June 1971 - Toronto CHUM chart highest position: 2
This is another song from a musical; in this case, it's Jesus Christ Superstar. I'm not really into musicals, so this isn't really my thing, but I listened to it successfully without cringing.
"I Don't Know How To Love Him" was originally a song called "Kansas Morning" before Tim Rice wrote new lyrics to it. The version that appeared on the Jesus Christ Superstar soundtrack album was recorded by Yvonne Elliman, apparently in one take. Ms. Elliman's version is a bit more soulful and its heavy-duty orchestration doesn't start up until two-thirds of the way through, but the two versions are fairly similar.
Because "Superstar" was chosen to be the initial release from the soundtrack album, Ms. Reddy's cover version of "I Don't Know How To Love Him" was released before Ms. Elliman's original version. When Ms. Reddy's version started climbing the charts, eventually making it to #13 on the Billboard Hot 100, Ms. Elliman's version was hastily released, making it to #28. It was unusual in the 1970s for two versions of a song to be on the chart at the same time (it was more common in the 1950s).
Helen Reddy (1941-2020) was from Australia and started her singing career at the age of four. After "I Don't Know How To Love Him", she went on to have a number of hits in the 1970s, including three U.S. number ones: the anthemic "I Am Woman", which won a Grammy; "Delta Dawn"; and "Angie Baby".
Ms. Reddy retired from performing in 2002, though she made a brief comeback later. In the meantime, she earned a degree in clinical hypnotherapy and neuro-linguistic programming. In the 2000s, she lived in an apartment overlooking Sydney Harbour; when her landlord found out that the Helen Reddy was his tenant, he promised her that he would never sell her apartment building or raise her rent.
Created June 16, 2026.