In honor of the late Norman Jewison, today’s scene that I love comes from my favorite film to have been directed by him.
In this scene from 1973’s Jesus Christ Superstar, Mary Magdalene (Yvonne Elliman) attempts to comfort Jesus (Ted Neeley) while Judas (Carl Anderson) tries to pull Jesus away from her. This scene showcases both Elliman’s angelic voice and Anderson’s ferocious intensity as Mary and Judas present two very different sides of a spiritual journey.
In honor of the late Norman Jewison, today’s scene that I love comes from my favorite film to have been directed by him.
In this scene from 1973’s Jesus Christ Superstar, Mary Magdalene (Yvonne Elliman) attempts to comfort Jesus (Ted Neeley) while Judas (Carl Anderson) tries to pull Jesus away from her. This scene showcases both Elliman’s angelic voice and Anderson’s ferocious intensity as Mary and Judas present two very different sides of a spiritual journey.
Today’s Valentine’s Day song of the day is my favorite song of all time, performed by the wonderful Yvonne Elliman.
I don’t know why I’m surviving every lonely day
When there’s got to be no chance for me
My life would end, and it doesn’t matter how I cry
My tears of love are a waste of time
If I turn away, am I strong enough to see it through?
Go crazy is what I will do
If I can’t have you, I don’t want nobody, baby
If I can’t have you, ah-ah-ah, oh
If I can’t have you, I don’t want nobody, baby
If I can’t have you, ah-ah-ah
Can’t let go, and it doesn’t matter how I try
I gave it all so easily to you, my love
To dreams that never will come true
Am I strong enough to see it through?
Go crazy is what I will do
If I can’t have you, I don’t want nobody, baby
If I can’t have you, ah-ah-ah, oh
If I can’t have you, I don’t want nobody, baby
If I can’t have you, ah-ah-ah, oh
If I can’t have you, I don’t want nobody, baby
If I can’t have you, ah-ah-ah, oh
If I can’t have you, I don’t want nobody, baby
If I can’t have you, ah-ah-ah (I’m in love with nobody)
If I can’t have you, I don’t want nobody, baby
If I can’t have you, ah-ah-ah, oh
If I can’t have you, I don’t want nobody, baby
If I can’t have you, ah-ah-ah, no
(Lyrics by Maurice Ernest Gibb / Robin Hugh Gibb / Barry Alan Gibb)
In memory of the late Norman Jewison, today scene that I love comes from my favorite film to have been directed by him.
In this scene from 1973’s Jesus Christ Superstar, Mary Magdalene (Yvonne Elliman) attempts to comfort Jesus (Ted Neeley) while Judas (Carl Anderson) tries to pull Jesus away from her. This scene showcases both Elliman’s angelic voice and Anderson’s ferocious intensity as Mary and Judas present two very different sides of a spiritual journey.
Today, we wish a happy birthday to singer, songwriter, and actress, Yvonne Elliman!
Along with playing Mary Magdalene in both the original stage and film version of Jesus Christ Superstar, Yvonne Elliman also performed the best version of my favorite song (and today’s song of the day), If I Can’t Have You!
This is one of the few songs that I can actually sing all the way through without losing the tune but Yvonne’s version is definitely superior to mine.
I don’t know why I’m surviving every lonely day
When there’s got to be no chance for me
My life would end, and it doesn’t matter how I cry
My tears of love are a waste of time
If I turn away, am I strong enough to see it through?
Go crazy is what I will do
If I can’t have you, I don’t want nobody, baby
If I can’t have you, ah-ah-ah, oh
If I can’t have you, I don’t want nobody, baby
If I can’t have you, ah-ah-ah
Can’t let go, and it doesn’t matter how I try
I gave it all so easily to you, my love
To dreams that never will come true
Am I strong enough to see it through?
Go crazy is what I will do
If I can’t have you, I don’t want nobody, baby
If I can’t have you, ah-ah-ah, oh
If I can’t have you, I don’t want nobody, baby
If I can’t have you, ah-ah-ah, oh
If I can’t have you, I don’t want nobody, baby
If I can’t have you, ah-ah-ah, oh
If I can’t have you, I don’t want nobody, baby
If I can’t have you, ah-ah-ah (I’m in love with nobody)
If I can’t have you, I don’t want nobody, baby
If I can’t have you, ah-ah-ah, oh
If I can’t have you, I don’t want nobody, baby
If I can’t have you, ah-ah-ah, no
(Lyrics by Maurice Ernest Gibb / Robin Hugh Gibb / Barry Alan Gibb)
For the past few days, I have been driving everyone around the TSL Compound crazy by continually playing and re-playing the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack. Though no one will admit it, I’m sure that they’ve all got the lyrics of I Can’t Have You memorized by now. We could probably start a Bee Gees cover band if we wanted to. And really, there’s no reason why we shouldn’t! Leonard can play bass, I’ll sing, Jeff can drum, Erin can play the sitar, it’ll be great!
Well, today, I thought maybe that we would take a break with another Bee Gees song that was covered by Yvonne Elliman, Love Me. While the Bee Gees version of the song didn’t get much attention, Yvonne Elliman’s cover was a huge hit and it probably played a role in the Bee Gees later writing How Deep Is Your Love for her. Of course, the Bee Gees later ended up performing How Deep Is Your Love for Saturday Night Fever while Yvonne recorded If I Can’t Have You. It can be difficult to keep track but the important thing is that everyone got recorded eventually.
Enjoy!
Love me; just a little bit longer
Love me
I remember times my love when we really had it all
You were always there to make me smile, help me when I fall
Ooh, I can’t believe you’re leaving me
When there’s so much more to say – I can’t let you go
Ooh, every time I look at you I still can feel the glow
Let it be, let it grow
Love me please, just a little bit longer
Together we can make it
Our love is much too young to break it
Love me please, just a little bit harder
Together we can make it
Our love is much too young to break it
Ooh, all I ever wanted was to have you to myself
Then I see you standing there in the arms of someone else
Ooh, you know a girl can stand so much
And it’s more then I can bear – I can’t let you go
Ooh, every time I look at you I still can feel the glow
Let it be, let it grow
Love me please, just a little bit longer
Together we can make it
Our love is much too young to break it
Love me please, just a little bit harder
Never even try to see things my way
It’s hard on a woman when love ain’t no love at all
And when you walk away – you probably will
You’re gonna be sorry, I’m begging you; please
Love me please, just a little bit longer
Together we can make it
Our love is much too young to break it
Love me please, just a little bit harder
Together we can make it
Our love is much too young to break it
Love me please, just a little bit longer
Together we can make it
Our love is much too young to break it
To be honest, this is the second video that I’ve shared for this song. Back in 2020, I shared a clip of Yvonne Elliman performed If I Can’t Have You on the UK’s Top of the Pops. This, however, is apparently the official video.
(Sidenote: If you’re looking for good music videos that came out before the era of MTV, Top of the Pops is always a good place to look.)
This is one of my favorite songs of all time. It is certainly my favorite song from the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack. (Yes, even more than Stayin’ Alive.) The song was originally written by the Bee Gees and the plan was for them to perform it on the soundtrack while Yvonne Elliman would perform How Deep Is Your Love, which was actually written to be more of a pop ballad than a disco song. However, Robert Stigwood decided to switch things up by having the Bee Gees perform How Deep Is Your Love while If I Can’t Have You was given to Elliman. The result was that the Bee Gees gave a disco twist to a ballad while Elliman gave a ballad twist to a disco song. In other words, it was a pretty good idea. If I Can’t Have You may be my favorite song on the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack but How Deep Is Your Love is a close second.
Incidentally, Yvonne Elliman also played Mary Magdalene in the film version of Jesus Christ Superstar and gave one of the best musical performances ever captured on film.
Enjoy!
I’m still in my disco mood from hosting last Saturday’s #ILikeToWatch live tweet so here’s Yvonne Elliman singing If I Can’t Have You. Technically, this is less a music video and more of a guest appearance on a TV show but, in the 70s, that’s as close as many songs got to getting a music video.
Yvonne Elliman also played Mary Magdalene in Jesus Christ Superstar. If I Can’t Have You was originally written for the Bee Gees but was given to Yvonne after the band decided that they couldn’t make the song work. She did a great job with it because this is one of those songs that you could just listen to a hundred times a day.
Enjoy!
Through the Shattered Lens 