1 Song From ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ Sounds Like The Beatles’ ‘Lady Madonna’
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Jesus Christ Superstar changed Broadway musicals forever. In addition, it clearly drew inspiration from The Beatles’ “Lady Madonna.” Notably, Lloyd Webber revealed he was familiar with The Beatles and other rock acts.
‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ creator Andrew Lloyd Webber was familiar with The Beatles’ songs
During a 2017 interview with The Guardian, Loyd Webber discussed his relationship with his father, revealing his familiarity with The Beatles in the process. “He understood The Beatles and my interest in rock,” he said. “I am more aware now than I was when I was young of how much of an influence he was.”
In the same interview, Lloyd Webber discussed his feelings about rock music and musical theater. “When I was a kid, around nine, the television show Oh Boy! went out on Saturday nights from the Hackney Empire [theater],” he said. So it was rock music in a theatrical setting. I didn’t see them as separate things.” Later, he would write Jesus Christ Superstar, one of the most famous rock musicals ever made. Though quaint now, the idea of making a musical with rock songs was daring when the musical premiered in 1971.
How ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ compares to The Beatles’ ‘Lady Madonna’
Jesus Christ Superstar includes several famous songs, including the hooky “Superstar” and the easy-listening ballad “I Don’t Know How to Love Him.” One of the more neglected tracks is “Simon Zealotes,” a tune sung from the perspective of Jesus’ disciple Simon Zealotes, also known as Simon the Zealot. The funky track draws a lot from early rock ‘n’ roll.
In fact, it sounds suspiciously like The Beatles’ “Lady Madonna.” That melody in the pre-chorus is unmistakable. If someone decided to sue, Lloyd Webber might have been forced to give the Lennon-McCartney songwriting partnership a writing credit. It’s possible Lloyd Webber made a song that sounds like The Beatles simply because the Fab Four’s catalog was so ubiquitous it influenced numerous artists, at least on a subconscious level.
The main difference between the two tracks is that “Lady Madonna” is a silly little song with no religious themes, despite its quasi-religious title. On the other hand, “Simon Zealotes” is a lot more dramatic. It asks questions about Christianity’s effects on its adherents. In addition, “Simon Zealotes” gives one of Jesus’ more neglected disciples a small place in the popular culture canon.
How ‘Lady Madonna’ performed on the pop charts and inspired other musicians
Regardless of whether it influenced Jesus Christ Superstar, “Lady Madonna” was a hit. It reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, staying on the chart for 11 weeks. The tune also inspired covers by some great musicians. Early rock ‘n’ roll icon Fats Domino performed a rendition of it for his album Fats Is Back. Elvis Presley also performed the song as an informal jam. His cover appears on the album Walk a Mile in My Shoes: The Essential ’70s Masters.
“Lady Madonna” and “Simon Zealotes” are good songs regardless of whether one inspired the other.
