"July Morning" is a song by the English rock band Uriah Heep. It is the third track on their 1971 album Look at Yourself.
The song was written in July 1970 by the band's keyboardist Ken Hensley and lead singer, David Byron.
The song is written in the key of C minor. The song has four verses and four choruses, featuring an organ introduction and a guitar solo. There is a guitar bridge between the first and second parts of the song.[4]
AllMusic contributor Dave Thompson described the song as the best produced by Uriah Heep, with a "magnificent arrangement and performance",[5] and in 1995, Radiomafia added "July Morning" to their list of "Top 500 Songs".[6]
"July Morning" was first released on the Look at Yourself album and as a single in Japan and Venezuela.[7] The Venezuelan single split the song across both sides of the 7", while the Japanese single featured an edited version of the song, which was later released on the band's greatest hits album Your Turn to Remember in 2016.
The live version from Uriah Heep Live was released as a single in the US.[8] In 2009 the band released a new version of the song on the album Celebration.[9]
Uriah Heep's manager Gerry Bron thought Manfred Mann not only played an important part in the original studio recording, but also played a crucial role in its development.[10]
Every year on 30 June in Bulgaria, people from all over the country travel to the Black Sea coast to watch the sunrise on 1 July. During the event people often sing "July Morning". Until his death in 2021, John Lawton performed the song at these events, backed by the Bulgarian band BTR.
Polish band Kult covered this song on remastered version of their album Kaseta.
Other appearances
The song has been appeared on many Uriah Heep live, compilation and studio albums and videos.[5]
