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Return to Fantasy

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Return to Fantasy
Studio album by
Uriah Heep
Released13 June 1975 (UK)
RecordedSpring 1975
StudioLansdowne Studios and Morgan Studios, London
Genre
Length40:35
Label
ProducerGerry Bron
Uriah Heep chronology
Wonderworld
(1974) 		Return to Fantasy
(1975) 		High and Mighty
(1976)
Singles from Return to Fantasy
  1. "Prima Donna"
    Released: June 1975
  2. "Return to Fantasy"
    Released: July 1975 (Europe and Japan) [1]

Return to Fantasy is the eighth studio album by British rock band Uriah Heep, released on 13 June 1975 in the United Kingdom by Bronze Records. It was the first of the two albums to feature John Wetton as the new bass player, who replaced Gary Thain in early 1975.

The sleeve-art is by British artist Dave Field.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal5/10[3]

Return to Fantasy "retains the musical experimentation that marked Sweet Freedom and Wonderworld, but has an overall harder-rocking feel that makes it more consistent than either one of those albums", said Donald A. Guarisco in his retrospective AllMusic review. He criticized some of the album's "genre-hopping", and concluded, "In the end, Return to Fantasy lacks the coherence of a top-shelf Uriah Heep classic like Demons and Wizards but remains a strong and likable album that is guaranteed to please the group's fans".[2] The review by Canadian journalist Martin Popoff was very critical of the album's recording "dominated by blaring but thin organ and sloppy drumming" and of Byron's "distant and unsure" performance, judging the album "completely adrift without a trace of spark".[3]

Track listing

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Return to Fantasy"Ken Hensley, David Byron5:52
2."Shady Lady"Hensley, Mick Box, Byron, Lee Kerslake4:46
3."Devil's Daughter"Byron, Box, Hensley, Kerslake4:48
4."Beautiful Dream"Hensley, Byron, Box, Kerslake4:52
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
5."Prima Donna"Byron, Box, Kerslake, Hensley3:11
6."Your Turn to Remember"Hensley4:22
7."Showdown"Hensley, Byron, Box, Kerslake4:17
8."Why Did You Go"Byron, Box, Hensley, Kerslake3:53
9."A Year or a Day"Hensley4:22
Total length:40:35
1996 Essential remastered and expanded edition bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
10."Shout It Out" (B-side to single "Prima Donna")Hensley3:34
11."The Time Will Come" (B-side to single "Return to Fantasy")Byron, Box, Hensley, Kerslake4:10
12."Beautiful Dream" (previously unreleased version) 5:49
13."Return to Fantasy" (edited version) 3:39
Total length:57:49
2004 Sanctuary Midline remastered and expanded edition bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
10."Shout It Out" (B-side)3:34
11."The Time Will Come" (B-side)4:08
12."Prima Donna" (alternate demo version)4:05
13."Why Did You Go" (alternate demo version)5:18
14."Showdown" (alternate demo version)4:18
15."Beautiful Dream" (alternate demo version)5:48
16."Return to Fantasy" (extended version)7:18
Total length:75:08

Personnel

Uriah Heep
Production
  • Gerry Bron – producer
  • Peter Gallen – engineer
  • Dave Burns, Dave Harris – assistant engineers
  • Harry Moss – mastering engineer at EMI Abbey Road Studios, London
  • Dave Field – illustration
  • Joe Gaffney – photography

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[20] Silver 60,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ "Uriah Heep singles".
  2. ^ a b Guarisco, Donald A. Uriah Heep - Return to Fantasy review at AllMusic. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
  3. ^ a b Popoff, Martin (October 2003). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 1: The Seventies. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector's Guide Publishing. p. 303. ISBN 978-1894959025.
  4. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  5. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Uriah Heep – Return to Fantasy" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
  6. ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 4021b". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
  7. ^ "Return to Fantasy - Uriah Heep". Danske Hitlister.dk. Retrieved 7 December 2018.
  8. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Uriah Heep – Return to Fantasy" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
  9. ^ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 166. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
  10. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Uriah Heep – Return to Fantasy" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 22April 2018.
  11. ^ Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005 (in Japanese). Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
  12. ^ "Charts.nz – Uriah Heep – Return to Fantasy". Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
  13. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Uriah Heep – Return to Fantasy". Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
  14. ^ "Uriah Heep | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
  15. ^ "Uriah Heep Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
  16. ^ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. 1975. Archived from the original on 29 November 2021. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
  17. ^ "Uriah Heep – Prima Donna (Song)". Norwegiancharts.com. Media Control Charts. Retrieved 7 December 2018.
  18. ^ "Prima Donna - Uriah Heep". Danske Hitlister.dk. Retrieved 7 December 2018.
  19. ^ "Uriah Heep – Return to Fantasy". Ultratop.be (in Dutch). Media Control Charts. Retrieved 7 December 2018.
  20. ^ "British album certifications – Uriah Heep – Return to Fantasy". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
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