This is a very underrated song, but it happens to be my favorite song in the show, as well as my favorite Mary Magdelene song. Most people remember her first two songs, but seem to forget that A) it's in the show and B) it's sung by Mary. To me it's the ultimate second chance song, for we've all been in the position of making a mistake and giving anything to take it back. So, who else loves this song?

I also love this song. I think you will find that the reason why many people remember her first two songs more is because "Could we start again please" was not written till after the original concept album.

I love the song in part because it's so underrated, especially at its place in the second act.

I find that in current productions, everybody seems to want to move it around, or change it, or try to give it another purpose. I've seen people attempt to use it as a post-"John 19:41" resurrection scene (usually using the additional lyrics from the Paul Nicholas/Claire Moore single version from 1992 -- by and large, I detest these mediocre, generic "pop song" lyrics, which, to me, show how little the show's authors regard the song, that they were willing to massage it into a single); I've seen at least one production that inserted the number, somehow, into the middle of the thirty-nine lashes, which is at least closer to the song's original purpose, but it pulls attention away from the main event.

I'm tired of people attempting to re-purpose it. It doesn't need another purpose; it's serving its purpose just fine the way it is. And what is its purpose? To prevent mood whiplash. Almost all of Act Two is heavy drama, except, at least in most productions, for "King Herod's Song," which is treated as comic relief. On the original album, it worked as a break from the heavy drama simply by virtue of being a slow, simple number in a wholly different style from much of the score, but that doesn't work on stage; stage has a different dynamic from records, especially when Herod's number is one of the few that immediately calls for flashy "show biz" choreography, a real "number," as it were. On stage, it plays as a wild, raucous moment riddled with dark humor, a big socko smash, the laugh of the evening, going right into the suicidal breakdown of a man (quite literally) at the end of his rope... that's a hell of a transition, which comes sandwiched between more heavy drama.

From a structural position, "Could We Start Again..." is needed to bring the audience back into the drama, to gently remind them of what is going on in the plot, and at the same time to reveal how Mary, Peter, Simon (in the 2000 revival), Judas (in the current Broadway revival; yes, they made it work, don't ask, just go buy a ticket), feel about the turn of events. That can bring us into Judas' suicide without the sudden "Wait, what the hell was that?" feeling.

i prefer it in its original form..as a Peter/Mary duet.

Quite frankly, it's the only Mary song I like. I dislike her other two songs, I always skip over them!

agreed.