The Styrous® Viewfinder: 101 Reel-To-Reel Tapes 3: Uriah Heep ~ Sweet Freedom

Uriah Heep - Sweet Freedom (1973)

album cover detail

photo of album cover detail by Styrous®

In addition to my vinyl collection I'm selling, I have hundreds of reel-to-reel, pre-recorded tapes. This is another entry about one of them (see: The Beatles and Yes links below). It was for sale on eBay, so, what better time to write about it? I have the vinyl LP version as well. Interested? Contact me.

Uriah Heep - Sweet Freedom (1973)

reel-to-reel box front

album cover concept and

photography by Fin Costello

photo of album box by Styrous®

I really loved the Uriah Heep albums; they were among my favorites of the early '70's. Demons and Wizards (1972) was a great album and so was Sweet Freedom (1973).

Uriah Heep - Sweet Freedom (1973)

reel-to-reel box back

back album cover photo by Fin Costello

photo of album box back by Styrous®

Uriah Heep - Sweet Freedom (1973)

reel-to-reel spool

photo by Styrous®

One of the trivia I liked about the abum is that it was recorded in France at the Chateau d'Hérouville which was owned by composer Michel Magne. Is that cool or what?!?

Uriah Heep - Sweet Freedom (1973)

album cover detail

photo by Fin Costello

photo of album box detail by Styrous®

about the songs I love on the album

I like the way the title song, Sweet Freedom, opens with the quiet synth-organ and hi-hat that slowly builds; they're joined by a drum then a bass guitar for a fast beat intro which suddenly goes into a slow stroll. The female back-up is glorious. The song is an ode to a lost love; as wistful as hard rock can get.

Stealin' starts with a bouncy bass beat; a 1-½ minute, quiet, synth-organ, David Byron singing with a female backup introduces the song that goes into a fast gallop which makes it's a fantastic song that I always loved to dance to! A great definite finale makes it hard rock at it's best!

One Day, with it's drum start and slow female chorus intro, goes into a classic hard-rock love song that I was never really sure if it was about affirmation or loss.

Pilgrim, which clocks in at 7:10, starts suddenly and an intensely dramatic female chorus intro goes into a fast gallop beat. About a third of the way into the song there is the great hard-rock guitar of Mick Box in an instrumental break.

Circus has a sudden start with guitars, hi-hat and percussion. It is moderatley slow and mellow but syncopated; a conga drum gives it an almost bass-nova feeling. It is the mellowest song on the album. It ends with with the refrain, "Everyone's Insane." Could be.

Seven Stars has a great guitar squeak intro that goes suddenly into a fast gallop beat. A hard rock-style song love. Never could figure out what the alphabet sung at the fade-out is all about, though.

My VERY favorite song of the album, and one of my all-time favorites is, If I Had the Time. It has an organ fade-up, then a drum fade-in to a pleasantly smooth intro. It's a mellow stroll that is dreamy but rocks out from time to time. It has a beautifully quiet and subtle female backup to the fantastic singing of David Byron until near the end when it bursts out into full bloom. Every time I listen to it the uplifting warmth of it has made me feel splendid. I've always loved this song, and the lyrics:

If I had the time,
To re-live my life
I don't think I'd care,
To change a thing
As long as I find,
Just a little peace of mind
I can dream and laugh and I can sing

. . . have always seemed to be written specifically for me; especially so from my present vantage point in life. What an awe-inspiring song!

Sweet Freedom was recorded in June and July of 1973. All songs were written by Ken Hensley except where noted in track listing.

Uriah Heep - Sweet Freedom (1973)

reel lable track listing

photo by Styrous®

Track listing

side 1:
    "Dreamer" (Mick Box, Gary Thain) – 3:41
    "Stealin'" – 4:49
    "One Day" (Hensley, Thain) – 2:47
    "Sweet Freedom" – 6:37

side 2:
    "If I Had the Time" – 5:43
    "Seven Stars" – 3:52
    "Circus" (Box, Lee Kerslake, Thain) – 2:44
    "Pilgrim" (David Byron, Hensley) – 7:10