Highlights from Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds
Encyclopedia
Highlights from Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds is a compilation album
by Jeff Wayne
. It was released by Columbia Records
.
but did not want to sit through all the dialogue, Columbia Records issued a single-disc abridged version. It focused on the album's songs, but did not shy away from the longer musical passages. The album scrambles the original track list, reducing the already lowered plot coherence.
When the record was re-issued in October 2000, two bonus tracks were added: the 1989 remix
of the single
version of "The Eve of the War" and the 1996 remix of "Forever Autumn".
The record was re-issued in June 2007 with a revised cover, new stereo mixes of the original nine tracks and the bonus track "The Spirit Of Man (2007 Mix)".
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
by Jeff Wayne
Jeff Wayne
Jeffry "Jeff" Wayne, born in Forest Hills, Queens, New York, is a musician best known for Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds, his musical version of H. G. Wells' The War of the Worlds...
. It was released by Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
.
About the album
In order to cater to casual consumers who liked the music of Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the WorldsJeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds
Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds is a 1978 concept album by Jeff Wayne, retelling the story of The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells. Its format is progressive rock and string orchestra, using narration and leitmotifs to carry the story via rhyming melodic lyrics that express...
but did not want to sit through all the dialogue, Columbia Records issued a single-disc abridged version. It focused on the album's songs, but did not shy away from the longer musical passages. The album scrambles the original track list, reducing the already lowered plot coherence.
When the record was re-issued in October 2000, two bonus tracks were added: the 1989 remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
of the single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
version of "The Eve of the War" and the 1996 remix of "Forever Autumn".
The record was re-issued in June 2007 with a revised cover, new stereo mixes of the original nine tracks and the bonus track "The Spirit Of Man (2007 Mix)".
Original compilation
- "The Eve of the War" – 5:13
- "Horsell Common and the Heat Ray" – 4:45
- "Forever AutumnForever Autumn (song)"Forever Autumn" is a song by Jeff Wayne, Gary Osborne and Paul Vigrass. The original melody was written by Wayne in 1969 as a jingle for a Lego commercial. Vigrass and Osborne, the performers of the original jingle, added lyrics to the song and recorded it for inclusion on their 1972 album Queues...
" (Wayne, Vigrass, OsborneGary OsborneGary Osborne is an English singer and songwriter from the United Kingdom.-Career:Osborne was born in London, educated in Switzerland, and followed his father into the music industry at the age of fifteen....
) – 4:31 - "The Fighting Machine" – 4:25
- "Thunderchild" (Wayne, Osborne) – 5:09
- "The Red Weed" – 6:06
- "The Spirit of Man" (Wayne, Osborne) – 6:44
- "Dead London" – 5:25
- "Brave New World" (Wayne, Osborne) – 5:23
2000 re-issue bonus tracks
- The Eve of the War (single version, 1989 remix)
- Forever Autumn (1996 remix)
Additional musicians
- Richard BurtonRichard BurtonRichard Burton, CBE was a Welsh actor. He was nominated seven times for an Academy Award, six of which were for Best Actor in a Leading Role , and was a recipient of BAFTA, Golden Globe and Tony Awards for Best Actor. Although never trained as an actor, Burton was, at one time, the highest-paid...
– spoken wordSpoken wordSpoken word is a form of poetry that often uses alliterated prose or verse and occasionally uses metered verse to express social commentary. Traditionally it is in the first person, is from the poet’s point of view and is themed in current events....
s - David EssexDavid EssexDavid Essex OBE is an English musician, singer-songwriter and actor. Since the 1970s, Essex has attained nineteen Top 40 singles in the UK , and sixteen Top 40 albums...
– spoken words and vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
("Brave New World") - Phil LynottPhil LynottPhilip Parris "Phil" Lynott was an Irish musician who first came to prominence as a founding member, principal songwriter, and frontman of the Irish rock band Thin Lizzy....
– spoken words and vocals ("The Spirit of Man") - Julie CovingtonJulie CovingtonJulie Covington is an English singer and actress, best known for recording the original version of "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina".-Career:...
– spoken words and vocals ("The Spirit of Man") - Justin HaywardJustin HaywardJustin Hayward is an English musician, best known as singer, songwriter and guitarist in the rock band The Moody Blues.Hayward was born in Dean Street, Swindon, Wiltshire, England...
– vocals ("Forever Autumn", "The Eve of the War") - Chris Thompson – vocals ("Thunder Child")
- Ken FreemanKen Freeman (composer)Ken Freeman is a prominent English composer and session musician, primarily playing piano and synthesisers.He is most prominently known for his work playing most of the synthesisers on Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds, and also as the composer of the theme music for BBC...
– keyboards - Chris SpeddingChris SpeddingChris Spedding is an English rock and roll and jazz guitarist, best known for his session work. Allmusic states - "Spedding is one of the UK's most versatile session guitarists, and has had a long career on two continents that saw him tackle nearly every style of rock and roll, as well as...
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Jo Partridge – guitar
- George FentonGeorge FentonGeorge Fenton is a British composer best known for his work writing film scores and music for television, although he also writes music for the theatre. His real name is George Howe but he is better known by his pseudonym of George Fenton.-Selected film and television credits:Fenton has composed...
– santurSanturThe santur is a Persian hammered dulcimerIt is a trapezoid-shaped box often made of walnut or different exotic woods. The Persian classical santur has 72 strings. The name santur was first referenced in ancient Persian poetry...
, zitherZitherThe zither is a musical string instrument, most commonly found in Slovenia, Austria, Hungary citera, northwestern Croatia, the southern regions of Germany, alpine Europe and East Asian cultures, including China...
, tarTarTar is modified pitch produced primarily from the wood and roots of pine by destructive distillation under pyrolysis. Production and trade in tar was a major contributor in the economies of Northern Europe and Colonial America. Its main use was in preserving wooden vessels against rot. The largest... - Herbie FlowersHerbie FlowersHerbie Flowers is an English musician specialising in bass guitar, double-bass and tuba. He is noted as a member of Blue Mink, T...
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Barry Morgan – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Barry da Souza, Roy Jones, Ray CooperRay CooperRay Cooper is an English musician. He is a session and road-tour percussionist, and occasional actor, who has worked with several musically diverse bands and artists including George Harrison, Billy Joel, Eric Clapton, and Elton John. Cooper is commonly regarded by music fans, critics and fellow...
– percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration... - Paul Vigrass, Gary OsborneGary OsborneGary Osborne is an English singer and songwriter from the United Kingdom.-Career:Osborne was born in London, educated in Switzerland, and followed his father into the music industry at the age of fifteen....
, Billy Lawrie – backing vocals