Richard Burton Narrated a Musical Version of ‘The War of the Worlds’

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Elizabeth Taylor’s legendary love and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf star Richard Burton has a speaking voice that could melt butter, as they say. He lent his sonorous talents to composer Jeff Wayne’s concept album, Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of the Worlds, in 1978. Inspired by the 1898 sci-fi novel, the album is full of grandiose, symphonic prog — which seems to epitomize the bloated conceptual excesses of the genre that are so easy to lampoon. It is invested with the gravitas of Burton and some of H.G. Wells’ original words, however, so it has some dramatic resonance. The work also features the vocals of UK pop star David Essex and Thin Lizzy’s Phil Lynoot, among others. Listen to some proggy Richard Burton after the jump. Follow the YouTube links for more if it pleases you.