URIAH HEEP - "July Morning"

Uriah Heep

"July Morning"

Single

Released: October 1971

Album: Look at Yourself (Released: September 1971 <US> / Oktober 1971 <UK>)
Writer: David Byron, Ken Hensley
Label: Bronze

"July Morning" is a song by Uriah Heep. It is the third track on their 1971 album Look at Yourself. The song was written by the band's keyboardist Ken Hensley and lead singer David Byron. Approximately the last four minutes of the piece consist of a virtuosic organ solo. The odd sounding calliope riffs are played by Manfred Mann who, according to the album's liner notes, "appears for the first time with his Moog synthesizer". The song also was released as a single from Uriah Heep's first live album Uriah Heep Live.

Uriah Heep's single: July Morning (Japan version, 1972)

Uriah Heep - "July Morning" (from the album Look at Yourself, 1971)

AllMusic contributor Dave Thompson described the song as the best produced by Uriah Heep, with a "magnificent arrangement and performance", and in 1995, Radiomafia added "July Morning" to their list of "Top 500 Songs".

"July Morning" was first released on the Look at Yourself album and Japan, Venezuela, and the United States(live version),published in addition to singles,many of the band's live and a collection of albums. In 2009 the band released a new version of the song on the album "Celebration".

Uriah Heep's album: Look at Yourself (1971)

Uriah Heep - "July Morning"

Uriah Heep's manager Gerry Bron thought Manfred Mann not only played an important part in the original studio recording, but also played a crucial role in its development.

"...Other Uriah Heep albums have their masterpieces, others boast their classics. But no song in the band's repertoire can ever top "July Morning", a ten-plus minute epic that might not host the most thought-provoking lyric (looking for love and not finding it), but nevertheless soars upon the most magnificent arrangement and performance, an organ and Moog-led wash that builds to symphonic proportions, and keeps going from there..." (Allmusic review by Dave Thompson)

The song became a classic, and has left its marks in many different ways. The organ melody in the intro has been used as a wedding march on some occasions, and the song has also been the inspiration for a Bulgarian tradition named after the song. Every June 30, Bulgarians from all over the country travel to the coast of the Black Sea to watch the rising of the sun on the 1st of July. They often sing the song while the celebration takes place.

Uriah Heep - "July Morning" (USA 1972)

Uriah Heep 1971

Line-up / Musicians:

Ken Hensley – Organ, piano, guitar, acoustic guitar, vocals

Mick Box – Lead guitar, acoustic guitar

David Byron - Lead vocals 

Paul Newton – Bass guitar

Iain Clark – Drums

with

Manfred Mann - Moog synthesizer 

Link / Review:

wikipedia: July Morning (song)
songfacts: July Morning by Uriah Heep
allmusic: July Morning: Uriah Heep
ultimateclassicrock: Top 10 Uriah Heep Songs