Return to Fantasy

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Return to Fantasy
Studio album by
Uriah Heep
Released13 June 1975
RecordedSpring 1975
StudioLansdowne and Morgan, London
Genre
Length40:35
LabelBronze
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 English rock band

Warner Bros. Records in the US. 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

All tracks are written by David Byron, Mick Box, Ken Hensley and Lee Kerslake except where noted

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Return to Fantasy"Hensley, Byron5:52
2."Shady Lady" 4:46
3."Devil's Daughter" 4:48
4."Beautiful Dream" 4:52
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
5."Prima Donna" 3:11
6."Your Turn to Remember"Hensley4:22
7."Showdown" 4:17
8."Why Did You Go" 3:53
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") 4:10
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. ^
    AllMusic
    . Retrieved 6 July 2018.
  3. ^
    ISBN 978-1894959025
    .
  4. ISBN 0-646-11917-6
    .
  5. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Uriah Heep – Return to Fantasy" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  6. ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 4021b". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  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 November 8, 2023.
  9. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5
    .
  10. GfK Entertainment Charts
    . Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  11. ISBN 4-87131-077-9
    .
  12. ^ "Charts.nz – Uriah Heep – Return to Fantasy". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  13. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Uriah Heep – Return to Fantasy". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  14. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  15. ^ "Uriah Heep Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  16. GfK Entertainment Charts. 1975. Archived from the original
    on 29 November 2021. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
  17. Media Control Charts
    . Retrieved 7 December 2018.
  18. ^ "Prima Donna - Uriah Heep". Danske Hitlister.dk. Retrieved 7 December 2018.
  19. Media Control Charts
    . Retrieved 7 December 2018.
  20. ^ "British album certifications – Uriah Heep – Return to Fantasy". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Return_to_Fantasy&oldid=1213323873"