The Magician's Birthday is the fifth album released by British rock band Uriah Heep. The story line is "based loosely on a short story" written by Ken Hensley in June and July 1972.
Even though it was recorded mere months after the preceding Demons and Wizards, the album features a notably different sound than the band's previous albums, with the aggressive hard rock toned down in favor of a cleaner appearance with more progressive elements, something which had only been hinted previously. This change in sound would define Uriah Heep's following outputs for roughly a decade.
The original vinyl release was a gatefold sleeve, the front of which was designed by Roger Dean. The innerfold had pictures of the band, with the LP itself housed in a liner on which were printed the lyrics.
Two songs charted in the United States, "Blind Eye" (#97) and "Sweet Lorraine" (#91). "Spider Woman" reached #13 in Germany. The title track is notable for an extended kazoo improvisation on the melody to "Happy Birthday to You".
The Magician's Birthday was certified Gold by the RIAA on 22 January 1973.
Read more about The Magician's Birthday: Track Listing, Certifications, Chart Performance, Personnel, Production
Famous quotes containing the words magician and/or birthday:
“Witches have no wit, said the magician who was weak. Hula, hula, said the witches.”
—Norman Mailer (b. 1923)
“I feel like my sixteenth birthday and the time I graduated from high school, and the first time I flew solo all wrapped up in one.”
—Dalton Trumbo (1905–1976)