On September 6, 1978, “Columbia” label released “Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of the Worlds”, the debut Jeff Wayne studio album. It was recorded May 1976 – July 1977, and was produced by Jeff Wayne. The album retells the story of “The War of the Worlds” by H. G. Wells.

Personnel:

• Jerry Wayne – spoken words (The Voice of NASA), orchestration, conductor
• Richard Burton– spoken words (The Journalist: the narrator-protagonist)
• Justin Hayward– vocals (The Sung Thoughts of the Journalist)
• David Essex– spoken words, vocals (The Artilleryman)
• Chris Thompson– vocals (The Voice of Humanity)
• Phil Lynott– spoken words, vocals (Parson Nathaniel)
• Julie Covington– spoken words , vocals (Beth)
• Chris Spedding – giuitar
• Jo Partridge – guitar
• Ken Freeman – keyboards, synthesizer
• Herbie Flowers – bass
• Barry Morgan – drums
• Barry De Souza – percussion
• Ray Cooper – percussion
• Roy Jones – percussion
• George Fenton – lute, santoor, zither
• Pest (Geraldine Wayne) -sounds
• Geoff Young – recording
• Laurence Diana – recording assistant
• Bill Foster – mastering
• John Pasche – logo design, art direction
• Nick Broome – design
• Terry Relph-Knight – design
• Geoff Taylor – painting
• Michael Trim – painting
• Peter Goodfellow – painting
• Music Activity Management – musical coordinator
• The General Booking Company – musical coordinator
• Jerry Wayne – executive producer

Track listing:

All dialogues by Doreen and Jerry Wayne, based upon H.G. Wells’s original text.

All tracks by Jeff Wayne, except where noted.

1. The Eve of the War
2. Horsell Common and the Heat Ray
3. The Artilleryman and the Fighting Machine
4. Forever Autumn – lyrics by Paul Vigrass and Gary Osborne
5. Thunder Child – lyrics by Gary Osborne
6. The Red Weed (Part 1)
7. Parson Nathaniel
8. The Spirit of Man – lyrics by Gary Osborne
9. The Red Weed (Part 2)
10. Brave New World -(lyrics by Gary Osborne)
11. Dead London
12. Epilogue (Part 1)
13. Epilogue (Part 2)