The Iron Man: A Musical
Encyclopedia
The Iron Man: The Musical by Pete Townshend, released in 1989, is an adaptation of Ted Hughes
' story The Iron Man, produced and largely composed and performed by Pete Townshend
of The Who
. It also stars Roger Daltrey
, Deborah Conway
, John Lee Hooker
, and Nina Simone
.
The three then-surviving members of The Who (Daltrey, John Entwistle
, and Townshend) performed as a group in two songs, "Dig" and "Fire
", although the latter was not penned by Townshend.
"A Friend is a Friend" and "I Won't Run Anymore" were released as singles; "Fire" was also issued as a promo-only in the United States
.
A stage version was mounted at the Young Vic theatre in London
in 1993. On the strength of this, Warners optioned the story for a movie which, with a very different adaptation of the story, became The Iron Giant
; Townshend received an Executive Producer credit.
except where noted.
Bonus tracks from the 2006 U.S. Hip-O Records
Ted Hughes
Edward James Hughes OM , more commonly known as Ted Hughes, was an English poet and children's writer. Critics routinely rank him as one of the best poets of his generation. Hughes was British Poet Laureate from 1984 until his death.Hughes was married to American poet Sylvia Plath, from 1956 until...
' story The Iron Man, produced and largely composed and performed by Pete Townshend
Pete Townshend
Peter Dennis Blandford "Pete" Townshend is an English rock guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and author, known principally as the guitarist and songwriter for the rock group The Who, as well as for his own solo career...
of The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
. It also stars Roger Daltrey
Roger Daltrey
Roger Harry Daltrey, CBE , is an English singer and actor, best known as the founder and lead singer of English rock band The Who. He has maintained a musical career as a solo artist and has also worked in the film industry, acting in a large number of films, theatre and television roles and also...
, Deborah Conway
Deborah Conway
Deborah Ann Conway, is an Australian rock singer-songwriter and guitarist, and had a career as a model and actor. She was a founding member of the 1980s rock band Do-Ré-Mi with their surprise top 5 hit "Man Overboard"....
, John Lee Hooker
John Lee Hooker
John Lee Hooker was an American blues singer-songwriter and guitarist.Hooker began his life as the son of a sharecropper, William Hooker, and rose to prominence performing his own unique style of what was originally closest to Delta blues. He developed a 'talking blues' style that was his trademark...
, and Nina Simone
Nina Simone
Eunice Kathleen Waymon , better known by her stage name Nina Simone , was an American singer, songwriter, pianist, arranger, and civil rights activist widely associated with jazz music...
.
The three then-surviving members of The Who (Daltrey, John Entwistle
John Entwistle
John Alec Entwistle was an English bass guitarist, songwriter, singer, horn player, and film and record producer who was best known as the bass player for the rock band The Who. His aggressive lead sound influenced many rock bass players...
, and Townshend) performed as a group in two songs, "Dig" and "Fire
Fire (Arthur Brown song)
"Fire" is a 1968 song by Arthur Brown, Vincent Crane, Mike Finesilver and Peter Ker. Performed by The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, it was released as a single and on the band's debut album, also called The Crazy World of Arthur Brown. The single made #1 in the UK and Canada. In October, it made #2...
", although the latter was not penned by Townshend.
"A Friend is a Friend" and "I Won't Run Anymore" were released as singles; "Fire" was also issued as a promo-only in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
A stage version was mounted at the Young Vic theatre in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1993. On the strength of this, Warners optioned the story for a movie which, with a very different adaptation of the story, became The Iron Giant
The Iron Giant
The Iron Giant is a 1999 animated film produced by Warner Bros. Animation, based on the 1968 novel The Iron Man by Ted Hughes. Brad Bird directed the film, which stars a voice cast of Jennifer Aniston, Harry Connick, Jr., Vin Diesel, Eli Marienthal, Christopher McDonald and John Mahoney...
; Townshend received an Executive Producer credit.
Characters
- Hogarth: Pete TownshendPete TownshendPeter Dennis Blandford "Pete" Townshend is an English rock guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and author, known principally as the guitarist and songwriter for the rock group The Who, as well as for his own solo career...
- The Vixen: Deborah ConwayDeborah ConwayDeborah Ann Conway, is an Australian rock singer-songwriter and guitarist, and had a career as a model and actor. She was a founding member of the 1980s rock band Do-Ré-Mi with their surprise top 5 hit "Man Overboard"....
- The Iron Man: John Lee HookerJohn Lee HookerJohn Lee Hooker was an American blues singer-songwriter and guitarist.Hooker began his life as the son of a sharecropper, William Hooker, and rose to prominence performing his own unique style of what was originally closest to Delta blues. He developed a 'talking blues' style that was his trademark...
- The Space Dragon: Nina SimoneNina SimoneEunice Kathleen Waymon , better known by her stage name Nina Simone , was an American singer, songwriter, pianist, arranger, and civil rights activist widely associated with jazz music...
- Hogarth's Father: Roger DaltreyRoger DaltreyRoger Harry Daltrey, CBE , is an English singer and actor, best known as the founder and lead singer of English rock band The Who. He has maintained a musical career as a solo artist and has also worked in the film industry, acting in a large number of films, theatre and television roles and also...
- The Crow: Chyna
- The Jay: Nicola EmmanuelleNicola Emmanuelle-Early life, education:Nicola Emmanuelle comes from a South African jazz dynasty. Her Father Nathan ‘Dambuza’ Mdledle was the founder and lead singer of the Manhattan Brothers and a South African Hall of Famer, her mother Louisa Manuel also in the South African Hall of Fame, the female lead singer...
- The Frog: Billy NichollsBilly NichollsBilly Nicholls is an English singer, songwriter, record producer and musical director, who first gained fame in the 1960s while still a teenager with his Pet Sounds influenced album, Would You Believe, originally released on Immediate Records.Nicholls' compositions have been covered by many...
- The Owl: Simon TownshendSimon TownshendSimon Townshend is a British guitarist, singer and songwriter. He is the younger brother of The Who's Pete Townshend, and is most associated with The Who and the various side projects of its original members, despite many other musical ventures in his career....
- The Badger: Cleveland WatkissCleveland WatkissCleveland Watkiss is a versatile English singer who performs in a variety of musical genres, including jazz, reggae, rock music and drum and bass. Watkiss also performs on piano and guitar.-Life:...
Track listing
All songs written by Pete TownshendPete Townshend
Peter Dennis Blandford "Pete" Townshend is an English rock guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and author, known principally as the guitarist and songwriter for the rock group The Who, as well as for his own solo career...
except where noted.
- "I Won't Run Anymore" – 4:51 Vocals by Pete TownshendPete TownshendPeter Dennis Blandford "Pete" Townshend is an English rock guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and author, known principally as the guitarist and songwriter for the rock group The Who, as well as for his own solo career...
with Deborah ConwayDeborah ConwayDeborah Ann Conway, is an Australian rock singer-songwriter and guitarist, and had a career as a model and actor. She was a founding member of the 1980s rock band Do-Ré-Mi with their surprise top 5 hit "Man Overboard".... - "Over the Top" – 3:31 Vocals by John Lee HookerJohn Lee HookerJohn Lee Hooker was an American blues singer-songwriter and guitarist.Hooker began his life as the son of a sharecropper, William Hooker, and rose to prominence performing his own unique style of what was originally closest to Delta blues. He developed a 'talking blues' style that was his trademark...
- "Man Machines" – 0:42 Vocals by Simon TownshendSimon TownshendSimon Townshend is a British guitarist, singer and songwriter. He is the younger brother of The Who's Pete Townshend, and is most associated with The Who and the various side projects of its original members, despite many other musical ventures in his career....
- "Dig" – 4:07 Performed by The WhoThe WhoThe Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
- "A Friend Is a Friend" – 4:44 Vocals by Pete Townshend
- "I Eat Heavy Metal" – 4:01 Vocals by John Lee Hooker
- "All Shall Be Well" – 4:02 Vocals by Pete Townshend with Deborah Conway and Chyna
- "Was There Life" – 4:19 Vocals by Pete Townshend
- "Fast Food" – 4:26 Vocals by Nina SimoneNina SimoneEunice Kathleen Waymon , better known by her stage name Nina Simone , was an American singer, songwriter, pianist, arranger, and civil rights activist widely associated with jazz music...
- "A Fool Says" – 2:51 Vocals by Pete Townshend
- "FireFire (Arthur Brown song)"Fire" is a 1968 song by Arthur Brown, Vincent Crane, Mike Finesilver and Peter Ker. Performed by The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, it was released as a single and on the band's debut album, also called The Crazy World of Arthur Brown. The single made #1 in the UK and Canada. In October, it made #2...
" (Arthur BrownArthur Brown (musician)Arthur Brown is an English rock and roll musician best known for his flamboyant, theatrical style and significant influence on Alice Cooper, Peter Gabriel, Marilyn Manson, George Clinton, Kiss, King Diamond, and Bruce Dickinson, among others, and for his number one hit in the UK Singles Chart and...
, Vincent CraneVincent CraneVincent Crane was a self-taught pianist, who studied theory and composition at Trinity College of Music, and graduated in 1964...
, Mike Finesilver, Peter Ker) – 3:47 Performed by The Who - "New Life/Reprise" – 6:00 Vocals by Chyna with Pete Townshend and Nicola Emmanuel. Contains small extract of a live performance of "Magic Bus"
Bonus tracks from the 2006 U.S. Hip-O RecordsHip-O RecordsHip-O Records is a record label, currently part of Universal Music Group, which specializes in reissues and compilations. Their Hip-O Select label is currently in the midst of releasing the Complete Motown Singles, a series of fourteen box sets which include both sides of every 45 from Motown...
release
- "Dig" (Simon Townshend vocal version) – 4:09
- "Man Machines" (long version) – 4:34
- "I Eat Heavy Metal" (demo) – 4:04
Bonus tracks from the 2006 Japanese Imperial release
- "A Friend Is a Friend" (live at the Fillmore WestThe FillmoreThe Fillmore Auditorium is a historic music venue in San Francisco, California, made famous by Bill Graham. Named for its original location at the intersection of Fillmore Street and Geary Boulevard, it lies on the boundary of the Western Addition and the Pacific Heights neighborhoods.In 1968,...
, 1996) - "All Shall Be Well" (live at the Fillmore West, 1996)
Non-album tracks
- "Real World" (instrumental released on 12" and CD singles of "A Friend is a Friend", a different mix of it was on "Scoop 3Scoop 3Released in 2001, Scoop 3 is a compilation of demos & alternate versions of previous Who songs and new Pete Townshend material.-History:It is the third and last Scoop collection. It contains considerably less demos and alternate versions of previous Who songs than the previous Scoop and Another...
" in 2001) - "Penny Drop" (appeared on the Timothy WhiteTimothy WhiteTimothy White was a noted American rock music journalist and editor.White began his journalism career as a writer for the Associated Press, but soon gravitated towards music writing...
Radio Show; promo copies of the interview were pressed on vinyl by DIR Broadcasting) - "Dig" (demo released on the 1989 UK CD single of "I Won't Run Anymore")
- "Iron Man Recitative", "Can You Really Dance?", and "Man and Machines (demo)" appeared on Scoop 3Scoop 3Released in 2001, Scoop 3 is a compilation of demos & alternate versions of previous Who songs and new Pete Townshend material.-History:It is the third and last Scoop collection. It contains considerably less demos and alternate versions of previous Who songs than the previous Scoop and Another...
in 2001 - "Dig" (concert version appeared on The WhoThe WhoThe Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
's 1989 reunion tour concert album Join Together)