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.
Heaven's Gate
The Zombies Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And now heaven's gate is open wide
For you have put a light inside me
I can see that heaven is near heaven is here
It took so long to see it
Perhaps I looked too hard
To take another path
The choices made it simple
It was shallower but safe
Time and time again I chose
To go the easy way
But I believed it
That someday somehow you would find me here
I could feel it so near
And now heaven's gate is open wide
For you have put a light inside me
I can see that heaven is near
You gave away a waiting heart an open gate
A journey sent to celebrate
And when we touch all heaven appears
Heaven is here
The second that I saw you
It all fell into place
For I could read a thousand years
Of friendship in your face
Time that runs in circles
And spins us round so fast
But time has stopped for us right here
To let us meet at last
And I believed it
I knew that it would feel like coming home
I could feel it right here
And now heaven's gate is open wide
For you have put a light inside me
I can see that heaven is near
You gave away a waiting heart an open gate
A journey sent to celebrate
And when we touch all heaven appears
Heaven is here
Heaven's gate is open wide
I can take a step inside
To find my dreams alive in your arms
Forget the doubt forget the fear
For heaven is so very near
It only takes one step and we're there
Heaven is here heaven is here
Heaven is here
The lyrics to The Zombies' song "Heaven's Gate" convey a sense of spiritual awakening and finding love. The repeated phrase "heaven's gate is open wide" symbolizes the opportunity to transcend earthly limitations and experience a higher level of existence. The opening of heaven's gate is metaphorical, representing the arrival of a transformative force or presence that brings light and clarity into the singer's life.
The lyrics express the singer's journey towards this realization, describing how it took them a long time to see and understand this truth. They may have initially looked for meaning and fulfillment through different paths, possibly ones that were simpler and safer but ultimately lacked depth. However, the singer believes that somehow, someday, they would find themselves in a state of enlightenment, feeling the proximity of heaven.
The arrival of another person, the subject of the lyrics' affection, serves as a catalyst for the singer's spiritual awakening. The connection with this person feels immediately significant and profound, as if they have known each other for centuries. This encounter interrupts the cycle of time, allowing the singer to finally meet their destined companion.
The chorus repeats the idea that heaven's gate is open wide because of the light this person has brought into the singer's life. It highlights the selfless act of this person, who gave away their waiting heart and created an open gate for the singer to enter. The touch between the singer and their love interest has a transformative power, evoking the presence of heaven itself. The lyrics emphasize that heaven is not an abstract concept but a tangible realm that can be accessed through love and connection.
The closing lines suggest that the singer can now take a step forward, secure in the knowledge that heaven is within reach. With their love interest by their side, they can find their dreams alive and leave behind doubts and fears. Heaven becomes a state that they can enter simply by stepping into each other's arms, solidifying the idea that heaven is not a distant place but a present reality. The overall message of the song is that heaven can be found in the profound connection and love shared between two individuals.
Line by Line Meaning
And now heaven's gate is open wide
The opportunity for a blissful and fulfilling experience is now readily available
For you have put a light inside me
Because of your presence, I have found a newfound sense of joy and enlightenment
I can see that heaven is near heaven is here
I have come to realize that happiness and fulfillment are within reach at this very moment
It took so long to see it
It required a significant amount of time and reflection to understand this realization
Perhaps I looked too hard
Maybe I was exerting too much effort and overthinking the situation
Sometimes it was just easier to take another path
Occasionally, I found it more convenient to choose a different course of action
The choices made it simple
The decisions I made simplified things for me
It was shallower but safe
Although it lacked depth, it provided a sense of security
Time and time again I chose to go the easy way
Repeatedly, I opted for the path of least resistance
But I believed it
Nevertheless, I held onto the belief that a different, more fulfilling experience was possible
That someday somehow you would find me here
That at some point, you would discover my true self
I could feel it so near
I had a strong intuition that it was within close proximity
You gave away a waiting heart an open gate
You offered your affection and allowed me to be vulnerable
A journey sent to celebrate
This experience was meant to be embraced and commemorated
And when we touch all heaven appears
When we make a connection, everything feels perfect
The second that I saw you
From the very moment I laid eyes on you
It all fell into place
Everything felt right and perfectly aligned
For I could read a thousand years of friendship in your face
Your expression conveyed a deep level of understanding and companionship
Time that runs in circles
The passage of time that seems to repeat in a cyclical manner
And spins us round so fast
And moves us rapidly through life's experiences
But time has stopped for us right here
However, time seems to have paused for us in this moment
To let us meet at last
To finally allow us to cross paths
I knew that it would feel like coming home
I had a strong conviction that being with you would evoke a sense of familiarity and belonging
I could feel it right here
I could sense it in this very moment
Heaven's gate is open wide
The opportunity for a blissful and fulfilling experience is now readily available
I can take a step inside
I can now boldly embrace this opportunity
To find my dreams alive in your arms
To discover that my aspirations can be realized while being embraced by you
Forget the doubt, forget the fear
Leave behind any hesitations or anxieties
For heaven is so very near
Because happiness and fulfillment are within close reach
It only takes one step and we're there
All it requires is a single action, and we can attain our desires
Heaven is here, heaven is here
The state of bliss and fulfillment is already present in this very moment
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Philip Kassabian
on She's Not There
An excellent song by The Zombies.