Sara Bareilles - Blog Posts

Currently feeling feelings over Peter’s Denial

We now shift outside the high priest's house to an apostle in trouble. This is "Peter's Denial."

I've grown less self-conscious about repeating myself with recordings, so here again is the live Australian cast from 1973 with an interesting, string-laden, fast-paced take on this little scene.

You know the drill...

The Lyrics

MAID BY THE FIRE I THINK I'VE SEEN YOU SOMEWHERE I REMEMBER YOU WERE WITH THAT MAN THEY TOOK AWAY I RECOGNISE YOUR FACE

PETER YOU'VE GOT THE WRONG MAN LADY I DON'T KNOW HIM AND I WASN'T WHERE HE WAS TONIGHT NEVER NEAR THE PLACE

SOLDIER THAT'S STRANGE FOR I AM SURE I SAW YOU WITH HIM YOU WERE RIGHT BY HIS SIDE AND YET YOU DENIED

PETER I TELL YOU I WAS NEVER EVER WITH HIM

OLD MAN BUT I SAW YOU TOO IT LOOKED JUST LIKE YOU

PETER

(ad lib shout)

I DON'T KNOW HIM

MARY MAGDALENE PETER DON'T YOU KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE SAID YOU'VE GONE AND CUT HIM DEAD

PETER I HAD TO DO IT DON'T YOU SEE OR ELSE THEY'D GO FOR ME

MARY MAGDALENE IT'S WHAT HE TOLD US YOU WOULD DO I WONDER HOW HE KNEW

The Plot

He ran away from the scene of the arrest, but he couldn't bear not knowing what was happening to his teacher. Small surprise, then, that Peter followed the arresting party to the house of Caiaphas. Unable to enter himself, he warmed up by a campfire outside.

Not the world's smartest decision. Three onlookers (a maid, a soldier, and an old man) all recognize Peter as one of the men who were with Jesus earlier. Each time he vehemently denies his association, just as Jesus said he would, to the dismay of Mary, who wonders how Jesus knew that would happen...

The Analysis

Aside from the soldier becoming a generic "Solo from the Mob" in the currently licensed score, everything has stayed the same in this scene, lyrically and dramatically, since 1970, so time to once again chart the recurring motifs musically.

We've got:

Peter denying Jesus three times (as predicted), to the main theme from "Strange Thing, Mystifying," which originally accompanied Judas' criticism of Jesus' relationship with Mary -- thereby connecting Peter musically with Judas, both of them now betrayers of Jesus, and...

...when Mary points out that Peter did as Jesus said he would, she sings this to the betrayal motif from the Last Supper, even further underscoring Peter's betrayal.

Let it never be said Andrew Lloyd Webber didn't have a purpose in choosing a cyclical nature for these melodies!

Mildly Unrelated Op.-Ed.

In marked contrast to how he's described in the Bible, Peter kind of gets the short end of the stick in JCS. He doesn't have a lot to do as a solo vocalist, aside from "Peter's Denial" and "Could We Start Again Please?" He's pretty much just "one of the boys" in any staging; it's usually hard to even identify who Peter is unless he's singled out from the start, until his big moments in the second act.

Audition notices, no doubt building on what scripture makes him out to be, tend to describe him in terms like "gentle" or phrases along the lines of "slow to find his strength, but when he does, he becomes a stabilizing force among the apostles." But I gotta tell ya... I don't see it. There's not enough material there on paper to cover that ground.

When I've contemplated directing the show over the years, I've begun to pay special attention to the roles of Simon Zealotes and Peter. Simon's sole major appearance is in Act I, and Peter's couple of big scenes are in Act II, both without set-up or real follow-through. Can you see where I'm going with this?

Taking my cue from the recent European tour featuring Ted Neeley, I've thought of casting one performer to play both parts, billed separately due to contractual obligation but essentially a single role. It cuts costs (remember, I'm a producer first and foremost), creates a useful character arc out of two thankless ones without changing a word or note, and as long as there are twelve bodies (and one Jesus) around the table in Act II, those in the audience versed in the source can simply infer that Simon became Peter over the show's course, just like the notoriously temperamental Peter was originally called Simon in the Bible.

Let me go back to that second thing for a moment: "creates a useful character arc out of two thankless ones without changing a word or note." I want to unpack that to further sell my point.

What is Simon, really? He's exuberant, he's militant, someone who clearly jumps in before he really understands what's going on. He calls on his master to overthrow the Romans, only to be told he doesn't get the picture. Maybe, like Judas in The Last Temptation of Christ ("...only you understand it? Well, you'd better make me understand it too!"), he decides to wrestle with that, but he's not quite there yet. When the cops break up the scene, he reverts to form, only to be told, "Dude, not only are you wrong, it is way past the time what you're offering would be helpful. Don't quit your day job." How do you react to that? Maybe you discover you're not the Zealot you thought you were, and when the chips are down, out of both frustration and self-preservation, you deny you even know the guy when cornered by the opposition. And you still cling to the faint hope that this will change: "Alright, you've made your point. Time to unleash the fury, right? ...RIGHT???" Very powerful, fully-realized character there.

It's worth a thought, anyway...

Coming Up Next:

They said "take him to Pilate," and that's where he's headed for a showdown: "Pilate and Christ."

Sara Bareilles - Saint Honesty (Official Audio)

Suffering has its redemptive rain

Sara Bareilles - Miss Simone (Official Audio)

"Pour some sugar in my bowl...."

“How did Eve end up with all the damn blame...”

Okay so I’ve been wanting to add my own personal analysis of what this song means and what it’s pointing out.

I love Sara Bareilles not just for her amazing music, but for her acute awareness of the world as it is. She has not sold her soul to franchise and therefore not lost sight of the world around her. She is a true role model for girls everywhere!

 First; the question in the heading: ‘How the hell did Eve end up with all the blame?’ Was it because of this supposed ‘original sin’ that women have, since before recorded history, been constantly underestimated, oppressed and yes blamed!

We have been underestimated in modern times because historically we did not usually hold positions of power, with few exceptions. Why? Were we truly so threatening that we had to be so indoctrinated from birth in early archaic times, so that we could not look beyond our kitchens and birth canals? That we were taught that we are somehow ‘less than man’ that we are ‘not strong enough’. We were not allowed to think of ourselves as nothing, but damsels in distress.

So radical was it that there should be a female Monarch, or a knight! (Joan of Arc).

“..Kitty Cat calls..”

Was it for this ‘sin’ that we are to be held responsible for assault on our bodies and why? Because long have we been labeled as ‘tempting’. It was-and sometimes still is-considered our responsibility for the reactions we receive for what we wear. This sin which forever labels us as ‘evil’ that needs to be suppressed.

You can’t have a brain, just stay silent. Whatever you may say could be lead men astray.

You can’t be the hero, just sit quiet. Whatever mess you’re in, it is your fault, and a man has to save you.

You can’t be the leader, close your mouth. You will bring the world to ruin.

You must look pleasing to men’s eyes as punishment for being born the way you are, otherwise you are inadequate. 

All because we were considered a threat, and still are. Especially now! Now we’ve found our voices. We don’t need to smile and sit complacent for your pleasure.

Don’t tell me to smile, that’s not your place. I’m not here for your enjoyment.

No, I won’t tolerate your harassment on the street, you should know better.

I am not an object.

I am not to blame for your behaviour, or the problems you created, so point your fingers somewhere else.

Control yourself, and get out of my way. I’ve got shit to do.

Sara Bareilles - Armor (Lyric Video)

This woman is our true Queen!

Sara Bareilles - Armor (Lyric Video)

This woman is our true Queen!

About Lover Fest

I dont want to see perform at it any artist that has stayed silent this day in regards of Taylor's situation.

This isn't even about business and the masters anymore, this is straight up bullying and mistreatment. She has been performing old songs so far, WHY so suddenly she isn't allowed to anymore?

Its not about the masters is about destroying and hurting Taylor by ruining her Artist of the Decade award performance, specifically.

Its about control and humiliation.

This is not a man with a questionable moral for businesses, this is a man who HATES a woman, a very specific woman, and is trying to diminish her completely.

Musical artists allowed at Lover Fest:

Sara Bareilles

Tinashe

Halsey 👑 she has been defending Tay ALL DAY

Dodie

Todrick Hall

Selena Gomez

Camila Cabello

Echosmith

Azealia Banks

Blake Shelton

Everyone else can go f**k themselves. You dont get to use Taylor for your benefit if you're incapable of showing support PUBLICALLY.

She explicitly asked for artists and people to publically show support so I WONT TOLERATE "I TALKED TO HER PRIVATELY" BS NO MORE