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Rating: It is a twilight album, the last great album from the Heep, somewhat like "Going For The One" by Yes (which, coincidentally, is from the same year).
1977, Uriah Heep have freed themselves under the pretext of David Byron's alcoholism, a vocalist of immense capacity, perhaps even more skilled than Gillan in handling impossible high notes. To try and repair the gap left by David's absence, Uriah Heep decided to find a new singer, one who does not make them regret the previous one and who pushes the band towards new shores: the bitter task of filling the absence of Byron falls to John Lawton, a "strange object", coming from the German band Lucifer's Friend; strangely enough, Lawton wears makeup when he performs, but even more surprisingly, he has an amazing voice that, for a moment (1977-79), manages to overshadow Byron himself, technically perfect and powerful at just the right level.
The album, which presents weak points as we shall see later, opens with "The Hanging Tree": synthesizer, superlative singing, driving rhythm, the Heep are back in great form. It continues with "Been Away Too Long" which contributes to giving the album that night, epic and twilight atmosphere: a great piece. With "Who Needs Me" comes the first weak point, as it seems a bit of a filler, with that carefree rhythm; however, a nice guitar solo and the usual impeccable singing of Lawton grant it a certain dignity.
The fourth track "Wise Man" is a melodic masterpiece where John’s powerful and dynamic vocals culminate in a final solo that is breathtaking. After such beauty, the three minutes of "Do You Know" are placed, the real weak point of the album, a light rock piece that doesn't really stand out, with lyrics that are strikingly banal: being the only flaw, it can be forgiven, considering that from here on the album literally ramps up.
A synth with glide introduces us to "Rollin On", a very peculiar and watery track that halfway through leads to a beautiful dreamy electric solo, the kind only Uriah Heep can do: the song ends with a reprise of the initial theme. And so it is that we reach "Sympathy", a simple yet fundamental song, the Heep’s trademark with John Lawton: it is in this track that the new vocalist can finally unleash his great skills as a "castrato", offering us another unforgettable moment.
The same String-machine recently purchased by Genesis has the task of weaving the intro of the album's absolute masterpiece: "Firefly". A fantasy narrative often sung in multiple voices and a dreamlike atmosphere that recall exactly the image on the cover are the winning formula: as usual, midway through the song there's the intrusion of a more powerful piece which slowly returns to the enchanting lake of the main theme.
This album is the last erection of Uriah Heep, who shortly thereafter fell into absolute creative impotence, remaining a good band, one album every 2-3 years and nothing more. The Lawton effect lasted for the next two albums, but then with his departure, the Heep deflated on their own seeds, waiting for new seeds to cultivate in that vast field that is rock. We eagerly await their new Ejaculation.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
02 Sympathy (04:49)
Sympathy just doesnt mean
That much to me
Compassions not
The fashion in my mind
And if youre looking for
A shoulder to cry on
Dont turn your head my way
cause Id rather have
My music any day
You and I are
Masters of our destiny
We look for consolation all the time
Until we find out things are not
What they were meant to be, oh no
And if it doesnt suit our mood
Well call it crime
Dedications not an obligation
Or a figment of
Someones imagination
Its the only way they say
To live from day to day
To make each passing way
A small sensation
Dreams are the possession of
The simple man
Reality the fantasy of youth
But living is a problem that
Is common to us all
With love the only
Common road to truth
03 Who Needs Me (03:40)
Don't take life for granted
'cause you know that
Life won't grant you back
The feelings on the love
That you once had
You've taken me for granted
'cause you know
I'm a lover just like you
And I'll do anything
You want me to
Who needs me?
Who needs me now?
You'll find someone
How you'll find one
Who needs me?
Who needs me now?
You'll find another but no better
You can't argue with me now
I needed you and
You did not know how
Don't let go of something
That is good when
I'll tell you it's bad
Let 'em hear the story
Make 'em sad
And if the price of love
Can cost you less than
When it first began
I guess that you won't
Find a better man
Who needs me ...
04 Wise Man (04:43)
Ohh, Ohh, Ohh, ohh
I sat before the wise man
In the autumn of my youth
And I told him all
The things I had to know
He said you have the future
If you need to find the truth
And in his eyes
I saw that it was so
So I came right out
And asked him
The meaning of life
And has he smiled
I saw a twinkle in his eyes
He said with all his years
There's still so much
He has to learn
And I saw that it was so
Keep on living, loving
Waiting your turn
It's the only way to
Ease your concern
If you want to find
Your dream, be sure
You don't wake up too soon
Or you'll find it easier
Shooting for the moon
Wise man, wise man
Which way shall I run
There's so many roads
So many ways to turn
I am like a blind man
Lost in the sun
I wanna be like you
And be a wise man too
But I'm looking for
An easy way to learn
Wise man, wise man
Which way shall I run
There's so many roads
So many ways to turn
I am like a blind man
Lost in the sun
I wanna be like you
And be a wise man too
But I'm looking for
An easy way to learn
Oh, wise man
Oh wise man
I wanna be like you
And be a wise man too
I wanna be like you
And be a wise man too
I wanna be like you
And be a wise man too
Wise man, wise man too
Which way shall I run
There's so many roads
So many ways to turn
I am like a blind man
Lost in the sun
I wanna be like you
And be a wise man too
But I'm looking for
An easy way to learn
Oh, wise man
Oh wise man
I wanna be like you
And be a wise man too
I wanna be like you
And be a wise man too
I wanna be like you
And be a wise man too
Which way shall I run
There's so many roads
So many ways to turn
I am like a blind man
Lost in the sun
I wanna be like you
And be a wise man too
But I'm looking for
An easy way to learn
05 The Hanging Tree (03:43)
Passing through the arms of satan
Reaching for the hands of god
Robbing every mind for wisdom
Running so he won't get caught
He's outlawed by majority
Been branded all his life
Some say that he's a sinner man
As he rides from day to night
He's a bad man, so they say
Living for his love and living free
Riding swift and secretly
So he'll miss the hanging tree
Wounded spirit on the wind
Riding to his dream and destiny
He's laughing at the wanted posters
Calling for his friends to see
Laughing aloud as he rides away
Kicking up the dust with speed
Time hands him down a pathway
And freedom is a horse he rides
Glory is a dream he's after
And fortune is his heart's delight
Riding swift and secretly
So he'll miss the hanging tree
Wounded spirit on the wind
Riding to his dream and destiny
07 Do You Know (03:16)
All you seem to do want to do
Is break my heart
Seems to me
We're a lot better off apart
Time was when you took
A pride in puttin' me down
We'll I've some news for you
That's gonna turn ya around
I got no time for no crazy lady
And the games you wanna play
'cause a love like mine's
Gonna take some time
You can't save it for a rainy day
Well, l do you know
Do you know
Do you know what
I'm trying to say
Love's not a game
It's never the same
You gotta live your love
From day to day
Lonely days are long and
Sad nights are so black
Then I get right down thinkin'
Maybe I could take you back
Till at mornin' light
A new face appears at my door
As a kinda reminder that
I ain't seein' you no more
08 Firefly (06:21)
My love lives at
The end of a rainbow
One day I'm gonna
Fly there on a firefly
High above white angry water
With a love song in my heart
Someday, somehow
I know I'm gonna get there
I've been patient for so long
All my daydreams
Seem so much nearer now
And I beg you hear my song
Firefly
On your glowing wings I'll ride
Till I sit beside
This dream of mine
Firefly, high on a risin' tide
Only wanna touch
The things I've seen
Steppin' lightly from star to star
Cross a wilderness of blue
Wonderin' how much
In love with me you are
'cause I'm so much in love with you
Firefly, can you take me
I ain't had no lovin' lately
Firefly bring me love
To my new horizon
The one that I've still
Got my eyes on, my my firefly
Firefly, firefly, firefly
In my dreams you come to me
The answer to my prayer
As I begin to feel
You warm my heart
I awake and you're not there
Now and then I see your eye
As the stars begin to shine
No rain to cool my passion
No! not now!
No, now you're mine!
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