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.
Indication
The Zombies Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't want to be tied down every day & every night
[CHORUS:]
Now I've got an indication, I'll-hold-out-against sensation
I know that if i really try, I think I can hold out
If you think you've got me under wrong
(chorus)
But if I can't hold out, keep away from you
I can see it happening, I will be with you
If it happens, there's nothin' I can do
I realize that you have won & it's no use to fight
(chorus x2)
The Zombies' song Indication is about a person who wants to pursue their independence rather than settling down in a relationship. The lyrics reflect the struggle between someone who wants to enjoy their freedom and another person who may want to tie them down. The first stanza of the song reveals that the singer believes they're right, and their partner may be wrong in wanting to tie them down every day and night.
However, the chorus of the song offers hope as the singer reveals that they have an indication that they can hold out against any sensation they may be feeling. They have a strong desire to maintain their independence, and they believe they can do it if they try hard enough. The second verse reveals that the singer is aware that they may be fighting a losing battle. If they can't resist the partner's advances, they may end up settling down in a relationship, even if they had no intention of doing so at first.
Overall, the song Indication is an example of how some people prioritize their independence over settling down in a relationship. The lyrics offer a glimpse into the inner turmoil that people experience when they're torn between their desire for freedom and their partner's desire for commitment.
Line by Line Meaning
It's not that you're wrong, it's just that I am right
I have a different perspective than you and believe that I am correct, but it does not necessarily mean that your opinion is wrong.
I don't want to be tied down every day & every night
I value my freedom and do not want to feel trapped or obligated to someone else constantly.
Now I've got an indication, I'll-hold-out-against sensation
I have a feeling that I can resist the desire to be with you and hold out against any temptation.
I know that if i really try, I think I can hold out
I have confidence in my ability to resist and I am willing to put in the effort to stay true to myself.
If you think you've got me under wrong
If you believe that you have control over me or my decisions, that is not accurate.
You may be right, but I won't be the one to settle down
You may have valid points or reasons for wanting me to settle down, but ultimately I am not ready or willing to do so at this time.
But if I can't hold out, keep away from you
If I end up succumbing to the desire to be with you, I will need to stay away from you in order to resist it in the future.
I can see it happening, I will be with you
I am aware that it is a possibility that I will give in to the temptation to be with you.
If it happens, there's nothin' I can do
If I do end up with you, I feel that it will have been out of my control and not something I could have prevented.
I realize that you have won & it's no use to fight
If I do end up with you, I accept that it means you have won and that it would have been futile to continue resisting.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Philip Kassabian
on She's Not There
An excellent song by The Zombies.