# Is "They're Playing Our Song (musical libretto)" by Neil Simon a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of They're Playing Our Song (musical libretto) by Neil Simon (Random House, 1980) is identified by: Cloth-backed boards, dust jacket with the printed price on the front flap. The US Random House hardcover of 1980 is the true first edition.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Cloth-backed boards, dust jacket with the printed price on the front flap
- Random House, New York, 1980
- Musical book by Neil Simon with music by Marvin Hamlisch and lyrics by Carole Bayer Sager
- Publisher imprint reads Random House
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Neil Simon |
| Publisher | Random House |
| Year | 1980 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Cloth-backed boards, dust jacket with the printed price on the front flap |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Cloth-backed boards, dust jacket with the printed price on the front flap. Random House, New York, 1980. Musical book by Neil Simon with music by Marvin Hamlisch and lyrics by Carole Bayer Sager.

## Is this the true first?
The US Random House hardcover of 1980 is the true first edition. No prior UK or Canadian precedence.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
A Book Club edition may exist for this title; where present it lacks the flap price and typically carries a blind-stamped mark on the rear board, while the trade first states First Edition and retains the flap price. Confirm the flap price is present before relying on this point.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *They're Playing Our Song (musical libretto)* by Neil Simon a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/theyre-playing-our-song-musical-libretto
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-03.