Lady In Black Iris & Uriah Heep May 2026

: To celebrate their 25th anniversary in 2001, the legendary Romanian band Iris invited members of Uriah Heep to collaborate.

: Written by Ken Hensley, the band's multi-instrumentalist. Unusually, Hensley sang the lead vocals because David Byron, the band's primary singer, reportedly disliked the song and refused to record it.

: In 2002, they released a version of "Lady in Black" (titled Doamna in Negru in Romanian) featuring Mick Box on guitar and Bernie Shaw on vocals. Lady In Black IRIS & Uriah Heep

: Hensley was inspired by seeing an unknown woman walking past his hotel window in northwest England during a tour. He used his imagination to turn this brief vision into a "philosophical parable" about the futility of war.

: The song is famous for its simple A Minor acoustic guitar progression and a wordless "ah-ha" chorus that is easy for large crowds to sing along with. : To celebrate their 25th anniversary in 2001,

: The lyrics narrate an encounter between a man in "war-torn darkness" and a goddess-like entity who counsels him on peace. A central message is that "evil cannot be overcome by evil itself".

: Despite its simplicity, the track builds into a "throbbing rocker" with ghostly harmonies and heavy guitar riffs toward the end. IRIS & Uriah Heep - Doamna in Negru (Lady in Black) : In 2002, they released a version of

: It became a massive hit in Germany, reaching #1 in 1977 and spending 13 weeks at the top of the charts. The band received the Golden Lion award—the German equivalent of a Grammy—for this achievement. The Collaboration: Iris & Uriah Heep (2002)