The points of issue
US Houghton Mifflin first edition, published 31 October 1967: oblong quarto sheet-music format, red cloth stamped in gilt, dust jacket; states first edition/first printing. UK Allen & Unwin edition followed in 1968.
Is this the true first?
US edition precedes UK here, the reverse of the usual pattern for Tolkien; the 1968 Allen & Unwin printing is the first UK edition only.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The 1978 second edition adds Bilbo's Last Song and is not the first; later reissues add further material.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Road Goes Ever On: A Song Cycle (music by Donald Swann) a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: US Houghton Mifflin first edition, published 31 October 1967: oblong quarto sheet-music format, red cloth stamped in gilt, dust jacket; states first edition/first printing. UK Allen & Unwin edition followed in 1968.
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. US edition precedes UK here, the reverse of the usual pattern for Tolkien; the 1968 Allen & Unwin printing is the first UK edition only.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The 1978 second edition adds Bilbo's Last Song and is not the first; later reissues add further material.
I have a first edition of The Road Goes Ever On: A Song Cycle (music by Donald Swann) — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.