UNDER MILK WOOD.

[juliano66]

I've read biographies of both Thomas and Burton, but you would know them not until listening to this..

[faviobeckerweb]

Absolutely beautiful!!!

[Zeeboe]

What a voice! That's amazing. :-)

[240soundwave]

i took up smoking and drinking heavily so that my voice will sound more like Rich

[tracymac1111]

@240soundwave As a young man Richard would climb a local hill and holler as loud as he could so as to break and deepen his voice.................

[nathebastard]

What fucking moron hits dislike?

[bagariddum]

@nathebastard only morons, as they stumble across love, will choose to shun it.

[grandslam1998]

Bravo Bravo. Tidy Tidy. Epic Epic.

[boiledelephant]

...and big seas in their dreams. You can *hear* their dreams.

[andyhp7]

tomorrow I'm attending a drama workshop and we'll be performing this play

[Kiddolinfen09]

Magical.

[Edzard999]

Is this the 1954 BBC production? It is not fully clear. Richard Burton's voice was "First Voice" also in the 1963 and 2003 BBC productions. In the 1954 production, some parts of the piece were omitted, I read on Wikipedia.

[redchief16]

Four people have no souls.

[cianllewellyn123]

simply amazing

[cantleysugar]

Night, neddying among the snuggeries of babies".

I cannot imagine a better version ever being performed.

[sayurisan08]

Ohhhh, wow. He sounds just like Anthony Hopkins (or, of course, vice versa). Must be a Welsh thing =)

[MattTrecartin]

Young girls lie bedded soft

or glide in their dreams, with rings and trousseaux,

bridesmaided by glowworms down the aisles of the

organplaying wood.

[mknaztie]

brilliently ghostly,

[wecanriot]

All That I Owe the Fellows of the Grave...

[barrymore]

Burton was"The Voice" of the 20th century, second only to John Barrymore. Of course more of today's generation know Burton, but don't know Barrymore...

[nippylobster]

Richard Burton had the finest recording voice ever and that showed when reading works like this and war of the worlds. However, as a question of trivia he did trip on his own tongue - but only once to my knowledge - reading this - if you have the complete recording of under milk wood see if you spot it.

[tattoofthesun]

this is the best version out of all the readings on the internet

[kkkaldav]

Do you suppose the clock in the background says 12:35 at night or during the day?

[MikeJS57]

Has anyone else noticed that in this recitation by Richard Burton, the word 'brooch' is pronounced exactly that way, rather than how it should be, as 'broach' {even though it isn't written that way of course} ? On a later recitation, he corrected himself. I just listened to an American gent who made the same slight error. It's great that so many people from all over love this piece though.

[GeorgesBarras]

I'm English, I have no patriotic feelings whatsoever - but English as a lanuage? one of mankind's finest instruments!

[DrKincade]

@GeorgesBarras - I'm very much the same, an Englishman who considers himself more British than English and it has taken two Welshmen, namely Dylan Thomas and Richard Burton to emphasise to me what a wonderful, passionate and lyrical instrument (as you so rightly describe it) this English language is. I've had this on DVD for a week now, someone gave it to me that didn't want it and have watched/listened to this at least 20 times in that space of time, it's simply marvellous!

[KITCHENOFDISTINCTION]

@DrKincade Wonderful comment.

[49annie1]

"I have just had eighteen whiskeys in a row. I do believe that is a record." Dylan Thomas you are a master of the English language. :')

[1rspn]

I have become absolutely captivated by this poetry since learnign of it. I first heard of it from the VW Night Driving advert acompanied by the song "Don't blow it" by Cliff Martinez. The combination of the two equally great art pieces is unfathomable. This poem especially makes me appreciate every sound; movement; & gesture when i stand alone in the obleaque hours of the night.

Love it

[MedusasKimono]

Anthony Hopkins would surely make a good narrator to this as well oh this is  amazing....

[FullersDuck]

@MedusasKimono Hi. I had a copy of Hopkins doing First Voice. The recording included Jonathan Price, Mary Hopkins and Tom Jones among many others and I loved it as much as the Burton recording. I lent it to someone and can't remember to whom. Bugger! Can't even find it on eBay! If anyone has a copy I'll be happy to hear from you - I miss it!

[MedusasKimono]

@FullersDuck Hi, oh i can not believe you lost this? Sorry you did!!! i hope it comes back home to its rightful deserving owner!

[germanvoodoo]

Can't just say "greatest ever" and expect that shit to matter. Dylan wrote better than this, and read better than this--not a Welsh voice, though, the Welsh sound more interesting than what he used as his reading voice.

[nwalster]

Anyone know if this version (BBC 1954) is available for purchase?

[nwalster]

Anyone know if this version is available to purchase?

[closertofiftythanyew]

BBC4 at the moment is giving appreciation of our isles' bothering the seas with its boats in history, which Under Milk Wood is filled with in annoctations, to the capacity of anyones hold.

[mhtechnical]

Burton's plosive rhythm gives a character to the reading that links him to Dylan as a classic duet of artists. I challenge some of our newer voices to render this work to the future and not be be intimidated by the sublime Burton voice. Is the decline of Radio to mark the end of the voice-alone as a medium of artistic delivery.

[katycoyote]

oooo richard I love you xxx

[NicktheBarber31]

the greatest actor in the last 2,000 years

[dancy1982]

this is one of two the other by the maker Dylan Thomas leave it to them and them only

[jorumpl]

the german first voice is way better..

its so deep and it really helps you imagin everything

[chrisjpxxx01]

You are more wrong than anyone can be. Burton exemplified Thomas. No one at that time could have done it - and, maybe , only Hopkins since.

[roblonolean]

They are all Welsh squire, very Welsh at that. Burton's voice reading Milk Wood literally gives me goose pimples regardless how many times I hear this.

I'm not one for patronage, but Port Talbot (as big a dump as it is) deserves some kudos for producing such fine thespians as Burton & Hopkins.

P.S. DYKEPALS brilliant comment!

[jorumpl]

i see your point but i thinks it not posible for a native to understand whats so special about his voice

[DYKEPALS]

this song is alright but would be great with drums and guitars

[TheKnittingSongbird]

I am completely covered in goose bumps...magnificent...

[draymannorfolk]

Great talents both and a perfect rendition of my favourite.Thanks for posting.

[rlpniew]

I'm thinking about doing it as a group interp.

[Draemr72]

I wonder, is it difficult to adapt this for the stage?

[eddypfunk]

@Draemr72 i think its possible but i wouldnt be sure its correct to do so. if i was going to do it, id have the stage perfectly black with faces appearing in differing levels of visibility..maybe some small spots of audio visual..short film clips.

[Draemr72]

I need to get my hands on a copy :-)

[MrBasilego]

I saw "Under milk wood" in a theater in France -and in French, a long time ago -actally, I discovered the piece. The troop was "Les balladins du Havre" As beautiful as the text, to which I never stopped to think since this time.

[foxracer643]

It is perfect. Burton and Thomas. I love this play. I am directing Under Milk Wood, this January. Milwaukee, WI.

[rockchick136]

my high school did this play. it was extremely difficult, but we pulled it off...i was one of the narrators. lots of memorizing....tons and tons of memorizing...

[eddypfunk]

its amazing. its a bold statement but its my favourite thing in all the world. its perfect at achieving what it means to achieve and what it means to achieve is clear yet ,paradoxically, obscure..and i cant think of anything else quite as wonderful as that.

[rampcleaner]

Burton was made for this. And of course our Dylan. Go gentle into that good night Dylan--Your loved by the Welsh Americans!!!

[bpyrad]

happy birthday bub

Oct.27 1914

[MORGANTHEMOON1]

I often sit and listen to this when my wife is out and the house is quiet. I open a good bottle of red, turn the lights down and just concentrate and listen. There is nothing else like this. it's fascinating, flowing, bizzare and sometimes downright bloody mad. I love it!

[victorfleurot]

it is about life and poetry

it is about this accumulation of emotions we experience simply by being, emotions that are trigerred by the people we meet or don't meet, by the places we see or don't see, and by the things we do or don't do

it is about embracing this endless accumulation of emotions

[noz9]

i just recently saw the play and i honestly didnt get the concept. i hard time understanding it seem like the actors where rushing through with each character. can someone be so kind to explain me the main problem this play goes through and how it is resolved. or if there is any resolution, i would really appreciate it. i have to write a four page paper and i have no clue lol

[sallyann1952]

I will be in Dylan country tomorrow, have a pint in Brown's, listen to his daughter

's memoir on Radio 4 (UK BBC). Thanks for posting this. Will put flowers on his grave from all of us, he lives on YouTube

[GeorgesBarras]

@sallyann1952  have a pint for me.

[45rpmSINGLES]

@sallyann1952 the Browns has been shut for a few years so where did you have a pint ?

[Brooksider100]

Just in case you didn't know........the town in Under Milk Wood is Llareggub.

It is not possible to have a double 'g' in a Welsh word and if you spell the twon backwards it is Bugger All.

[Brooksider100]

Tortured genius reading the words of another tortured genius? Heroic drunk paying tribute to another heroic drunk? You could find twenty analogies to tie Ritchie Jenkins from Pontrhydyfen to Dylan from Cwmdonkin Drive.

What truly matters in the above is genius -a double measure of it. Dylan Thomas - the supreme wordsmith; Richard Burton the greatest thetarical voice that I have ever heard. And thanks to the genius of Thomas Alva Edison (invented sound recording) we have it archived for ever.

[60Egidius]

Genius - the Greatest Poet the British Isles have ever produced.

[tubingism]

what about Shakespeare? Keats, Shelley, Wordsworth?

[MarxBakuninMe]

Greatest spoken word voice ever, no contest.

[Venable1965]

Perfect!

[AlphaGrandDragon]

Under Milkwood with Dylan Thomas was superb, it sent a shiver down my spine. marier

[xwsftassell]

Yes, amongst much else it has the quality of a fantastic piece of music that puts you into an absurd quandary over whether to laugh or cry. Every line is like a hawk-eyed catapult assault on the sleeping eye of the higher emotional centre.

[quaid73]

I play this clip when I have to go away from home for long periods, makes me think of home.

Cymru Am Byth!

[tubezillauk]

stan tracey also a legendry jazz player under the milk wood look it up.

[aintshinbrit]

Note the photo, a nice large pint going down the hatch, I think I could read poetry after a few of these.

[cccustard]

Rare rare Welsh genius. The words and the voice. Hardly better a piece of prose nor that voice. Bible black. Bible black.

[Interpol46]

A charm of its own

[UFOIST]

UMW, a work of poetic genius beautifully read by the one and only Richard Burton. It's all priceless such as this: "Miss Price, dressmaker and sweetshop keeper, dream of her lover, tall as the town clock tower, Samson serub gold maned, whacking thighed and piping hot, thunderbolt based and barnacle breasted and Flailing up the cockles with his eyes like blowlamps and scooping low over her lonely, loving, hot water bottle body" LOL - Brilliant!

[channiere]

burton the master

[ReneaB66]

Absolutely wonderful!

Love it.

[kickboxingbabe18]

i hav do to a piece of thi sscript for my GCSE Drama course this year and this video has helped me alot

[halz000]

perhaps the greatest piece of welsh lit. beautiful.

[roachy333]

Thomas aside, if you will allow me...the rhythm and sound of Burton's voice is utterly magical, its astounding...I think I could listen to him reading out the telephone directory...its the greatest speaking voice I've ever had the pleasure to hear.

[MatthewPalmer1992]

Love it. I had to read this in GCSE english (as you do) and apparently i sounded exactly like this. Not that thats bad but i was 15 at the time - oh dear. Go Richard Burton! Its your soliloquoy (if thats the right word and spelling???)

[kingbrooksy]

We just performed this phenomenal peace.

It's amazing, and so alive and exciting.

[sjperelman]

This is one of the seminal pieces of English literature in the 20th century. It will live as long as Shakespeare, and speaks more to me; it is better than Joyce as it lives and speaks with a towering beauty. It btings tears as he dies 2 months after it's first public reading. It is the Odyssey, the Iliad, the Aeneid of our times. Many thanks to xwsftassell. This will take more teenagers to a love of literature than anything else I can imagine.

[24bmonkey]

Check out the video below for a contemporary slant on this incredible recording:

Volkswagen Night Drive Golf Ad

[24bmonkey]

No offence taken Jollwigs. Dylan Thomas was a massive fan of Joyce and was heavily influenced by him. He even inverted the title of Joyce's masterpiece of 1914 to come up with the name for his own meandering quasi-autobiography "A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Dog".

[24bmonkey]

It's not a competition jollywigs! Joyce and Woolf (no 'e' by the way), both of whom were comitted to stylistic experimentation in the medium of prose rather than poetry, died over a decade before the first draft of this "Play for Voices". So what, exactly, were they supposed to have been nailing?

p.s. You might want to look up the word 'recognisance' in a dictionary because it makes absolutely no sense in this sentence.

[jollywigs]

You're right of course, I was just being ludicrously opinionated....many apologies!

[jollywigs]

Utter and complete...tosh!

Viginia Woolfe, James Joyce, and any number of poets nailed this style of 'petty rhyming recognisance' a decade before!

[adamjasper]

Amazing, that the guy that made this old fashioned kid's story would go on to write all those amazing songs like "hey, tambourine man". I guess he was broke at the time and had to pay his bills by working at the bbc doing plummy voice overs and stuff until the baby boomers got rich and discovered pot.

[morris9409]

Twit. This is a superb example of absurdist theatre, read to perfection by Burton. Why do you think the town was called Llareggub?

[adamjasper]

T' Wit! Llareggub? Maybe he was really into watching Lord of the Rings on acid or something? Whoa, you english dudes are really into psy-fi, even when it's totes retro. Like 60s Doctor Who and stuff. Cool. I can dig it. Exterminate, Exterminate! ha! Toodle pip, Doctor 9409!

[morris9409]

I'm Welsh, actually. As was Dylan Thomas. Try reading Larregub backwards.

[katycoyote]

not bob dylan you idiot

[musiclover609]

Incredible.

[festilina]

There is no better beginning to any book, that I know of, than this.What Burton captures so perfectly is the rhythm of Thomas's prose.When I think about it, I realise that the rhythm is as much a part of the words as their substantive content.You have to really have a natural feel for language to achieve that kind of subtelty. "Come closer now"; very filmic, isn't it?The combination of content and effect is something one immediately recognises in a great writer. In the end though, just enjoy it

[GeorgesBarras]

I'd like to hear it in a Welsh accent.

[simonpenum]

This is a welsh accent. Richard burton

[sammyhill69]

Georges - you can't get much more Welsh than Richard Burton!

[alexandercraig]

Genius

[pixiniarts]

Completely happy now...

Thank you kindly for putting this up!

[katycoyote]

fantastic! The best, the ONLY recording of this for me! I have the film, though, which is oddly good...though the added bits with richard friend and lady are abit strange...but I love it..I'll sin til i blow up!!!

[tndowns1122]

Thank you for posting this! This is a timeless recording. I put up a version of myself on Youtube reading the opening speech, and it's so lovely to hear Richard Burton reading it so brilliantly. He has such a beautiful, effortless way about his reading.