The group scored British and American hits in 1964 with "She's Not There". In the US, two further singles—"Tell Her No" in 1965 and "Time of the Season" in 1968—were also successful. Their 1968 album Odessey and Oracle is ranked number 100 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. The Zombies were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2019.
The Zombies signed to Decca and recorded their first hit, "She's Not There" after winning a beat-group competition sponsored by the London Evening News. "She's Not There" was released in mid-1964 and peaked at number twelve in the U.K., where it would be their only top-forty hit. It was first aired in the United States in early August 1964, on New York City rock station WINS by Stan Z. Burns, who debuted the song on his daily noontime "Hot Spot" segment during which new songs were played. The tune began to catch on in early Autumn and eventually climbed to number two.
In early 1965, "Tell Her No" became another big seller in the United States but had failed to make the Top 40 in the band's native U.K Subsequent recordings such as "I Love You" (which became a hit for People! in 1968), "Indication", "Whenever You're Ready", and "Is This the Dream" failed to achieve the success of the previous two singles.
Their first LP, Begin Here (1965), was a collection of early singles, half a dozen original songs combined with several R&B covers. The Zombies signed to CBS Records for one final LP in 1967. The resulting album, Odessey and Oracle, was one of the very first to utilise a Mellotron keyboard, as the band's budget did not allow for the hiring of session musicians. The band discovered too late that "odyssey" had been misspelled by the cover designers and were reportedly deeply embarrassed.
By the time Odessey and Oracle was released in April 1968, the band had broken up. The album sold little, and was only released in the U.S. because musician Al Kooper vouched for it. It has since gone on to be recognized as one of the greatest albums of all time, with Rolling Stone ranking it eightieth on its 500 Greatest Albums list. An album track called "Time of the Season" was released as a single. and eventually (1969) it became a huge nationwide hit (Billboard number three) after a radio DJ discovered it and put it on heavy rotation.
After The Zombies disbanded, Rod Argent formed a band called Argent; Colin Blunstone started a solo career. In1991 Blunstone, Grundy, and White briefly reunited as The Zombies with guitarist Sebastian Santa Maria, and recorded the album New World.
Iconic British psychedelic pop legends The Zombies have returned to celebrate the release of their latest Billboard-charting album, Still Got That Hunger, lead by founding and current members, vocalist Colin Blunstone and keyboardist Rod Argent, alongside bassist Jim Rodford (formerly of ARGENT and The Kinks), Rodford’s son Steve Rodford on drums, and renowned session guitarist Tom Toomey.
The band’s live performances, described by Rolling Stone as “absolutely triumphant”, take fans on a journey through time, from their early hits…their 1968 masterpiece Odessey & Oracle…post-Zombies solo favorites…right to today with Still Got That Hunger.
The second U.K. band following the Beatles to score a #1 hit in America, The Zombies infiltrated the airwaves with the sophisticated melodies, breathy vocals, choral back-up harmonies and jazzy keyboard riffs of their 1960’s hit singles “She’s Not There” and “Tell Her No.” Ironically, the group broke-up just prior to achieving their greatest success – the worldwide chart-topping single “Time of the Season,” from their swan-song album Odessey & Oracle, ranked #100 in Rolling Stone’s ‘500 Greatest Albums of All Time.’ To this day, generations of new bands have cited The Zombies’ work as pop touchstones, and the band continues to be embraced by new generations of fans.
Following the break-up of the original band, lead vocalist Colin Blunstone went on to develop an acclaimed solo career (with hits including "Say You Don't Mind," "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted", and “Old & Wise” with Alan Parsons Project) and keyboardist/songwriter Rod Argent rocked ‘70’s arenas with his eponymous band ARGENT (“Hold Your Head Up,” “God Gave Rock ‘n’ Roll To You”), but the legend of The Zombies continued to take on a life of its own. By the start of the new Millennium, Blunstone and Argent were inspired to resurrect The Zombies.
The explosive release of Still Got That Hunger proved that Zombies fever is stronger than ever, with premieres at Rolling Stone, Mojo, The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian Speakeasy, and Spin, alongside special broadcast performances, including Later…With Jools Holland, The Late Show With Stephen Colbert and AOL Sessions. Moreover, it marked a historical moment on the Billboard charts, as The Zombies’ critically acclaimed album Odessey And Oracle re-entered the Billboard 100 forty-eight years later at the same time as Still Got That Hunger!
The Zombies look forward to an even busier 2017, with a major world tour, table-top book release and other exciting projects to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the recording of Odessey And Oracle.
Don't Cry For Me
The Zombies Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cause there's one thing I found out
I can live without you every day
and I'm better off with you far away from me
Don't break your heart
Thinkin' you have let me down
In the light of day I can see what's real
[Repeat: x2]
If I'm wrong, you can smile & say I told you so
But I've got that feelin' that I found that you can lie, so
Don't cry for me
You will only waste your time
Thinkin' I'm in tears, for you're here no more
But the tears won't come, & I'll cry no more for you
The lyrics of The Zombies' song "Don't Cry For Me" convey a message of liberation from a toxic relationship. The singer has found the strength to live without their partner and realizes that they are actually better off without them. They try to reassure their ex not to break their heart by believing they let them down because now they know what they truly feel about them, and it is not enough to keep the relationship going. The singer seems confident in their decision and tells their ex not to cry for them because crying will only waste their time.
The song exposes the idea that love can be suffocating, and sometimes you need to let go to start feeling alive again. The singer not only has found the strength to move on, but they have also found the ability to see what's real, which brings a sense of clarity that allows them to see the relationship for what it was, and realize that it wasn't worth crying over.
All in all, "Don't Cry For Me" is a powerful anthem that promotes independence and encourages people to move on from relationships that no longer serve them. It's a message of hope that reminds listeners that there is always a brighter future ahead, even if it means leaving someone behind.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't cry for me
Please do not shed tears on my behalf
Cause there's one thing I found out
I have discovered something important
I can live without you every day
I am capable of surviving without you on a daily basis
and I'm better off with you far away from me
I am happier and more content with you distanced from me
Don't break your heart
Please do not feel devastated
Thinkin' you have let me down
Believing you have disappointed me
In the light of day I can see what's real
When everything is clear, I am able to perceive the truth
and now I know what I really feel for you
I have now discerned my true emotions for you
If I'm wrong, you can smile & say I told you so
If I am incorrect, you may grin and remind me of my error
But I've got that feelin' that I found that you can lie, so
However, I possess an intuition that you are capable of being untruthful
Don't cry for me
Please do not cry for me, as there is no need
You will only waste your time
Your tears will be futile and for naught
Thinkin' I'm in tears, for you're here no more
Believing that I am crying because you are no longer present
But the tears won't come, & I'll cry no more for you
However, tears will not fall, and I will cease weeping for you
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: KYLE WHITE, SVEN YARBERG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@doctortabby
These guys had many great recordings, this is one of them which didn't get due recognition (relatively speaking) in my opinion. This is a Chris White song as well. Rod Argent wrote most of their best known songs. Both of them were great song writers in my opinion.
@prettythings3
Chris White also added the full lushness to the Zombies' sound in his backing vocals. They were (and are) an all around solid, talented band with every member contributing a huge amount. Listen to Hugh on "She Does Everything for Me" or Paul on "I Don't Want to Know." Tender ballads or rockers; all were mastered by the Zombies.
@powermonkey41
I love this song. Good one to listen to when your done with someone! <3 this band!
@cactusmonster1441
great vocal arrangement, especially during the "I can live without you every day and I'm better off with you far away from me" part
@hankpicard160
Saw them last month in Dallas,,, Incredible band and they sound better now then ever~~~
@oughtonoughton2634
What delightful harmonies these lovely guys are providing ,im not familiar with this classic its rather romantic lol to all fans x
@thasherjo22
The zombies got some groove
@Multi80schick
Was playing my Zombie Heaven box set the other day, and now I can't get this song out of my head.
@helenjang2168
this is a darn great song
@mapoijitur1161
Perfect break-up song.