The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: The Original Albums

Two Full-Cast Audio Dramatisations

By: Douglas Adams

Narrated by: Full Cast, Peter Jones, Simon Jones, Geoffrey McGivern, Mark Wing-Davey

Length: 2 hrs and 38 mins

Publisher's summary

Don’t Panic! Reissued for the first time in 40 years, two unique recordings of Douglas Adams's sci-fi comedy drama.

When Earthman Arthur Dent learns that first his house and then his planet are about to be bulldozed, it’s the beginning of an interplanetary adventure for him and his friend, Ford Prefect. After fleeing Earth they hitch a lift with hoopy frood Zaphod Beeblebrox, who hurtles from one improbability to another - literally. With Trillian and Marvin the Paranoid Android in tow, the answer to Life, the Universe and Everything is soon revealed: 42. But what was the question…?

Following the success of the BBC radio series, Douglas Adams adapted his scripts for these two full-cast albums, with incidental radiophonic music provided by Paddy Kingsland. First released by Original Records in 1980, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and The Restaurant at the End of the Universe star Peter Jones as The Book, Simon Jones as Arthur Dent, Geoffrey McGivern as Ford Prefect and Mark Wing-Davey as Zaphod Beeblebrox.

Produced by Geoffrey Perkins and Tim Souster, the cast also includes Cindy Oswin, Stephen Moore, Richard Vernon, Valentine Dyall, David Tate, Jim Broadbent, Bill Wallis, Roy Hudd, Frank Middlemass, Stephen Greif and others.

Hang onto your towel – it’s going to be the ride of a lifetime.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2020 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2020 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Beware of the Leopard!

This version is similar-but-different to previous releases - which of course means it's worth purchasing!! Guessing this was originally released Long Long Ago and has been re-issued in 2020 as a Limited Physical Media (Album) release along with a Digital Version. Getting the Digital Version (via Audible) is a matter of a Click and a Credit, so of course went with Digital.

This release is closer to an audio version of the 1980 TV series rather than the original radio scripts, and comes in six chapters like the TV series consisted of six episodes. Starts at (Part 1 Side 1 #1) with Arthur trying unsuccessfully to save his home from a Big Yellow Bulldozer and ends at (Part 2 Side 2 #5) pulling letters out a scrabble Bag on Pre-Historic Earth to discover what 6x9 really is...

Total time is about 2hr 38 mins. The PDF (listing below is from the PDF) is eight pages and contains what I assume to be artwork from the LP release.


Part One
----------
Side 1 (Digital Chapter 1)
===========================
In which the Earth is unexpectedly destroyed and the great hitch-hike begins. . .
1. JOURNEY OF THE SORCERER
2. THE GUIDE SPEAKS
3. NONE AT ALL
4. GARGLEBLASTER SONATA
5. I DON’T LIKE THURSDAYS
6. VOGON CONSTRUCTOR FLEETS
7. THE BABEL FISH
8. MICTURATIONS OF A VOGON

Side 2 (Digital Chapter 2)
===========================
After being saved from certain death during the demolition of the Earth, Arthur Dent now faces a hopeless choice, between meeting certain death in the vacuum of space or finding something pleasant to say about Vogon poetry. . .
1. A SHORT HISTORY OF THE EARTH
2. THE BIG ONE
3. UNEASE BY THE SEA
4. HEART OF GOLD
5. INFINITELY IMPROBABLE
6. SONG OF THE MINDLESS JERKS
7. WAVEBAND ON THE RUN

Side 3 (Digital Chapter 3)
===========================
After being improbably rescued from certain death in the vacuum of space, Arthur Dent and his new companions now face a missile attack and certain death. . .
1. YORE KIND OF MUSIC
2. CONSOLATION No. 1
3. OUT TO LUNCH
4. CONSOLATION No. 2
5. WHALE SONG No. 1
6. WHALE SONG No. 2
7. PINK PLANET
8. BIRO GYRO
9. DOUBLE SUNSET
10. THE DOLPHINS’ FAREWELL
11. FACTORY FLOOR

Side 4 (Digital Chapter 4)
===========================
It has been revealed to Arthur that the Earth has been built by the Magratheans and run by mice. Meanwhile, his companions have other problems to contend with (probably, certain death) .......
1. THE EARTH, Mk 2
2. TELL US WHY
3. AUBADE
4. THE ANSWER
5. THE MESSIAH
6. IS THERE A LIFESTYLE AFTER DEATH
7. ARMS OF THE LAW
8. JOURNEY’S END


PART TWO: THE RESTAURANT AT THE END OF THE UNIVERSE
----------------------------------------------------------------
Side 1 (Digital Chapter 5)
===========================
The End
1. JOURNEY OF THE SORCERER
2. THE STORY SO FAR
3. BREAKFAST AT MILLIWAYS
4. DISASTER AREA
5. REG NULLIFY IN CONCERT
6. APOCALYPSE WHEN?
7. BIG BLACK CARS
8. HOW ARE WE FOR TIME?
9. INS AND OUTS OF THE UNIVERSE

Side 2 (Digital Chapter 6)
===========================
The Beginning
1. IS THERE A LIFE AFTER LUNCH?
2. EMPTY VESSELS
3. ‘B’ ARK UP THE WRONG TREE
4. POETIC CIRCLES
5. ORIGIN OF THE SPECIES


Simon Jones as Arthur Dent
Geoffrey McGivern as Ford Prefect
Mark Wing-Davey as Zaphod Beeblebrox
Cindy Oswin as Trillian
Stephen Moore as Marvin (The Paranoid Android)
Peter Jones as The Book

At Last! After 40 years, it's here!

At last, after 40 years, you can now hear the original LP version of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and it sounds great!

Back in 1979, the first album, released as a double LP featured material from the first 4 episodes of the Radio series, with a few cast changes, such as Cindy Oswen as Trillian, and Valentine Dyall as Deep Thought. Douglas Adams, himself, can be heard. See if you can figure out where he shows up. This material very closely matches material from episodes 1-4 of the original radio series.

In 1980, another LP was released, featuring material similar to episodes 5 and 6 of the radio series, but, being a little more like the tv series. For example, the ship Zaphod steals turns out to belong to the rock band Disaster Area, and it's not going to be a fun ride. That's all I'll say, not wanting to give away too many spoilers.

This is a must for Hitchhiker fans who want a more complete audio collection.

Back then, you would have had to buy the first album in 1979, then wait until some time in 1980 to buy the second LP to complete the set. but now, you get it all in one convenient package. It's all here and you don't have to wait! Add this to your cart right now! You'll be listening in seconds.

Good for the completist, otherwise, eh.

Its just the first 2 seasons of the radio series with some tweaks and edited down a bit. If you don't already own the HGttG radio series itself, I recommend getting that first.

Absolutely the very best HHGTTG version *ever*

As someone who has listened many times to the original broadcasts (on autographed CDs), read the books and the scripts, and watched the video productions I am confident that this is the very best version of Hitch-hikers Guide to the Galaxy ever. The recording (voices, acting, and sound effects) are better than the original. I like the script better than the original (and most of it is the same).

Double Galaxy (non-cellphone)

Great audio recording of enacted Hitch-hiker's 2 prime storied!! Well done & fun hearing so soon after my INITIAL reading of the first Hitch-hiker's Guide to the Galaxy!!

Amazing performance

I had never heard the original version of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and I must say I was pleasantly surprised. The voice acting and sound effects are amazing. I could see the story as it played out. I would recommend listening with headphones though, as it comes through much clearer that way.

A Must-Listen for Douglas Adams Fans

I had initially given this a very poor review due to some audio issues. I leave that review below for context. I have since discovered that my problem was with the device I was using to listen, not with the audible file. I want to apologize to anyone I misled, or anyone who may have been working so hard on this project and had to put up with my unfounded criticism. The original review follows:

As the self-proclaimed biggest Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy fan in the world, I was really looking forward to the release of these albums, which I owned on vinyl back in the eighties. I had my preorder before it was even announced to be in my library, and I eagerly listened to it.

First, the albums themselves. This is essential listening for any true fan of the series. There are aspects of it that are both better and worse than the radio series. Some of the technical gaffes due to editing, particularly in the first two episodes, are accounted for in this reimagining. Peter Jones sounds more himself, and less subdued, at the beginning. Some good use is made of improved technology. Unfortunately, particularly in the first two records, the dialog is rushed somewhat for time. Some scenes are cut, others are abridged. But over all, the albums served a purpose in a time which, for reasons that were very entertainingly written out on the album cover, the actual radio series could not be sold.

The area that is especially disappointing, however, involves the audio quality of the remastering. Obviously, a form of noise-reduction is being applied here by Audible. As with Earthsearch, another BBC offering, this noise reduction has the undesirable effect of removing some of the background sound, such as the Heart of Gold on sides 2, assuming those sounds to be noise, and not intentional sound. The result is a very choppy-sounding set of background sounds. I really hope these albums are eventually released on CD without this excessive noise-reduction being applied.

Recording transfer quality is below sub-par

I've been a HHGG fan since the radio show first aired on the BBC in 1979. I was so pleased to find that the re-recorded vinyl records (with some notable changes from the radio show) were being made available here on Audible.

Problem is, it's an absolutely terrible transfer. Some of the tones have very obvious distortion in the higher frequencies and it's just tinny all-around. The vinyl, which I own from the original release, is so rich in tone and accomplishes Douglas Adams' hope of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy sounding "like a rock album," as he said in a few different interviews.

As always, the production itself is absolutely, deliriously fun to listen to, but the abysmal quality of the transfer makes it far less of a treat. This album deserves better.