The Family Way - Ultimate Archive Collection

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Track list

Disc 1

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About

From the liner notes:

First up is The Family Way. This one has a long and convoluted history that I don’t have the time nor energy to go into here. Suffice it to say that this set includes the stereo and mono mixes taken from the best sources available. For the stereo, it was a lossless download that came out a few years ago (which is WAY better than the 2003 CD issue which featured a feeble needledrop of the LP). Speaking of needledrops, there was an exquisite one done of an original NM mono pressing which sounds absolutely terrific. This is what I’ve included here. To add to the pot, I’ve included all the various 45 versions of both Love In The Open Air + Theme From The Family Way that have popped up, all in excellent quality. To top it off, I’ve included three of the nine “Variations” from the 1995 “re-interpretation” by Carl Aubut. I would have liked to include all nine, but had no space to do so. As this release basically amounts to a “covers album”, it doesn’t trouble me greatly to not have the entire release included here. To close out the disc, I have included all three re-interpretations of The Family Way Theme (Samba / Waltz /Rondeau) that were done in 1999 by La Flute Enchantee, and included on that 2003 CD. While there have been many different versions of The Family Way released through the years, this should hopefully be the final version anyone would ever need.

NOTES:
1-13 – stereo mix of The Family Way – Based on a 15 second piano piece ‘written’ by Paul McCartney, George Martin wrote 24 musical cues for the film soundtrack. They were recorded by the George Martin Orchestra, augmented by studio musicians on organ, brass, drums and bass, with conductor Neville Marriner during three sessions in November 1966, in the CTS Studios, London. Out of these cues 13 tracks were assembled for the soundtrack album, with six of the tracks banding together a number of shorter musical cues.

The soundtrack album was released on January 6, 1967 in the UK (Decca SLK 4847) and June 12, 1967 in the USA (London Records S 82007). All tracks were untitled.

The remastered stereo mix was released on cd on Jyly 25, 2011 (Varèse Sarabande – VSD-7095 (Europe) and Varèse Sarabande – 302 067 095 2 (US)).

14 – Theme From The Family Way – see 28. This stereo mix was first released on the above cd as bonus track.

15-27 – mono mix of the above album, released on vinyl the same days as the stereo version. The mono mix was first released on cd on July 22, 2003 (XXI-21 Productions Inc. – CD 2 1468).

28 – Theme From The Family Way – mono mix of 14. To tie in with the British premiere of the film, Decca Records released a mono single on December 23, 1966 (Decca F-12536): ‘Love In The Open Air’/’ Theme from The Family Way’ by The Tudor Minstrels. The groups name is a reference to Tudor Films, the production company of John Boulting, twin brother of the director Roy Boulting. The a-side is simply track 6 of the album, but the b-side is a composite of tracks 1 & 13. In the US, the single (London 45-1012) is released on January 24, 1967.

29-30 – both sides of a single (United Artists UP 1165) by George Martin And His Orchestra, released on December 21, 1966 in the UK These are different arrangements of both tracks of the Decca single, rush recorded especially on December 15, 1966 in E.M.I. Recording Studio on Abbey Road.

31-32 – both sides of a single (United Artists UA 50148) by George Martin And His Orchestra, released on April 24, 1967 in the US. These are new recordings. The b-sde is a Martin composition unrelated to the film, while the a-side is an faster arrangement. Recorded at E.M.I. over three days in early February 1967.

33-35 – On December 5, 1995 the album was released for the first time on cd (officially, that is) in Canada and the US. For The Family Way – Variations Concertantes Opus 1 (Or W. Woolf – ORWCD-28), the 22 minute soundtrack was augmented by some variations by a classical guitarist from Quebec Carl Aubut.These were recorded from February 1994 on with the Claudel String Quartet. Paul McCartney approved the release. In Europe the cd was released on June 20, 1996.

36-38 – On May 9, 2000 Sir Paul McCartney’s Liverpool (ACD22137 ATMA Classique ) was released. It contained four recording of works by McCartney, transcribed for flute quartet. These performances by La Flûte Enchantée, were recorded at Eglise Saint-Augustin-de-Mirabel, Quebec, on August 20-22, 1997.

From this release, three more variations on ‘The Family Way Theme’ by Anthony Rozankovic , were also released on the more common version of The Family Way, in July 2003 (Polygram 528922).

Last updated on April 14, 2020