Sweet Freedom (Uriah Heep album)
1973 studio album by Uriah Heep
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Sweet Freedom is the sixth studio album by English rock band Uriah Heep, released in September 1973 by Bronze Records in the UK and Warner Bros. Records in the US.
| Sweet Freedom | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | September 1973 | |||
| Recorded | June–July 1973 | |||
| Studios | Château d'Hérouville, France | |||
| Genres | ||||
| Length | 37:23 | |||
| Label | Bronze | |||
| Producer | Gerry Bron | |||
| Uriah Heep chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Sweet Freedom | ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [4] |
| Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal | 8/10[5] |
The original vinyl release was a gatefold, reproducing the lyrics within. There was also a central page with a photograph of each band member.
It was the first Uriah Heep album to be released by Warner Bros. in the U.S. Sweet Freedom reached No. 33 in the US Billboard 200 chart.[6] It was certified gold by the RIAA on 5 March 1974.[7]
AllMusic's retrospective review noted that Heep "began to explore new styles to flesh out their combination of prog complexity and heavy metal muscle."[4]
The album was remastered and reissued by Castle Communications in 1996 with two bonus tracks, and again in 2004 in an expanded deluxe edition.
Track listing
All tracks are written by Ken Hensley, except where noted.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Dreamer" | Gary Thain, Mick Box | 3:41 |
| 2. | "Stealin'" | 4:49 | |
| 3. | "One Day" | Hensley, Thain | 2:47 |
| 4. | "Sweet Freedom" | 6:37 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5. | "If I Had the Time" | 5:43 | |
| 6. | "Seven Stars" | 3:52 | |
| 7. | "Circus" | Thain, Box, Lee Kerslake | 2:44 |
| 8. | "Pilgrim" | Hensley, David Byron | 7:10 |
| Total length: | 37:23 | ||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9. | "Silver White Man" | Byron | 3:40 |
| 10. | "Crystal Ball" | Thain | 4:08 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9. | "Sunshine" | Thain, Box | 4:48 |
| 10. | "Seven Stars" (extended version) | 7:03 | |
| 11. | "Pilgrim" (extended version – previously unreleased) | Hensley, Byron | 8:29 |
| 12. | "If I Had the Time" (demo) | 6:02 | |
| 13. | "Sweet Freedom" (alternative live version) | 6:48 | |
| 14. | "Stealin'" (alternative live version) | 5:41 |
Personnel
Uriah Heep
- David Byron – lead vocals
- Mick Box – guitars
- Ken Hensley – keyboards, guitars, backing vocals
- Lee Kerslake – drums, percussion, backing vocals
- Gary Thain – bass guitar
Production
- Gerry Bron – producer
- Peter Gallen – engineer, mixing at Lansdowne Studios, London
Charts
| Chart (1973–74) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[8] | 19 |
| Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[9] | 9 |
| Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[10] | 5 |
| Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[11] | 14 |
| Finnish Albums (The Official Finnish Charts)[12] | 2 |
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[13] | 12 |
| Japanese Albums (Oricon)[14] | 45 |
| Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[15] | 2 |
| UK Albums (Official Charts)[16] | 18 |
| US Billboard 200[17] | 33 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI)[18] | Silver | 60,000^ |
| United States (RIAA)[19] | Gold | 500,000^ |
|
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||