*** Welcome to piglix ***

This Jesus Must Die

"This Jesus Must Die"
Song by Victor Brox and Brian Keith from the album Jesus Christ Superstar
Released September 1970
Recorded 1970
Genre Art rock
Length 5:11
Label Decca Records/MCA Records
Writer(s) Tim Rice
Composer(s) Andrew Lloyd Webber
Producer(s) Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tim Rice
Jesus Christ Superstar track listing
"Everything's Alright"
(5)
"This Jesus Must Die"
(5)
"Hosanna"
(6)

"This Jesus Must Die" is a song from the rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber, which also appears in the film version of Jesus Christ Superstar, and on the album of the musical. In the 1973 film, it is sung primarily by Bob Bingham as Caiaphas and Kurt Yaghjian as Annas; and on the 1970 album, by Victor Brox as Caiaphas and Brian Keith as Annas. In the 2000 film it is sung by Frederick B. Owens as Caiaphas and Michael Shaeffer as Annas.

According to the official Jesus Christ Superstar website, in the song:

Caiaphas and the Priests discuss the problems caused by the mob following Jesus. They don't understand how he has managed to inspire people and believe that Jesus poses a very serious threat to their authority and the fragile relationship they have with the occupying force from Rome.

The song is noted for, after a slow beginning, launching into more of a "rock and roll" feel than many other songs in the musical, and being sung by a "growling bass-voiced Caiaphas and his screechy tenor minions". The song has also been described as "a throwback to pre-Second World War depictions" of "threatening Jews", although "their evil is somewhat modified". The priests sing a melody that comes from J. S. Bach's Bourrée in E minor.

Rather than the self-interested, conspiratorial priests of the Gospel of Mark or DeMille's The King of Kings, Superstar's priests decide that "this Jesus must die ...for the sake of the nation". Their intention to avert a murderous crackdown on the Jewish people reflects the representation of the high priest in the last canonical gospel—John.


...
Wikipedia

...