Look At Yourself by Uriah Heep

Album: Look At Yourself (1971)

License This Song

lyrics

Songfacts®:

"Look at Yourself" was written by Ken Hensley, who was with the band from 1970-1980. In an interview with Songfacts, he explained that the song was about himself at a time in which he was trying to figure out where to take his career and personal life. The "yourself" in the song, then, started out as Hensley HIMself.

Of course, over the years people hear the song differently as it connects with their own lives. "Look At Yourself" is one of Uriah Heep's most enduring songs, encouraging listeners to look to themselves for friendship and guidance as they try to figure out what to do with their lives.
This was the first single that Uriah Heep ever released in the United Kingdom, though it failed to chart there. It did make #33 in Germany and #4 in Switzerland.
This is the only song on the album sung by Ken Hensley. That's because their usual singer, David Byron, had problems with his throat the day they recorded it.

Hensley's voice is on the album, but Byron sang the song when they did it live.

Comments: 2

Pavel from Yekaterinburg, RussiaTed Osei, Mac Tontoh and Loughty Amao from the Osibisa played percussion on this track
Bill from UsI had this album with the actual "mirror" insert on the cover. Also this album became my favorite of all, even though I though Salsbury was so different from other stuff at the time.

see more comments

More Songfacts:

My Name IsEminem

Eminem's first hit was "My Name Is," which introduced his alter ego, Slim Shady.

Passionate KissesLucinda Williams

Lucinda Williams wrote and recorded "Passionate Kisses" four years before it was a hit for Mary Chapin Carpenter.

Gives You HellThe All-American Rejects

The first US Top 10 hit with the word "hell" in the title was "Gives You Hell" by The All-American Rejects in 2008.

Papa Don't PreachMadonna

Madonna didn't write "Papa Don't Preach," which deals with abortion. What drew her to the song was the singer standing up to male authority.

Station to StationDavid Bowie

David Bowie's "Station to Station" is over 10 minutes long. Bowie was doing a lot of drugs at the time and later said, "I have only flashes of making it."

Hound DogElvis Presley

The songwriting team Leiber and Stoller wrote "Hound Dog" for a blues singer named Big Mama Thronton, who first recorded the song in 1953. Elvis covered it in 1956, and it became his biggest hit.