This information is correct I read your post yesterday and then look calmly, the credits in the records and Cds, they don't include Ken Hensley as co-author on any song from the first album
Most likely thanks to homework for this thread my Apple Music generated “chill playlist” includes Come Away, Melinda.
Curiously, Ken Hensley is added to the credits of Bird Of Prey in wikipedia... If you review the different releases of the single "Gypsy" you can clearly see that Bird Of Prey is assigned to Box / Byron / Newton. By the way talking about "Gypsy" now, it is interesting the selection of the B'sides for the single according to the country of origin: -Bird Of Prey for Germany and Spain. -Come Away Melinda in Italy -Real Turned On in Canada -Gypsy part 2 in the United States while in France two different versions were published with two different B'sides -Gypsy Part 2 (Vertigo - 6059 016) -Byrd Of Prey (Vertigo - 6059 020) the versions of the single with Gypsy Part1 and Gypsy part 2 apparently is the original song split in two parts !
I never understood that... quite a few songs suffered that fate. What was the maximum comfortable length that could go on a 45?
“Hey Jude” was 7 minutes so they could have released the album version and backed it with another track.
A further note on the documentary. While it’s a Uriah Heep Production (end credits) it permits the honest evaluation/opinions of the various commentators (in the longest segment, over 2 hours of the Hensley years). So one may like something (basically as a fan) while Gerry Bron, as producer, has a different opinion. And then Hensley has his own viewpoint, etc.
Walking In Your Shadow We start with a nice little drum groove. The guitar riff comes in, and it is simple and effective. Byron puts in a fairly straight vocal and the track comes together well. At the 1:20 point we get a change up, and again it adds just enough flavour to keep the track interesting. At 2:25 we get a nice key modulation and Mick Box gets to have a lead break. It's a nicely paced lead and shows us that the guitarist can play as well, after the monster organ on the opening track. We get the change up again and then we move back into the main riff section. This isn't the greatest song ever written but it is a solid album track that helps with the flow of the album, and also as a debut album, it shows the band isn't just a one trick pony.
Come Away Melinda As with several songs on the album, there is an anti-war sentiment. Being still in the Vietnam era, that is hardly surprising. The surprising thing here is that this is a cover song, not only that, but a song first released by Harry Belafonte in 1963, shortly after the Weavers had played it live , and appeared on their reunion at Carnegie Hall album from 1963 also. Here the band shows the ability to be really very delicate and touching. The delicacy in the vocals and the musical arrangement are quite remarkable for a band of this type in 1970. This is just one of many examples of how Heep were walking a different path to their contemporaries. There is a certain amount of the sixties flavouring the track, but I don't think in a bad way. There are also some really well executed harmony vocal sections. Again we get a track that is different to the one before, and shows an ability to tackle many styles and be convincing with it.
I already said it upthread, but I think Paul Newton gets overlooked for his songwriting. Lyrically, this is very well written (the opening lines leaves quite a vivid image of the dreammare/nightmare). And, despite the use of the “la la la la la”s, this is a tough song.
This is beautifully done. As one of the documentary commentators notes, UFO did a cover of this song, too (on their debut album, as well. I owned it). But Heep’s version is superior. I knew it was a cover from the get-go but didn’t realize it went back to ‘63.
David Byron does a hauntingly wonderful vocal on Come Away Melinda. The horrors of war are conveyed so convincingly great emotional song. The band shows they have real depth to go along with their heavy side.
I like the guitar riff although I still think it's not particularly a great song, it's not bad after all but it lacks the impact, for example, of Gypsy. Not bad, by the way, the guitar solo by Mick Box and the vocal performance by Mr David Byron.
I like this song a lot, it's a bit sad but it has its atmosphere with those melodic arrangements. Short and beautiful at the same time. David Byron rescues that song a bit ...
Regarding the album cover (UK): from travellersintime.com : “The UK version of the cover is a major upgrade to the US version and the face covered with cobwebs on the cover is actually David Byron's. The effect was created by Mick Box who used a glue based cobweb machine.”
More fro travellersintime.com, this time in reference to keyboards on debut: “Colin Wood played keyboards on two songs of the debut album, Come Away Melinda and Wake Up [Set Your Sights]. Gerry Bron also asked Colin to join the band even though none of the band were aware of this for years. Colin turned down the job because his teaching schedule wouldn't allow him to tour with a band. At that point the job was Ken's by default. But was he the third choice? We will find out in later time as more that is uncovered will be available through other sources. “
Here’s the link to source. Note all the different variations of cover art: Very 'Eavy Very 'Umble note: there’s also a reference to songwriting credits that’s intriguing. I will say that Gerry Bron kinda paused on this point in documentary, too.
