MM's Heavy Rotation: Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds

"No one would have believed, in the last years of the nineteenth century, that human affairs were being watched from the timeless worlds of space. No one could have dreamed that we were being scrutinized as someone with a microscope studies creatures that swarm and multiply in a drop of water. Few men even considered the possibility of life on other planets. And yet, across the gulf of space, minds immeasurably superior to ours regarded this earth with envious eyes, and slowly and surely, they drew their plans against us."  -- The Eve of the War. (mp3, 16mb)

H.G. Wells' The War of the Worlds was one of the first science fiction novels ever written, in 1898.  Over the years it's been subject to many interpretations.  Most famously, Orson Welles' 1938 radio broadcast (realaudio link courtesy of earthstation1.com) sparked a mass hysteria.  Like Welles' version, Steven Spielberg's recent effort transplanted the story from late 18th century England to modern day New Jersey, with Tom Cruise as a working man from Bayonne.

Perhaps less well known outside of the UK is Jeff Wayne's 1978 prog-disco concept album, which  remained on album charts there for a staggering 300 weeks.  Wayne is a Queens-born composer whose father Jerry (who played Sky Masterson in the original West End production of Guys and Dolls), helped him get his start in the music business by offering him the chance to compose the music for "Two Cities" - a 1966 musical based on Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities. After his auspicious debut, Wayne turned to producing records and music for commercials and television for a few years.  Then, in 1975, he came up with the idea to make a musical version of Wells' classic.  After 3 long years of recording and production, he released his masterpiece. 

The album features the lyrics of Garry Osbourne (who later wrote with Elton John) and session music from artists like Jo Partridge, Ray Cooper, George Fenton, and Chris Spedding and Herbie Flowers, the bassist who also worked on Lou Reed's "Walk on the Wild Side" and Nilsson's "Jump Into the Fire".    Richard Burton plays the spoken word role of The Journalist, who narrates the story.  David Essex (the UK David Cassidy) performs many of the backing vocals and a spoken word part as The Artilleryman.  In a seemingly risky bit of casting that ultimately paid off, Phil Lynott (Thin Lizzy) was chosen to play the part of Nathaniel, the Parson driven mad with fear and despair.  The role of the Parson's wife, Beth, is played by Julie Covington, who went on to score an international number one hit with "Don't Cry for Me Argentina".  Chris Thompson (Manfred Mann's Earth Band) and  Justin Hayward (The Moody Blues) supply the vocals for the song "Thunder Child" and the radio hit "Autumn Leaves" (mp3 sample, .8 mb), respectively.    

The result of this monumental collaboration is a work of disco-meets-prog-meets-L. Ron Hubbard greatness.  Wells' story is worthily told through the music, with recurring motifs like the jangly and evil Martian theme (which hearkens a bit to Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song", mp3 sample, 1.3 mb) and their creepy victory scream, "Ulla!!!" (mp3 sample, 1 mb).    As you listen, you feel the sense of impending doom, and otherworldliness of the Martian invaders.  You can "see" the Martian heat rays of destruction as they stalk across the land and massacre the human race.   Phil Lynott wildly caterwauls as the mad Parson while Julie Covington pleads with him to come to his senses (Spirit of Man. mp3 sample, 1.9 mb).   And the human spirit ultimately triumphs, as depicted in Brave New World (mp3 sample, .9 mb).  Or at least it does for the time being... as we learn in the chilling Epilogue.

Like the original book, the musical version went on to inspire other versions and interpretations.  The album was released in German, and two versions were released in Spanish, including one version with Anthony Quinn playing The Journalist.  In 1998, a strategic computer game was produced, featuring the music of and based on the illustrations for the musical version.   In 2000, a collection of re-mixes entitled The War of the Worlds: ULLAdubULLA The Remix Album came out, and a follow-up collection is to be released April 17, 2006.   The deluxe 7 disc collector's set became available in 2005, and a CGI animated film version of the musical version is scheduled for release in 2007.   Also, The Arsonists sampled  "The Eve of the War" for the song "Blaze" (windows media sample) off of their 1999 album As the World Burns.

Coincidentally, and most excitingly, starting tomorrow, April 13th, Jeff Wayne and company (including the 48 piece ULLAdubULLA orchestra) will be touring the UK performing, for the first time ever, an adaptation of the album IN ITS ENTIRITY.  See the tour schedule here.  Richard Burton will be there "in sight and sound", and reportedly in the form of a giant head. 

Again, here is The Eve of the War. (mp3, 16mb), the entire opening track, so you can get a taste and hear for yourself.  Lots more information and the history of the making of this album can be found at its official website thewaroftheworlds.com.  Enjoy!

Comments

[blatherskite]

Alan Partridge recommends it (go to this page and scroll to the last MP3 snippet offered there).

And with such a recommendation, one cannot go wrong.

[Krys O.]

Aieeeee! I own the vinyl and the CD of that! Growing up a rabid Moody Blues and H.G. Wells fan, I HAD to buy that at the local Korvettes. Ulla! (collapses in small heap by workdesk, sniffling and giggling)

[Martin]

Excellent mp3. That orchestral intro never fails to send shivers down my spine, a classic intro. I'm surprised it wasn't big in the US, as here in the UK it was pretty huge. And remember, the chances of anything coming from Mars ARE a million to one.

[jere]

Last year, mashup/bootleg artist "Fettdog" created a two-part mashup of Jeff Wayne's "War of the Worlds."

It uses the same narration as Jeff Wayne's, but the music is all appropriately placed popular music (as the rockets launch, you hear Metallica's "For Whom the Bell Tolls"). Other artists include Ride, Chris Isaak, Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, and others).

You can still download the whole thing here.

[Herman Mooney]

Wow, this is incredible! Thanks so much.
Posts like this are what keeps me comning back to this blog, introducing me to stuff I had never heard of.

[Dale Hazelton]

Man, I have this vinyl, and never thought there was ANY current interest in the album. I was a Moodys fan and got it for that reason, but when they made the sloppily edited version of "Forever Autumn" for top 40, my interest began to dim. I thought Phil Lynott delivered a great vocal performance, certainly better than "The Boys are Back in Town", anyway. Julie Covington sounded hot, to my 19 year old ears and Richard Burton--he could read the instructions on a can of soup and you could sense the gravity in it all.

Tell me this couldn't be a Broadway play. The sense of calm, all Hell breaks loose, and just at it's bleakest, salvation is at hand. Great music to boot. Plus you get the laser beams. EVERYBODY loves laser beams!!

If you like this sort of thing, YOU MUST check out Mike Batt's "Tarot Suite" (http://www.tarotpassages.com/tarot_suite.htm and http://www.math.uni-magdeburg.de/~rooff/schizo.html#Biography). Doesn't quite bear up to repeated listening like WotW does, but Colin Blunstone's vocals on the ballad "Losing your way in the Rain" and Cris Speddings guitar work it make worth seeking out.

[James]

Yeah, my (English) Dad used to play this when I was a little kid. The "ulla!" part would reverberate around the house (at least it felt like it then) and I would go to bed scared shitless.

[listener colin in Toronto]

Thanks for dropping some Martian history on us, Megan!

I remember seeing this in record stores as a kid and being confused - was it a musical? was it a soundtrack? then a cool older kid in high school loaned it to me (along with cheap trick and the b-52s) and wow! I used to have it on an old tape that got lost ages ago, but last year it turned out to be a fave of my sisters boyfriend and he made a cd of the LP for me. Still holds up and love the "ULLA!"

[Tombunax]

My mother bought this album for my father, as a Christmas present, when it first came out. I was ten at the time. Dad had it cranking all day, while I was playing with my Star Wars toys. Ahh fond memories! When this album became available on CD, I bought it and made sure I bought one for my dad as well. I listen to it at least once a year. Oddly enough, it puts me in the holiday spirit! Thanks for the new info. Some new stuff to look forward to.

[wakki]

Last night (18th April 2006)... We all went to the The Royal Albert Hall in London.... Jeff Waynes War of the Worlds LIVE!! Justin Hayward, Herbie Flowers (bass), Chris Spedding (guitar), Russell Watson(Parson Nathaniel) & Chis Thomson as the Voice of Humanity....30 foot high fighting machine and all!!! The sound was outragious and visually spectactular!! If you were all thinking about going to this production.... think no more..... JUST GO!! TOTALLY FABULOUS!! I too grew up with this amazing production on vinyl (still got it as well)also have the Cd, but LIVE.... just a total blow-away!!

[LUKEY from ozz]

AWWWWWWW.........MY FIRST ALBUM EVER..
......EITHER THAT OR IT WAS THE STAR WARS RECORD AND BOOK WHERE YOU TURN THE PAGE AFTER THE R2D2 BEEP.COME TO THINK OF IT .....I CAN'T DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN SCI-FI AND MUSIC AND HAVN'T BEEN ABLE TO SINCE OR EVER

[James Atkinson]

Wow. I own this vinyl too...won it on a local AM radio call-in thingy back in the late '70s. I played it one time on my hot little hi-fi and it scared the shit out of me. Never played it again, though for reasons unknown and unknowable have toted it around with me for the intervening 25 years or so.

Guess I'll have to pull it out again and have a listen. Oops. Can't. Didn't also tote around that little hi-fi. Well, the cover art is interesting at least.

J

[David Humphrey]

Is there anywhere I can download a transcript of Richard Burton's narrative as journalist in War of the Worlds??

[Chie]

Thanks, I've been looking everywhere for Eve of the War on MP3!! :D

[Chie]

Thanks, I've been looking everywhere for Eve of the War on MP3!! :D

[steve_w]

This album has been a constant in my life since childhood.
My friends love it, My beloved partner Pammy loves it.
My best friend bought us both tickets to see it live this year, it was without any doubt the greatest live spectacle I have ever seen.On a final note my best friend happens to be Fettdog whom jere mentioned earlier in this post, his mashup version is an awesome labour of love brought to fruition. His talents never fail to amaze me, Thank you for the tickets!!