Innocent Victim , released in November 1977, “had a slight edge on

Innocent Victim , released in November 1977, “had a slight edge on Firefly ” according to Box, but still in retrospect this “blend of sharp, short rockers and pop-friendly ballads” looked like “an attempt to court the American AOR market”. The single “Free Me” (whose “acoustic style and accent on harmonies brought the group dangerously close to Eagles territory”, according to AllMusic) became an international hit. In Germany the album sold over a million copies and became Uriah Heep’s most successful, which coincided with the success of the re-released ” Lady in Black “. For some time during this period, there were three Uriah Heep singles sitting together in the German Top 20, these being “Wise Man” (from Firefly ), “Lady in Black” and “Free Me”.