The Family Way (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

The album release

Decca bought the rights to the soundtrack recordings. The album, titled The Family Way (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) was released on 6 January 1967 by Decca Records in the UK, and on 12 June in the US by London Records.

Although the album did not chart, McCartney won an Ivor Novello award for it in 1967 for Best Instrumental Theme.

Although McCartney’s name appeared prominently on the cover, the recording was credited to The George Martin Orchestra. Because of this, it is not commonly considered to be McCartney’s first solo record.

A 2003 reissue of the album included bonus arrangements of the music by guitarist Carl Aubut from 1995, and Anthony Rozankovic with the Flute Enchantee Quartet from 1998, both of which were approved by McCartney. The 1966 recordings were mastered directly from a vinyl copy of the album, and the CD booklet contained interviews with McCartney, Martin and Aubut.

The Family Way was reissued again in July 2011 on the Californian label Varèse Sarabande. Mastered from the original mono master tapes, it included a previously unreleased stereo mix of The Tudor Minstrels’ single theme, but did not include the 1995 or 1998 recordings.

Four singles

Although George Martin believed that just an album would be released, a single credited to The Tudor Minstrels was scheduled by Decca for release in the UK on 15 December 1966. It featured ‘Love In The Open Air’ on the a-side, with ‘Theme From The Family Way’ on the other.

The Tudor Minstrels was the name given to the session musicians performing on the soundtrack, and was derived from the Boulting brothers’ production company Tudor Films.

George Martin had intended to release his own versions of the two themes using the George Martin Orchestra, and releasing them as a single on EMI’s United Artists label. Decca agreed to delay their single and let the two releases go head-to-head.

On 6 December 1966, prior to the first session for The Beatles’ ‘When I’m Sixty-Four’, Martin made copies of the film’s recently-completed soundtrack. He used the tapes for reference in creating his own orchestral score, which was recorded at Abbey Road on the morning of 15 December.

Martin’s arrangement of ‘Love In The Open Air’ was later included on the 2001 box set Produced By George Martin. It was similar to the soundtrack in that it too featured acoustic guitar, flute and strings. The b-side version of ‘Theme From The Family Way’ was an up-tempo arrangement with some northern England brass band stylings.

The singles, credited to The Tudor Minstrels and the George Martin Orchestra, were both issued in the United Kingdom on 23 December 1966. Neither entered the charts, and the Tudor Minstrels’ version also failed to chart when released by London Records in the US.

Due to the commercial failure of the singles, United Artists asked Martin to record a more up-tempo arrangement of the main theme for the US market. This was recorded with strings and organ at Abbey Road in early February 1967, along with one of his own compositions, ‘Bahama Sound’, for the b-side.

The single was released on 24 April 1967 but again was not a success. As with Martin’s UK single arrangement of ‘Theme From The Family Way’, it remains unavailable on compact disc.

Sleeve notes

Arthur Fitton (Hywel Bennett) and Jenny Piper’s (Hayley Mills) wedding is a typical North of England working class affair. He is a cinema projectionist and she is a counter assistant in a gramophone record shop. But they are both unusually sensitive youngsters, particularly Arthur whose favourite recreations are good literature and Beethoven.

Their first night, which is spent in Arthur’s parents’ house before departing for a “package” honeymoon in Majorca, is a disaster. At the reception at a local pub the couple are embarrassed by much well meant but vulgar ribaldry. Even worse, a privileged number of revellers go back to the Fitton house and keep the party going until the early hours.

Before retiring Arthur is forced into “the elbow game”, a test of strength, with his father Ezra (John Mills). This creates a certain amount of bad blood. The last straw is when the bed, which has been rigged by Arthur’s boss Joe Thompson (Barry Foster) collapses around their ears.

Worse is to follow. The travel agent has absconded with everybody’s money and they are only two of many people who face a bitter disappointment when they arrive to catch the coach to the airport. The only thing to which they can wave goodbye is their honeymoon.

The enforced second night at the Fitton house is no better than the first, merely different. Through the cobweb thin walls Ezra can be heard rampaging around his room in search of the chamber-pot which his wife, Lucy (Marjorie Rhodes) had hidden out of consideration for her daughter-in-law’s maidenly modesty.

The days pass into weeks and still the marriage is not consummated. Arthur goes to seek advice at the local Marriage Guidance Council. His interview is overheard by a neighbour who is a “char” in the building.

Jenny’s mother, Liz Piper (Avril Angers) senses that something is wrong and worms the truth out of her. She and her husband Leslie (John Comer) send Jenny to see Uncle Fred (Wilfred Pickles). He is a masseur and state registered male nurse. And, what’s more he keeps rabbits. Who could be better to solve a young couple’s problems?

The situation deteriorates, as does Arthur’s always uneasy relationship with his rough and tough father. “You can do yourself a damage, reading all those books” is Ezra’s outlook.

With Arthur in the projection box until late at night and at week-ends, and Jenny’s job keeping her behind the counter from 9 till 6, the couple don’t see too much of each other. Jenny goes around more and more with her young brother-in-law Geoffrey (Murray Head). They are lightheartedly happy in each other’s company.

Inevitably the newlyweds’ problem becomes public property and equally inevitably Joe Thompson makes one wisecrack too many to Arthur. The result is a gory punch-up in the cinema car park.

Storming home to his spouse – in the middle of the afternoon – he calls her a bitch for telling such intimate tales. He makes to start on her where he left off with Joe. She retaliates and they trip over each other in the tiny room and fall on to the bed.

The neighbours in adjacent gardens listen with connoisseurs’ interest to the newest skirmish in the battle of the sexes.

Join the Fab Forum discussion on The Family Way (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) »