~ Jesus Christ Superstar Original Cast ~
Hosanna
~ The Movie Soundtrack ~
The Temple Guards, looking like Darth Vader, turn up, and it’s Chicago 1968 all over again. Unlike Chicago, this time the police are routed. Other than Judas and Mary Magdalene, the other Apostles don’t get much singing time, but here Simon the Zealot gets his own lines within the chorus. Jesus gets the last word. The music for “Poor Jerusalem” is repeated by Pilate a minute later.
Simon Zealotes, Poor Jerusalem
Aria
A better edit would have included this with the previous number because it’s the same melodic material. Note that Pilate sings with only an acoustic guitar as accompaniment. Rice sets Pilate up as a somewhat sympathetic figure. The real Pilate was a vicious SOB who did what he needed to do in order to fulfill his mandate from Rome. Had he failed, he would have been recalled and told to fall on his sword.