Controversy with Gotee's release of Godspell

AMERICAN Christian record company Gotee have caused considerable controversy in the US by re-releasing the original cast recording of Godspell, the 1971 musical by Stephen Schwartz and Paul Shaffer based loosely on the Gospel of Matthew. The original version of the show's "Day By Day" (revived by dc Talk on their 'Jesus Freak' album) was a Top 40 hit. The omission of a dramatized resurrection (portrayed symbolically through the curtain call), and the fact that the music and lyrics were written by a Jew, have kept the soundtrack from being embraced by the Christian music community or sold, until now, in Christian bookstores. CR

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