I liked Godspell in large part because I grew up in NYC and know every location in the film intimately. I love the final sequence. The camera moves along Central Park South. It approaches the top of 6 th Avenue. And when the viewer beholds 6th avenue, looking south, the dream characters are gone. In their stead the dense rushing crowds on New Yorkers. That crowd, incidentally, looks nothing like it does today.
Oh my goodness, this post brought back so many great memories! Growing up in the 70’s, I was a huge fan of Godspell. I was in the cast of a production at a local church. At the time, it really resonated with me, spiritual and otherwise, especially the music. I learned to play every song on guitar and sang By My Side as a duet in our local production. Watching it years later with my grown children, I wondered what it was that attracted me so much decades ago. My kids just thought it was ridiculous. But I think it served an important purpose at the time. And whenever the gospel reading at mass is one of the bits portrayed in Godspell (prodigal son, sower and seeds, sheep and goats, etc.) I can’t help but see those sketches in my mind’s eye. I’m sure I’ll never forget those gospel stories, and that in itself is a good thing. I’m grateful for Stephen Schwartz and his music, and I’m so grateful for you Debra and Tony for educating those of us who had no idea so many of his songs took their lyrics from old hymns. Maybe it’s time for a Godspell 2.0, to show current generations what they missed? 😉
This one was an eye-opener for me. I didn’t know the hymn and I realized I didn’t really know anything about Godspell. Jesus Christ Superstar, yes, but I somehow bypassed Godspell. I find Sue’s comment above of interest. I looked at clip of this hymn as done in Godspell. It looked to me like the recent debachery at St Patrick’s Cathedral with the funeral for the transgender. So….was Godspell a good thing? Or…..what…. ?
I was recently "playing through" an old hymnal of my grandmother's and was caught by a title: "When Wilt Thou Save the People?" I looked up the song online - it was written in the 1800s and has an interesting story. The lyrics are almost directly used in another song from "Godspell." The songs from this musical continue to be relevant to me. Many of them are scripture set to music, and the use of old hymns connects us to a time of deeper reflectionl
Those were golden years with the release of Jesus Christ Superstar, followed by Godspell, for a teenager working on renewing a relationship with our Lord. Always loved "Turn Back, O Man", and now I know the source. Thank you for putting a smile in my heart this morning.
If you haven’t seen the movie Godspell, you have something to look forward to.
I liked Godspell in large part because I grew up in NYC and know every location in the film intimately. I love the final sequence. The camera moves along Central Park South. It approaches the top of 6 th Avenue. And when the viewer beholds 6th avenue, looking south, the dream characters are gone. In their stead the dense rushing crowds on New Yorkers. That crowd, incidentally, looks nothing like it does today.
What an amazing hymn! Thank you.
Oh my goodness, this post brought back so many great memories! Growing up in the 70’s, I was a huge fan of Godspell. I was in the cast of a production at a local church. At the time, it really resonated with me, spiritual and otherwise, especially the music. I learned to play every song on guitar and sang By My Side as a duet in our local production. Watching it years later with my grown children, I wondered what it was that attracted me so much decades ago. My kids just thought it was ridiculous. But I think it served an important purpose at the time. And whenever the gospel reading at mass is one of the bits portrayed in Godspell (prodigal son, sower and seeds, sheep and goats, etc.) I can’t help but see those sketches in my mind’s eye. I’m sure I’ll never forget those gospel stories, and that in itself is a good thing. I’m grateful for Stephen Schwartz and his music, and I’m so grateful for you Debra and Tony for educating those of us who had no idea so many of his songs took their lyrics from old hymns. Maybe it’s time for a Godspell 2.0, to show current generations what they missed? 😉
This one was an eye-opener for me. I didn’t know the hymn and I realized I didn’t really know anything about Godspell. Jesus Christ Superstar, yes, but I somehow bypassed Godspell. I find Sue’s comment above of interest. I looked at clip of this hymn as done in Godspell. It looked to me like the recent debachery at St Patrick’s Cathedral with the funeral for the transgender. So….was Godspell a good thing? Or…..what…. ?
I was recently "playing through" an old hymnal of my grandmother's and was caught by a title: "When Wilt Thou Save the People?" I looked up the song online - it was written in the 1800s and has an interesting story. The lyrics are almost directly used in another song from "Godspell." The songs from this musical continue to be relevant to me. Many of them are scripture set to music, and the use of old hymns connects us to a time of deeper reflectionl
Those were golden years with the release of Jesus Christ Superstar, followed by Godspell, for a teenager working on renewing a relationship with our Lord. Always loved "Turn Back, O Man", and now I know the source. Thank you for putting a smile in my heart this morning.