EDWARD & MRS SIMPSON TV Soundtrack LP 1978 RON GRAINER Noël Coward Edward Fox

	£		18
	$		24

Label: RK Records

Year: 1978

Country: UK

Vinyl: NM near-mint. Clean on visual inspection. Plays perfectly. No skipping, jumping or sticking.  

Cover and sleeve: NM near-mint. No signs of wear and colours remain  unfaded. A pristine example.

This album has never had a CD release!

A CD rip of this actual LP album will be included as part of this sale.

This UK release features much better artwork and design than the later US release.

Track Listing

Side 1:

1. I've Danced With a Man

Scott. Vocal by Jenny Wren

2. The Very Thought of You

Ray Noble

3. Room With a View

Noël Coward

4. If I Had You

Connelly / Shapiro

5. Of Cabbages and Kings

Ron Grainer

6. Bring Down the Curtain

Ron Grainer

Side 2:

7. One More Dance

Ron Grainer

8. Dance, Little Lady

Noël Coward

9. Tango

10. When Love Grows Cold

Ron Grainer

11. Murmurs in the Wind

Ron Grainer

12. I've Danced With a Man

Scott. Vocal by Jenny Wren

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About the series:

Edward & Mrs. Simpson is a seven-part British television series that dramatises the events leading to the 1936 abdication of King Edward VIII of the United Kingdom, who gave up his throne to marry the twice-divorced American Wallis Simpson.

The series, made by Thames Television for ITV, was originally broadcast in 1978. Edward Fox played Edward, and Cynthia Harris portrayed Mrs. Simpson. The series was scripted by Simon Raven, based on Fox's maternal aunt Frances Donaldson's biography of the King, Edward VIII. It was produced by Andrew Brown, overseen by Head of Drama Thames Television Verity Lambert and directed by Waris Hussein. The incidental music was by Ron Grainer.

The series won the 1980 Emmy award for Outstanding Limited Series, and BAFTA Awards in 1979 for Best Actor, Best Design, Best Costume Design, and Best Series or Serial. 

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Episodes:

1. The Little Prince: Edward's life in the 1920s as Prince of Wales, his romances with Freda Dudley Ward and Lady Furness, his introduction to Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Simpson.

2. Venus at the Prow: The romance between Edward and Mrs. Simpson develops.

3. The New King: Edward succeeds to the throne upon the death of his father, King George V, in January, 1936, and asks Mrs. Simpson to marry him. Mr. Simpson agrees to a divorce. The King, Mrs. Simpson, and friends cruise the Mediterranean, an event widely reported by the press outside of England.

4. The Divorce: Edward convinces Mrs. Simpson to go forward with her divorce; she would then be free to marry him and be crowned Queen at the coronation scheduled for May, 1937. The King and the government pressure the British press to maintain silence about the King's romance, but news dribbles into Britain and gossip abounds. The New York Journal breaks the story "King will wed Wally".

5. The Decision: Edward is warned that British press silence about his 'friendship' with Mrs. Simpson is about to be broken. The King tells the royal family and the Prime Minister that he intends to marry Wallis Simpson, and will abdicate if he cannot do so as King.

6. Proposals: Attempts are made to resolve the problem without Edward's abdicating, including a proposal put forth by the King for a morganatic marriage with Wallis Simpson. The British and Commonwealth governments oppose the marriage in any form.

7. The Abdication: The final days of Edward as King.

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About the music:

The theme music used for the opening and closing titles was a composite of Herbert Farjeon's 1927 song "I've danced with a man, who's danced with a girl, who's danced with the Prince of Wales" and the opening of the British national anthem "God Save the King." The Farjeon song was inspired by Edna Deane, a well known champion ballroom dancer of the time.

Other music used during the series were original recordings by Al Bowlly including "Isn't It Heavenly" (two recordings exist from 1 August 1933 and 25 October 1933 for Decca, it is not known which recording was used in the series) and "Love Is The Sweetest Thing" (recorded 8 September 1932). Al Bowlly lived in London but was often found touring the UK. He enjoyed a succession of hits and is thought to have recorded hundreds of songs between 1927 and 1941. "Isn't It Heavenly" takes centre stage in a scene in which Edward and Mrs Simpson are dancing in their private hotel suite c. f1935.

Ron Grainer provided the incidental music used throughout the series.

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****** NOTE: please also see my other listing for the DVD BOXSET of this landmark series. ********

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Postage and packaging £3.50 to UK. Will post worldwide. Europe £5.50; N and S America, USA, Canada £9; Asia, Australia, Japan £11. No returns accepted.

Payment by cheque (UK only) or Paypal please.

Please see my other soundtrack listings. 

Thanks for looking and happy buying!