Who Sang The "Gethsemane" High Note Best? 

Sing it, Jesus

So many of them treat the "WHY" as a separate part of the song. They transition to it and then shift back over to their normal voice. Gillan and Neely are the only ones that fit it in as an organic part of their phrasing.

It's not Neeley's "Why?" that rips my guts out so much as his "nail me to the cross and break me!" sung with infinite longing and desperation and rage and affirmation. Utterly sublime.

'Ian Gillan improvised it while recording the original concept album, and every other Jesus has been trying to top him since.' Absolutely correct; I recorded and mixed JCSS; very proud of this seminal work, which is still a thrill to hear fifty years later XX

It’s not just about hitting that high note strongly, it’s about portraying agony and suffering. I am biased since he was the first, but Ian Gillian displays such emotion in the song as well as a beautiful voice. I’ve never heard of Jeff Fenholt, but his was good too. The worst? Sebastian Bach.

Ted Neeley was 74 in his last performance of this and could still hit the high note. I have to vote for him for that reason.

It's not just the note, it's 1. whether it was done live vs recording 2. transition out of the note once it's completed 3. emotional content

Neely, so much passion and longing. I saw the movie when it first came out and saw Neely in the role again at the Fox theater in Atlanta in the 90’s. Brings me to tears

Ian Gillan: the original, the creator Ted Neeley: the best performer Edit: wow the spanish guys are amazing

The two spanish singing jesus' were on point

Gillan and Neeley are the only ones who seem to know WHY they're singing that note

For me the greatest to ever do it is Neeley. And not just once or twice; the man has spent half a century embodying this role, and utterly nailing this incredibly difficult song. He’s on a different level.

I had the pleasure of hearing Ted Neeley live in 2019. He can still do that note.

Ian Gillian is head and shoulders above all the rest. It’s more than just the high notes, but also the raw emotion in the quiet parts, what one former opera singer called ‘quiet intensity’.

I know Ian was the OG, but damn I love Ted's version. It's so raw and full of emotion, while actually hitting the note pretty damn well. Although, the fact that I absolutely love his performance and the whole movie definitely influences my opinion.

Ted Neely is the only one for me. He has so much passion and pain in his singing. Makes me get goosebumps. Love that show.

It's not even a question. Ian Gillan hits the note and then does the most legit metal vibrato on it. He nails it because he's an actual rock star, not an actor pretending to be one.

It's not just about hitting the note. Ted Neely is the only one who was able to sing it with the level of rage and pain it required.

I actually prefer the raspy, growly notes, the clean ones sound so.. empty..

I actually liked some of the versions in different languages: Leo Jimenez in particular managed to convey actual pain and anguish with his rendition, rather than just singing the high note. Just like Ian and Ted did in their version and what made it stand out so much.

Ted Neeley for for me. His emotional delivery in tune with body language, facial expressions, arm gestures ...i.e. the complete package, tears me up every time. In that moment - he is Jesus showing the torment he is going through. The bit that gets me most is the end from "Why then am I scared to finish, what I started. What you started. I didn't start it" onwards. Ted wins every time.

The Spanish version by Camilo Sesto is one of the best. People should check it out.

I can't believe you didn't put the Spanish version by Camilo Sesto! I don't know whether it is the best but definitely the more passionate and one to be taken into account

Ian Gillan, without a doubt. Just the fact that he improvised in the first place, aswell as that magnificent vibrato. No one else comes close imo!

If anyone is still watching this video years later, I recently saw the tour of Jesus Christ superstar for the fiftieth anniversary. Everybody was phenomenal, the Jesus nailed the high note.

None of these singers are bad by any means, otherwise they will not be selected to sing this incredibly difficult tune. That said, my picks would have to be Ted Neely and Ian Gillan, hands down.

Ian Gillan will always blow everyone else out of the water with his performance, not just for the high G but also for the follow up as well, he genuinely sounds like a man distraught at the knowledge that he must die, and is confused as to how this would help

Okay let's go through them all! Ted: Crushed it. Went for it, did fantastic, we stan Eric: very good and pretty good virbato Gary: lots of feeling, the high note was a bit strange but I think that's the video Ian: ICONIC. Still iconic and will always be. Luke: underrated my one of the best in this video. So much emotion in his performance. Miguel: he held the notes so well and kept them without faltering. Sebastian: that was screaming? Tom: Very good, lots of feeling and kept a good hold in that note Glenn: lots of very solid acting and really felt it. Wasn't too belty! John: yes it was good, but he just ruffed his way out of it Jeff: nice riffs, hit it and did his own thing Leo: He had a lot of feeling, love it Geronimo: held it! Great! Paul: It's good but I'm not feeling this one, Nolan. Trevor: didn't hold it too long but picked himself up Ola: a bit rushed, but acting in point. Ben: A bit weird but still impressive. The start was rough but landing good Danny: a little too high. Drew: leaned into it too much, the note after the high note was stronger. Steve:solid vibrato and put his heart into it.

Ian is still the best. It's about more than just hitting the note. With some of these guys you can see the effort it takes to reach this pitch. It feels like Ian does it from the depths of his soul and that's rock and roll! It looks so effortless when he does it.

I agree with everyone's comments about having the emotion and intention behind the "why'" and how it's important to the song, but I think it's also important to note that if someone isn't properly trained in how to sing with a rock scream, especially at such a high note, it can be INCREDIBLY damaging to the vocal cords. Doing so consistently (like a tour or on Broadway i.e.) can cause nodules which can permanently ruin someone's voice. Also, it's really hard to just plain ole' scream at a specific note (which is why Sebastian Bach sounds particularly bad). That's why a lot of people who play Jesus or sing the song tend to transition to it in a way that's vocally healthy and then shift back to their regular singing voice.

I can't see Camilo Sesto... even Ian Gillan called to congratulate him...

I, personally, love Steve Balsamo's version. Bright, clean, high, perfect. The 1996 version of JCS is my favourite.

Gillan. This song and "The Temple "when he sings, "But you have made it a den of thieves. Get out!" Absolute chill city.

The ones I like the best have a rasp to them or some sort of lack of polish, because to me those truly portray the anguish Christ felt.

Steve Balsamo. Best pitch, vibratto, acting, emotion. Seamless transitions. PERFECT.

Sebastian Bach's cry sounds like he's getting attacked by a herd of raging raccoons.

Ted Neeley 🏆... some are close and really good, but Ted takes the cake every single time!!! ❤

3:37 now *_THIS_* is when you step on a lego

In the wise words of Lindsay Ellis- WHYYYYYY???

Ian Gillian is the best. Of course, I grew up with the record albums where he plays the part, so I’m kind of biased in a way. Most of these performances in the video were pretty good. I thought it was interesting to hear the Spanish versions.

Neeley and Gilian. I had the honour to see Ted Neeley perform live with the musical Jesus Christ Superstar like 4 times now (different years). The only musical i visited 4 times and i would visit again.

Only three I rate. Gillan, Neeley and Balsamo. Watching Balsamo's Gethsemane audition for the role for the 1996 UK run at The Lyceum had Andrew Lloyd-Webber weeping. No better accolade than that. He also sang it on a UK morning tv show in 1996 to promote the show, and £160,000 worth of tickets were sold in the 30 minutes following that performance.

As judgy and nitpicking we are of these guys, honestly mad respect to them for just being able to sing this note alone! I don’t even think I could hit it! That being said, drew sarich, wow.

WHHYYYYYyyyy.... isn't long hair on men a thing anymore? I'd have to know, I'd have to know, my lord.

Ian Gillian 100. It’s they way he takes it naturally up and keeps the raspy sound. Too many of the other just jump straight into a screech.

Can we all agree that Sebastian Bach's was the worst?

Ted Neeley....often imitated , never duplicated

It's unfair judge the best without hear Camilo Sesto.

Ted is still #1 in my book. He can still hit the note too. I met him a few years back and sat with him watching the movie.

TED NEELY Simply Amazing performance ... in a time and a timeless context: 70s

Bach didn't hit the note, but there WAS a lot of the messiness that some of the others are totally neglecting

It isn't about being able to hit the note, it's about being able to convey the meaning and feeling behind it. I still feel Neeley is the best

However varied our lists become I think we’re all in agreement that Ted Neeley and Ian Gillan take the top 2 and Sebastian Bach is sitting the deadzone.

Ian Gillian - everytime I hear his "WHHHYYYYYYY" I think of his intro wail in Highway Star.

Ian Gillan's voice has such depth and he just sings it with Bollocks! Lots of good performance, but his version of this song hits hardest.

I think Ben Forster’s version is much way better in the filmed version of the 2012 tour.

1:02 I find it so funny how he just hits the note instantly, sounds so funny.

I'd say Ian Gillan followed by Ted Neeley for all the obvious reasons that have already been mentioned. What impresses me the most though, is that out of all of them Ian Gillan is the one that sounds warmer and deeper in tone in all the rest of the song, then apparently effortlessly shoots all the way up and then comes back down to where he was without a hint of strain. Absolutely glorious

Ian Gillan's metal scream got forever codified into a musical. The stuff that Rob Halford and Robert Plant did.

Lin Manuel Miranda should have been on here. His performance is brilliant! *hehe*

The best and most fluent transition from the singing verses to the G5 scream without any doubt is done by Ian Gillan. For the other singers the high note is clearly something special but for Ian it is his natural flow to go to these notes and nothing is better than flow in music. The way he sings them is very hard to copy. He does it so effortlessly and there's the difference. Ted Neely comes in second but not even close.

You really have to give them all credit, but the most naturally expressive has to be Neeley and Gillan, and Gillan takes the cake. His ability to go from his head voice scream down to a lower register and back up is legendary. It's unbelievably smooth. Also, the timbre of his voice is of the highest quality. Most of the others stuggle to make it flow as smoothly. For Ian, it's effortless.

In a lot of these, acting gets lost in singing. It sounds more like just hitting notes rather than playing a character. Like, Krop and Kennedy can sing, but I do not buy their performance. They sound kinda too good to be a broken, conflicted man about to die and fighting for and against his faith at the same time.

Steve Balsamo had the technique like 4 others, but Steve gave me goosebumps

Most of these talented male singers seem to forget they are portraying a rock-opera of The Passion, as opposed to performing in a competition for the best High G. Teddy (even after 40+ years) and Ian, both kept the rock-opera flavor and emotion of this haunting rendition of the character's tortured acceptance of his fate intact. Most everyone else is just singing.

Ted Neely was by far the best one, no one can ever top his rock solid ROCK MUSICAL performance

While a lot of singers hit that specific note with technical excellence (Steve Balsamo I really like), Ted Neeley set the bar for the overall performance of that note, the song overall, and the entire role. He just owns it with the perfect blend of rock passion and theatrical drama, much like Carl Anderson owns the role of Judas and "Heavan on Their Minds".

Drew Sarich is the top for me. Always will be. Saw him perform it life once, from one of the front rows. Outdoor stage. Absolutely breathtaking.

Steve Balsamo, hands down! Pure emotion in his performance too without going over the top!

Oh Ted Neeley hands down. Many can hit that note, but no one can bring out that emotion like him. WHY GOD?? WHY YOU GOTTA LET ME DIE LIKE THAT???

1:14 - 1:30 the best by far, created the Getsemane high note. 3:16 - 3:31 splendid clean and old school version by an underrated performer. 1:48 - 2:10 in Spanish with impressive passion and powerful reach (actually both Spanish versions are epic). Sebastian Bach's version is the "funniest" one.

Ian Gillan, incomparable, the best ever! He steps with absolute accuracy and high fluency exactly on every note throughout the whole song. Someone has to listen to all of it and the conclusion is inevitable.

They saved Steved Balsamo for last because he is the right answer.

Ian Guilan was astonishing. There's no other singer who used to sing this song that way. And I think there will never be anyone singing like Ian.

Ted and Ian have got it down. They just float into it effortlessly.

Ian Gillan has the better Vibrato, But 1st,Ted Neely has the Best input all the way around and a Good 3rd. Steve Balsamo

yes spanish jesus

Ian Gillan!!!! That vibrato!!!!!!!

Ted Neeley HANDS DOWN! Sung with true passion and from the heart with an insanely great voice

Also: who had the best hair?

You should have included Camilo Sesto, the original Spanish Jesus in the first version of the musical there. He's still to me the best one, he hits that note and his acting is amazing, he makes me cry every time!

My goodness..they are ALL PHENOMENAL…. But Ted Neeley has my heart… 🤣🤣❤️❤️💪💪 I love this… I saw performances I’ve never even heard of… it’s so beautiful, all of them..❤️💪💪💪🔥🔥👍👍👍🔥🔥

Ted Neely was the best Jesus ever! I saw him in Jesus Christ Superstar on my 50th birthday and he nailed that high note in Gethsemane perfectly!

I don´t know why Camilo Sesto is not there, you can feel the sadness and fatigue in his voice . It´s impressive his performance

Most technical: Jeff Fenholt, Steve Balsamo Most emotionally raw: Ted Neely, Ian Gillan

Why hasn't anyone commented on Ian's intonation? Just listen to the tremor in his voice. Goose bumps all over!!

With no disrespect to Ian, I love Ian but in my opinion Ian Gillan was the prototype and Ted Neley perfected it.

Of course no one touches Gillan, he's the one that set the high bar. The high note, the way it produces a harmonic *that then shifts in pitch*, the emotion. Created the impossible standard of the role of Jesus needing hard rock vocal techniques (apparently, this does not include Sebastian Back. Yikes.) Ted Neely comes in second. There's a reason he got cast in the movie. He doesn't have the same technique as Ian but puts the fucking work in. Actually reminds me more of David Clayton-Thomas from Blood Sweat and Tears. Guy at 3:37 beats out basically anyone else in the video (including Broadway Jesuses/Jesi) just by virtue of doing it from the chest, not as a falsetto. I don't think anyone else in this video imitates Gillan's technique like he does. Even though he doesn't hold the note for as long, legitimately fucking impressive. No one else gets the rasp/harmonic. Ese es el poder latino!

Ian and Ted knew what they were singing and felt it. Ian was my favorite though. That voice!

Camilo Sesto the number one.

Y'all are sleeping on Drew Sarich! He's on the Viennese live recording, which is on spotify! Even though it's an Austrian production it's in English, and only a few of the cast members have noticeable accents.

Me parece increíble q no se haya incluido en este recuento al español Camilo Sesto, el primer JC q interpretó en español la obra, y a su vez, considerada la mejor performance en nuestro idioma.

Ian Gillan's version is the absolute best. So much feeling and passion!! Ian Gillan has been my favorite singer for over 50 years!! So much natural talemt!! 😍 ❤❤❤❤❤❤

So many of them don't understand why they sing "WHY" and treat it just as "omg guys look what I can do" moment, without any emotion.

I would love to see a comparison of all of the "I will drink your cup of poison" parts

I loved Eric Michael Krop, Ian Gillan, and, of course, Ted Neeley the best, but props to ANYONE willing to go for that note tbh. I'd love to see who sang the I Don't Know How To Love Him climax best!

Man my vote is probably for Ian Gillan. No surprise, that's about as good as a scream gets. Perfect balance of rasp and control. Plus the most important thing! Him and Neeley. They have a low end to their scream, even on a g5 there is a lower tone connected with it. That is what sets those guys apart.

Ian Gillian is the only one that really sells it

Ian Gillan will always be my favorite Jesus. In a very very close second would come Ted Neeley. I met him about 10/11 years ago after a performance. One of the nicest celbrities I have ever met. We spent about 40 minutes talking outside the theater.

a lot of them just sound way too clean... they are hitting the note without hitting the emotion. Ted Neeley still does it best.