‘Backstairs at the White House’ World Premiere Soundtrack Release Announced

Dragon’s Domain Records has announced the world premiere soundtrack release for the 1979 NBC miniseries Backstairs at the White House directed by Michael O’Herlihy, developed for television by Gwen Bagni & Paul Dubov and starring Leslie Uggams, Olivia Cole, Louis Gossett Jr., Cloris Leachman, Robert Hooks, Leslie Nielsen and Hari Rhodes. The album features the show’s original music composed and conducted by Emmy Award winner Morton Stevens (Hawaii Five-O, Masada, Gunsmoke, Wheels, The Manians of America). The soundtrack is now available to order as a limited 2-CD set on the label’s official website, where you can also check out audio samples and find out more about the release. A digital version is also expected to come out in the coming months. The 4-parter, which premiered in 1979 on NBC and received eleven Emmy Award nominations, is now available on DVD.

Here’s the album track list:

Disc 1:

Episode 1 (Taft, Wilson, Harding):
1. Main Theme (2:12)
2. The Story Begins / Getting to Work / Montage (4:48)
3. The Fan / Sneaking Food / Lillian in Catholic School (2:25)
4. Maggie’s Fine Dress / The Tafts Leave /Enter the Wilsons (4:19)
5. May 1914 / The Death of Mrs. Wilson / Hardly Dignified (2:17)
6. War Is Imminent / A Letter / War Is Over / Wilson Collapses (4:06)
7. Lincoln’s Bed / Fooling Senators / Meet the Prince of Wales (7:03)
8. Wilsons Leave White House / Preparing for the Hardings / End Credit Theme (2:48)
9. Forgotten Coat / Contaminated Blood / Harding Walks Out / The Suicide / Goodbye (5:19)
Episode 2 (Harding, Coolidge, Hoover):
10. Annie’s Farewell / Efficient Coolidge / Bowl of Peanuts (3:38)
11. Coolidge to the Dress Shop / Miss Jaffrey Resigns (4:11)
12. Repo Men Take Freezer / Lillian Goes to Work / First Day on the Job / Coming Up (5:26)
Source Cues:
13. Marching Band (Source) (3:57)
14. Party (Source) (3:24)
15. Piano A (Source) (2:00)
16. Victrola (Source) (0:24)
17. The Charleston (Source) (0:45)
18. Music Box (Source) (0:16)
Damaged Tracks:
19. Spring 1912 / Mrs. Taft’s Stroke / Lillian’s Surgery / Lillian’s Crutches (4:34)
20. Recap Episode 1 / Illegal Booze / Teapot Dome / Mrs. Harding and Maggie (3:31)
21. Spring 1912 (Alternate) (0:22)
22. Main Theme (Alternate) (2:06)

Disc 3:

Episode 3 (Hoover, Roosevelt):
1. Main Theme (Long Version) (2:25)
2. Roosevelts Take Over / Lillian and FDR Bond / First Maid / Cleaning Frenzy (3:28)
3. I Am Never Going to Leave You / Salary Cut / Louis Howe Is Dead / Maggie Retires (5:50)
4. Miss LeHand Has a Stroke / Fraser Says Goodbye / FDR Talks of War (6:09)
Episode 4 (Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower):
5. Recap Episode 3 (3:46)
6. 1942 / Nothing But a Towel / Maggie Returns / Tea Tasting / No Excuse for Slovenliness (2:32)
7. Take Me Home / Fraser’s Death (3:20)
8. Lillian and FDR / The Trumans Take Over (4:15)
9. Mushroom Cloud / The Scrapbook / Blair House / Shootout / Surprise Birthday Party (5:22)
10. The Mays Funeral / Maggie’s Last Breath (5:01)
11. Lillian’s Last Day / I Am Going to Write a Book (3:40)
12. End Credit (1:05)
Source Cues:
13. Happy Days Are Here Again (Source) (2:14)
14. Newsreel (Source) (0:38)
15. Radio Play (Source) (0:56)
16. Big Band (Source) (0:45)
17. Piano B (Source) (0:42)
18. Party A / B (Source) (3:16)
19. Piano C (Source) (0:27)
Damaged Tracks:
20. Recap Episode 2 / Money’s Gone / Secret Service (5:33)
21. Face to Face with Hoover / Henry Loses His Job / Maggie Collapses (6:47)
22. Main Theme (Short Version) (1:29)