted to it!!! I think this is actually reasonably accurate, if a little more whiny than I think Jesus was, but we'll never know, so I like to imagine it was a lot like this. It makes Jésus even more of a bad ass in my opinion.
You really need to watch the original movie. I got to see a version of this here in Australia and it was a fabulous stage play. You could here the album but the visual is stunning. He was great in this version, but as a much younger man in the film? Incredible!