Highlights from Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds Highlights from Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds Highlights from Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds is a 1981 compilation album by Jeff Wayne, highlights of the 1978 concept album, retelling the story of "The War of the Worlds" by H. G. Wells. It was released by Columbia Records. In order to cater to casual consumers who liked the music of "Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds" but did not want to sit through all the dialogue, Columbia Records issued a single-disc abridged version. It focused on the
The War of the Worlds (radio drama) fell to Paul Stewart, the person Welles would later credit as being largely responsible for the quality of "The War of the Worlds" broadcast. Welles wanted the music to play for unbearably long stretches of time. The studio's emergency fill-in, a solo piano playing Debussy and Chopin, was heard several times. "As it played on and on," Houseman wrote, "its effect became increasingly sinister—a thin band of suspense stretched almost beyond endurance. That piano was the neatest trick of the show." Dress rehearsal was scheduled for 6 pm. "Our actual broadcasting time, from the first mention of the meteorites to