Artists
Musicians featured in this piece are:
David Byron – lead vocals
Mick Box – lead guitar, acoustic guitar, vocals
Ken Hensley – organ, slide guitar, Mellotron, piano, vocals
Paul Newton – bass guitar, vocals
Alex Napier – drums
Written by Mick Box & David Byron. Produced by Gerry Bron, engineered by Peter Gallen, recorded July 1969–April 1970 at Lansdowne Studios, London. Released as the opening track on …Very ‘Eavy …Very ‘Umble… (Vertigo Records, June 1970); also issued as the band’s debut single in July 1970.
“Gypsy” set the template for Uriah Heep’s sound right out of the gate, notably swapping the expected guitar solo for a wild, extended organ solo from Ken Hensley — a deliberate choice to distinguish the band from its heavy-rock peers.
Uriah Heep – Gypsy Lyrics
I was only seventeen,
I fell in love with a gypsy queen.
She told me – hold on!
Her father was the leading man,
Said “You’re not welcome on our land.”
And then as a foe, he told me to go.
He took me to a little shack
And put a whip across my back
Then told her – leave me.
I was out for quite a time,
Came back with her on my mind.
Sweet little girl – she means all the world.
Though I want my gypsy queen,
Will she still be torn between
Her father and lover?
One day I will go to him
Strong enough to fight and win.
The kind of a man that he’ll understand
To listen to other songs from the Teleskop 13 program and the full program, click here.