Hensley wrote, or co-wrote, the majority of Uriah Heep's songs during this period, including such hits as "Look at Yourself", "Lady in Black" (on both of which he also sang lead vocals), "Easy Livin'", "Stealin'" and "Free Me".
Biography
Born in London, Hensley moved with his parents, three brothers and sister to Stevenage, Hertfordshire in 1955. He started to learn how to play guitar at the age of 12, from a Bert Weedon manual. His first gig was at The Mentmore Pen Factory, in Stevenage (September 1960). After that, he played with The Blue Notes, Ken And The Cousins and Kit And The Saracens (1962). In 1963, this band evolved into The Jimmy Brown Sound, and they even recorded some now lost songs. At this time, Hensley's first "professional" opportunity almost came about: they were going to back Ben E. King on a British visit, but it never happened.[citation needed]
In Early 1965, Hensley lost his interest in soul music and formed a band called The Gods, with the young guitarist Mick Taylor, well known later for his work with The Rolling Stones. Ken wrote most of the material, sang and played the Hammond B3 organ (mainly because the band already had the talented Mick Taylor on guitar). What he didn't know then, was that he would be such an influential musician playing exactly the organ. The Gods' line-up included, at one time or another, vocalist and guitar/bass player Greg Lake (later of King Crimson and Emerson, Lake & Palmer), bass player Paul Newton (who would be later the first Uriah Heep bassist), drummer Lee Kerslake (later also of Heep), bassist John Glascock (later of Jethro Tull), and guitarist Joe Konas. In early 1968 they signed with Columbia Records, and recorded 2 LPs and several singles. After that, Newton left the band to join Spice, an Essex-based band.
The band eventually split but Cliff Bennett, from Rebel Rouser, decided to make a more progressive sound, and called The Gods guys to join him. So, by the name of Toe Fat, they released 2 LPs (only the first one with Ken). During this time, Ken also played on a dubious recording: Head Machine's "Orgasm" (not exactly a band, a project more likely). At this time, Ken played mainly guitar again, as in the beginning of his career.
Paul Newton asked Hensley (Christmas 1969) to join forces in Spice, since they were looking after a keyboards player to make their sound less bluesy and more progressive at the time. In January 1970, Spice changed its name into Uriah Heep. Also on the line-up were guitarist Mick Box and vocalist David Byron. With Uriah Heep, Ken Hensley found a place to develop and show to the world his songwriting and lyrics abilities, keyboards and guitar playing. The major success came, and Heep is now acclaimed as one of UK's most legendary rock bands. The chemistry of the most classic line-up including Hensley, Byron, Box, Kerslake and bassist Gary Thain, plus the management provided by Gerry Bron (Bronze Records), were the launching points of their tremendous capability of making great music. During his time with Heep (1970 - 1980), they recorded 13 studio albums, and one of the most acclaimed live albums of all times: "Uriah Heep Live - January 1973" (not to mention lots of compilations and singles). Hensley also recorded his first 2 solo albums, "Proud Words On A Dusty Shelf" (1973) and "Eager To Please" (1975) during this time. With the departure of Thain (died in 1975) and Byron, other excellent musicians also got into the Heep family: John Wetton (Family, King Crimson, Roxy Music, later of UK and Asia), Trevor Bolder (from Spiders From Mars, later of Wishbone Ash) and John Lawton (Lucifer's Friend), among others. The chemistry though, wasn't the same anymore.
In 1980 Hensley left the band, not happy with the musical directions they were choosing at the time. After trying to put a new band together first in the UK (Shotgun), he later moved to the USA and played a few gigs in North America with the suggestive name of Ken Hensley Band.
In 1982 Hensley joined Blackfoot, a hard rock Florida-based band. With them, he recorded 2 albums and achieved again some success, but he left after Bron told him about Byron's sad death in 1985. He had also released by this time his third solo LP, "Free Spirit" (1980).
Hensley had been since then almost in retirement, in St. Louis, Missouri (USA), making only a few appearances in some musical projects, with W.A.S.P., Cinderella and others. Blackie Lawless (W.A.S.P.) has defined exactly what Hensley means to the rock'n'roll history:
"Ken Hensley wrote the rule book for heavy metal keyboards as far as I'm concerned."
This could be debated as Jon Lord of Deep Purple may have written the rule book for heavy metal keyboards in general. Ken Hensley likely wrote the rule book for heavy metal piano as heard in Paradise/The Spell from Demons and Wizards. The period also gave birth to many other amazing keyboardists/organists, not the least of which were Alan Taff Freeman of Nektar, and John Evan of Jethro Tull.
Surprisingly though, things began to change in the mid 90s after years of silence. In 1994, "From Time To Time", a collection of lost recordings, was released featuring rare songs recorded by Ken between 1971 and 1982, as well as some very good early versions of Heep's classic songs, played by Ken and his roommates at that time, namely guitarist Paul Kossoff and drummer Simon Kirke (both of Free). Other musicians on the songs were bassist Boz Burrell (King Crimson and Bad Company), guitarist Mick Ralphs (Bad Company), drummers Ian Paice (Deep Purple, Whitesnake) and Kenny Jones (The Who), amongst others.
In 1999 Hensley's musical activities began to increase, besides his work with St. Louis Music. He recorded an album, "A Glimpse Of Glory", together with his band Visible Faith. An eclectic collection of ballads and hard rock tunes, this album was hugely acclaimed by fans who were hungry for new material from Ken.
During the fourth Uriah Heep Annual Convention in London, May 2000, plans were made for a one-off concert by the so-called "Hensley/Lawton Band". Ken was joined by former Heep singer John Lawton, their first public collaboration since John's departure from Heep in 1979. With them were Paul Newton (Heep's original bassist), and 2 members of John's band, Reuben Kane on lead guitar and Justin Shefford on drums. They played a sort of old Heep classics and some of Ken's solo songs to an amazed audience, and the concert was recorded for a proper CD release, followed by a tour in Europe culminating with a concert in Hamburg, Germany, featuring a full orchestra and a new rendition of Heep's old classic "Salisbury"!
This is definitely not the end of the story, since Hensley has been quite busy working on his solo career. "Running Blind", his first effort in 21 years, was released worldwide and followed by a world tour with his band called "Free Spirit", that included some incredible musicians: Dave Kilminster (guitar), Andy Pyle (bass) and Pete Riley (drums). Kilminster and Riley later also played in the Keith Emerson Band (Kilminster is part of Roger Waters band nowadays). He now plays regular annual shows at small venues in Scandinavia, such as the "Summer Party" in Fredrikstad, Norway, where he has been playing consecutive gigs every August for nearly six years.
After moving to Spain, Hensley kept his schedule busy and released "The Last Dance" (with new songs), "The Wizard's Diary" (Uriah Heep classics re-recorded in 2004) and "Cold Autumn Sunday" (Ken's solo songs re-recorded in 2005).
Featuring a number of special guests, the rock opera "Blood On The Highway" was recorded at the end of 2006 and released in May 2007. The story portrays the rise and fall of a rock'n'roll star and the eventual restart. The lead vocals role was split between Ken himself, plus Glenn Hughes (ex-Deep Purple, Trapeze, Black Sabbath), Jorn Lande (ex-The Snakes, Masterplan), John Lawton (ex-Lucifer's Friend, Uriah Heep) and Eve Gallagher.
In September 2008, Ken Hensley joined the stage again with John Lawton, Lee Kerslake and Paul Newton, all of Uriah Heep fame plus the addition of ex-Focus guitarist Jan Dumée, for the "Heepvention 2008" fans meeting. Two shows with one acoustic one day and a full set the day after set the standard for Uriah Heep's music through 2 decades.
Hensely continued to write and record a series of new albums, beginning with a collection of songs under the title of Love & Other Mysteries, recorded near his home in Spain and followed in 2011 by Faster, his first studio recording of new songs with his live band, Live Fire. A CD of one of his solo concerts was released by Cherry Red Records in 2013, shortly followed by a live CD recorded with Live Fire during a September/October tour. Trouble, an album of 10 new songs recorded with a revised Live Fire line-up was released, again by Cherry Red, in September the same year.
Stealin'
Ken Hensley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I done the rancher's daughter and I sure did hurt his pride
Haha
Well, there's a hundred miles of desert lies between his hide and mine
I don't need no food and no water, Lord, cause I'm runnin' out of time
Fightin', killin', wine and women gonna put me to my grave
Runnin', hidin', losin', cryin', nothing left to save
But my life
I made my break and a big mistake, stealin' when I should have been buyin'
All that fightin', killin', wine and those women gonna put me to an early grave
Runnin', hidin', losin', cryin', nothing left to save
But my life, life, life, life, life, life, life, life, life
So I stood on a ridge and shunned religion, thinking the world was mine
I made my break and a big mistake, stealin' when I should have been buyin'
I was stealin' when I should have been buyin'
I was stealin' when I should have been buyin'
Stealin' when I should have been buyin'
Stealin' when I should have been buyin'
Stealin' when I should have been buyin'
Stealin' when I should have been buyin'
Stealin' woo
Stealin' hahaha, yeh
I was stealin' when I should have been buyin'
Stealin', oh yeh yeh yeh yeh yeh
Stealin', oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo
Stealin', rock'n'roll, all right
Stealin', rock'n'roll, all right
Stealin' babe, babe
Stealin', should, should, should have been buyin'
Stealin', should, should, should have been buyin'
Stealin', should have, should have, should have been buyin'
Stealin', buying, yeah
The lyrics of Ken Hensley's song "Stealin'" tell the story of a man on the run, seeking refuge and hiding from the repercussions of his actions. The singer begins by expressing the need to escape and find a place to hide, as he has caused harm and offended someone's pride, possibly by having an affair with the rancher's daughter. He acknowledges that there is a vast desert between him and the person he has wronged, and he doesn't require sustenance because time is running out for him.
The lyrics then delve into the destructive lifestyle the singer has led, filled with fighting, killing, indulging in wine, and pursuing women. He realizes that this way of life will lead him to an early grave, as he runs, hides, loses, and cries, feeling like there's nothing left to save but his own life. The singer reflects on standing on a ridge and rejecting religion, believing himself to be the owner of the world. However, he considers his decision to steal instead of buying to be a major mistake.
In the final section, the repetition of the phrase "Stealin' when I should have been buyin'" emphasizes the regret and realization of the singer's poor choices. He acknowledges that he should have been honest and obtained things through legitimate means rather than resorting to theft. The song ends with playful laughter, perhaps suggesting a mix of resignation and self-awareness.
Overall, "Stealin'" is a cautionary tale about the consequences of living a reckless and deceitful life. It explores themes of regret, redemption, and the importance of making ethical choices.
Line by Line Meaning
Take me across the water cause I need some place to hide
Transport me over the water as I require a refuge
I done the rancher's daughter and I sure did hurt his pride
I engaged in a romantic relationship with the rancher's daughter, causing significant damage to his ego
Well, there's a hundred miles of desert lies between his hide and mine
A vast stretch of desert separates our respective hiding places
I don't need no food and no water, Lord, cause I'm runnin' out of time
I have no need for sustenance or provisions, dear Lord, as my time is running out
Fightin', killin', wine and women gonna put me to my grave
Engaging in battles, taking lives, indulging in alcohol and pursuing relationships with women will ultimately lead to my death
Runnin', hidin', losin', cryin', nothing left to save
Constantly fleeing, concealing, suffering losses, and crying, with nothing remaining to salvage
But my life
Except for my own existence
Stood on a ridge and shunned religion, thinking the world was mine
From atop a ridge, I rejected religious beliefs and arrogantly believed I possessed dominion over the world
I made my break and a big mistake, stealin' when I should have been buyin'
I took my opportunity but committed a grave error, stealing instead of making legitimate purchases
All that fightin', killin', wine and those women gonna put me to an early grave
Engaging in battles, taking lives, indulging in alcohol, and pursuing relationships with women will lead to my premature death
Runnin', hidin', losin', cryin', nothing left to save
Constantly fleeing, concealing, suffering losses, and crying, with nothing remaining to salvage
But my life, life, life, life, life, life, life, life, life
Except for my own existence, existence, existence, existence, existence, existence, existence, existence, existence
Stealin' when I should have been buyin'
Engaging in theft instead of making legitimate purchases
Stealin' woo
Stealing, expressing excitement or pleasure
Stealin' hahaha, yeh
Stealing, laughing audibly, yes
I was stealin' when I should have been buyin'
I was engaging in theft when I ought to have been making legitimate purchases
Stealin', oh yeh yeh yeh yeh yeh
Stealing, oh yes yes yes yes yes
Stealin', oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo
Stealing, making a vocalization indicating surprise or excitement
Stealin', rock'n'roll, all right
Stealing, rock and roll, perfectly acceptable
Stealin' babe, babe
Stealing, expressing affection or familiarity
Stealin', should, should, should have been buyin'
Stealing, expressing regret over not making legitimate purchases
Stealin', should, should, should have been buyin'
Stealing, expressing regret over not making legitimate purchases
Stealin', should have, should have, should have been buyin'
Stealing, expressing regret over not making legitimate purchases
Stealin', buying, yeah
Stealing, referring to the act of purchasing
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: KEN HENSLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Penny Lane Rocker
We sure do miss Ken and his music. He will always be remembered by us old rockers and with total respect as will Trever, Lee and David.
thna mpat
Прекрасное исполнениеи. И музыкаааааа..что надо. Молодые годы наши .
Peter Ladd
I think Ken does a great job on this !!!!! Great sound !
Ron Bateman
Great sound Mr. Hensley. Good message in the song too!
Wildhorses39
Jon Lord RIP and Ken Hensley are the Legends of the keyboards class mixed with originality simply the best in the world that will stand the test of time for all of the future to listen to with a smile.
Francesco Nadig
great music, I love this version!!
bluangel150
He does it again! Wonderful, thanks for sharing this.
DigNap15
I saw them at the Marquee club in the early 70's they were great. Ken Hensley and Mick Box are both great! Such power and majesty.
Hector Gonzalez
I saw them in Houston Texas in the Astrodome.
Chris Andrews
+Digmen1 i worked there in the late 70s great times ....