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Rating: TRACKLIST:
1. Sunrise
2. Spider Woman
3. Blind Eye
4. Echoes In The Dark
5. Rain
6. Sweet Lorraine
7. Tales
8. The Magician's Birthday
Probably if this album hadn't been released in the era of vinyl (fascinating but with limited grooves) it would have been composed of at least 16 tracks, which became 8 in the final production.
We are in 1972, a year of grace for Uriah Heep who, after the best seller "Demons & Wizards,” created this album that continues the trend of linking music to the world of Fantasy. Like the previous album, this one also features one of the most beautiful covers in rock history, born from the pen of the great Roger Dean.
Coming to the music, the price of the album could already be justified by the title track, which stages an epic battle between good and evil, symbolized by sudden changes in musical atmospheres, sequences of battles between guitars and drums, and, the cherry on top, Lee Kerslake (drums) playing the kazoo, giving the album a touch of irony. The track that opens the LP is one of my favorites: Like all the other lyrics, it makes use of mystical texts and fantastic settings. The vocal support given to the lead voice of the group (David Byron) by the other band members is fundamental, and the falsettos and background choruses perfectly convey the tragedy of the piece, which tells of a love now lost.
"Spider Woman" changes the album’s pace, speeding it up significantly. A rock 'n' roll ride where Gary Thain's bass takes over, excellently holding the rhythmic session, while Mick Box on guitars churns out riffs in repetition. "Blind Eye" is the track that best showcases the skill and unity that binds the group (in my opinion, this album features the best line-up in the band's history). The instruments blend perfectly, and David's voice does the rest.
Back to hell… In "Echoes In The Dark” evil and dark sounds echo in the darkness, which do not seem to give rise to hope. But hope arrives with "Rain,” a song that relies solely on David Byron’s voice and Ken Hensley on piano. It’s a slow ballad in which Byron can unleash all the sweetness his voice is capable of, while Hensley, without overdoing it, provides one of the band’s most beautiful melodies on the piano. "Sweet Lorraine" is certainly not one of the album’s most beautiful songs but perfectly summarizes the typical style of Heep's compositions and is also worth remembering for the excellent rhythmic session starring the usual Gary Thain on bass (one of the best bassists of all time, unfortunately prematurely deceased).
For "Tales,” Mick Box unplugged his guitar, demonstrating great talent even with the acoustic guitar. A perfect song to introduce the title track. We talked about the title track "The Magician's Birthday" in the opening, but I believe it’s worth revisiting, given the beauty of the piece, which is more than a song—it's a true "suite" of extraordinary length (10'23''). It includes diverse emotions and playing styles, starting from the calm and pure narration in the beginning, passing through the tranquility provided by Lee’s kazoo, culminating with an incredible "Happy birthday to you" performed ineffably by the whole band and dedicated to the magician in the story. But calm and tranquility give way, in a sudden and “PSYCHOTIC” change of scene, to "evil" and a sensational and pyrotechnic solo by Mick of almost five minutes, after which there is yet another change of scene leading to the finale and the return of "good" and calm.
Definitely one of the best albums by Uriah Heep and in the whole hard-rock scene.
Tracklist and Lyrics
01 Return to Fantasy (04:49)
Searching every day
Looking every way
Trying to make a connection
To find a piece of the action
Like a hungry poet
Who doesn't know
He is close to perfection
Choice is the question
Moonlight night
After moonlight night
Side by side
They will see us ride
But if they cared to look
Then they would see
It's our return to fantasy
Fantasy, fantasy
Can you understand
That in every man
There's a need to unwind
That's never been defined
Somewhere deep within
There's another being
You are somehow abusing
By the person you're using
Moonlight night
After moonlight night
Side by side
They will see us ride
But if they cared to look
Then they would see
It's just our return to fantasy
Fantasy, fantasy
Travelling faster than lightening
Closer than ever before
We can go on for you
And take you nearer to
The legend of mystery
From the beginning of time
Dreaming... time... dreaming
We can return to
The land of the good and the kind
Time... dreaming... time... dreaming
Why don't you come to our party
And open your minds
In another place
There's a newer face
Like an unfinished painting
Your creator is waiting
The brush and pen describe
What it is inside
That will set your mind thinking
While the others are sinking
02 Tales (05:54)
We told our tales as we sat under
Morning's sleepy sky
With all the colours of
The sunrise shining in our eyes
One, then another
With a story of yesterday's life
Or of a lover who had
Gone in a moment of strife
No thought of sleep ever dwells
Upon the wise man's mind
Some task or audience
Stealing every moment of his time
Thus we have learned to live
While mortal men
Stand waiting to die
How can we do what must be done
In just one short life
And if you ask
Then you must know
If you still doubt
You should be told
It was not we
That made it so
It was by those
Who went before
And there you sit
Tomorrow's child
So full of love
So full of life
But you must rise
To meet the day
Lest you become another tale
Another tale ...
04 I'll Keep on Trying (04:28)
You came to me with all of your lies
and I was taken in so well.
Took me quite a time to see the disguise,
you made it very hard to tell.
Now here you are again but you're beggin' in vain
cause I really don't want to know.
You came to me with a little bit of charm,
you had me down on my knees.
I didn't really think there was any harm,
but all you ever did was tease.
You took all the love that I ever had to give
and there was nothing left to show.
Well I remember everything,
everything around me.
The long dark winter till the breath of spring
came close enough to drown me.
So I'm gonna keep on trying - till I feel like dying
and I lay down and pass away.
But that wont happen till tomorrow - and by then I can borrow
another day. So I'm gonna keep on trying.
You came to me with a little bit of charm
and you had me down on my knees.
I didn't really think there was any harm,
but all you ever did was tease.
You took all the love that I ever had to give
and there was nothing left to show.
05 July Morning (10:12)
Album: Look at Yourself
There I was on a July morning
Looking for love,
With the strength of a new day dawning
And the beautiful sun
At the sound of the first bird singing
I was leaving for home
With the storm and the night behind me
And a road of my own
With the day came the resolution
I'll be looking for you
La la la la...
I was looking for love in the strangest places
There wasn't a stone that I left unturned
I must have tried more than a thousand faces
But not one was aware of the fire that burned
In my heart, In my mind, In my soul
La la la la...
In my heart, In my mind, In my soul
La la la la... La la la la...
There I was on a July morning
Looking for love,
With the strength of a new day dawning
And the beautiful sun
At the sound of the first bird singing
I was leaving for home
With the storm and the night behind me
And a road of my own
With the day came the resolution
I'll be looking for you
La la la la...
07 Circle of Hands (06:46)
Album: Demons and Wizards
Circle of hands
Cold spirits plan
Searching my land for an enemy
Came across love's sweet cost
And in the face of beauty
Evil was lost
Sky full of eyes, minds full of lies
Black from their cold hearts, down to their graves
Murdered the dawn, spreading their scorn
Cursing the sun of which love was born
We must keep them away
Or pretty soon we'll pay
And count the cost in sorrow
Sacrifice, the future has its price
And today is only yesterday's tomorrow
We must keep them away
Or pretty soon we'll pay
And count the cost in sorrow
Sacrifice, the future has its price
And today is only yesterday's tomorrow, tomorrow
Tomorrow, tomorrow
Tomorrow, tomorrow
Tomorrow, tomorrow
08 The Magician's Birthday (10:28)
In the magic garden
Some were singing
Some were dancing
While the midnight moon
Shone brightly overhead
The stars so gaily glistened
And the sphinx in silence listened to
The magician tell of
Lives that he had led
Let the bells of freedom ring
Songs of love to friday's king
Let's all go to
The magician's birthday
It's in a forest
But not so far away
Much to do
And so much to say
While we listened to
The orchid orchestra play
Happy birthay to you ...
Happy birthday to magician
Happy birthday to you ...
Then at the dead of midnight
As we watched the dancing firelight
The air grew cold
And seemed to dull the flame
The fire died
The music faded
Filled with fear of death we waited
For now we knew
Some evil was to blame
I challenge you
I challenge you all
For all you own
And all you know
And I own the powers of darkness
I will steal what is mine
Surrender now or face my spite
I grant you it may be friday night
But did you know this day
Also numbers thirteen
First I'll give you fire
I turn your fire into a sleepy stream
Yes, now I give you darkness
From your horror I'll create a dream
You cannot fight me
For I have the sword of hate
But one thing you can't see
My answer is simply
An impenetrable fortress
Of love ... love ... love ...
The fear went as quickly as it came
The air was clear
The fire burned again
The flames leapt
The organ played
The swans sang
To greet the day
And then we knew that
Love will find love will find love ..
09 Sympathy (05:25)
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
11 Sunrise (04:14)
Sunrise, and the new day's breaking through.
The morning of another day without you.
And as the hours roll by
noone's there to see me cry
except the sunrise,
the sunrise and you.
Tired eyes drift across the shore.
Looking for love and nothing more.
But as the sea rolls by
noone's there to see me cry
except the sunrise,
the sunrise and you.
Sunrise, bless my eyes.
Catch my soul, make me whole again.
Sunrise, new day heed my song.
I'm tired of fighting and fooling around.
But from now until who knows when?
My sword will be my friend.
And I'll love you...love ya
for all of my time.
Sunrise, bless my eyes.
Catch my soul, make me whole again.
(Repeat)
Sunrise.
12 Easy Livin' (03:32)
This is a thing I've never known before
It's called easy livin'
This is a place I've never seen before
And I've been forgiven
Easy livin' and I've been forgiven
Since you've taken your place in my heart
Somewhere along the lonely road I had tried to find ya
Day after day on the windy road I had walked behind ya
Easy livin and I've been forgiven
Since you've taken your place in my heart
Waiting, watching
Wishing my whole life away
Dreaming, thinking
Ready for my happy day
And some easy livin'!
Somewhere along the lonely road I had tried to find you
Day after day on the windy road I had walked behind you
Easy livin' and I've been forgiven
Since you've taken your place in my heart
Easy livin' and I've been forgiven
Since you've taken your place in my heart
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