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.
Just Out Of Reach
The Zombies Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Time has changed you, I can see
Try to remember how we used to be
Come on back to me
Just out of reach
Don't stand back and you will see
Just how easy it can be
Just out of reach
Time will show that I mean what I say
You'll see, you'll see
You'll wonder why you doubted my work
When our love was meant to be
Come on home, you'll be glad
Back here I won't be mad
Funny you should be the one to make me feel sad
Just out of reach
Just out of reach
Time will show that I mean what I say
You'll see, you'll see
You'll wonder why you doubted my work
When our love was meant to be
Come on home, you'll be glad
Back here I won't be mad
Funny you should be the one to make me feel sad
Just out of reach
The Zombies' song "Just Out Of Reach" is a beautiful ballad that speaks about the wavering state of a love that has been lost. The singer in the song is pleading to their former lover to come back to them. They express how time has changed the other person but they themselves still long for the way things used to be. The singer is urging their partner to remember how they used to be together and to try to come back to them. The lyrics are full of raw emotion and pain, making it relatable to anyone who has experienced a broken relationship.
The lines "Just out of reach, don't stand back and you will see / Just how easy it can be / But you stand contentedly" convey a sense of hopelessness and helplessness. The singer is trying to convince their partner to come back to them, but it seems that the other person is content staying where they are. The use of the phrase "just out of reach" is especially poignant, as it suggests that the singer can see what they want but cannot quite grasp it.
As the song progresses, the singer becomes more assertive in their plea for their partner to return. They state that their love was "meant to be" and that the other person will regret doubting them. However, despite this confidence, there is still a sense of heartbreak and sadness in the final lines, as the singer admits that their partner has made them feel "sad" and that they are "just out of reach."
Overall, "Just Out Of Reach" is a beautifully written ballad that conveys the pain and longing of a broken relationship. The lyrics are simple yet powerful, and the melody adds to the melancholic mood of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Just out of reach
I can almost have you, but not quite
Time has changed you, I can see
You're different now, but I can see how
Try to remember how we used to be
Recall the moments when we were happy
Come on back to me
Give us a chance to try once again
Don't stand back and you will see
You need to get closer and give us a chance
Just how easy it can be
Love can be simple if we let it be
But you stand contentedly
You're fine where you are, you don't want to change
Time will show that I mean what I say
I'm serious about us and time will prove it
You'll see, you'll see
Trust me, it'll all be okay
You'll wonder why you doubted my work
You'll regret not trusting me
When our love was meant to be
We were destined to be together
Come on home, you'll be glad
Give me a second chance, you won't regret it
Back here I won't be mad
I won't hold any grudges or anger
Funny you should be the one to make me feel sad
It's ironic that the one I love can hurt me this way
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: COLIN EDWARD MICHAEL BLUNSTONE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
kleo8577
One of the best British bands ever. Never get tired of listening to them. 🇬🇧🙌
Bill Descoteaux
Definitely one of their greatest songs that for some unknown reason, probably inadequate promotion, never really hit. Whereas Rod Argent and Chris White did the bulk of the songwriting for The Zombies, this song is actually courtesy of Colin Blunstone!
LaurenJayne Diamond
Really good song, love their voices, and that organ really rocks!!! Many thanks.
Joseph Welzenbach
One of their best songs especially the organ part in the middle.
First Lastname
The Zombies still include this in their setlist ! Great tune!
LaurenJayne Diamond
Really good song, and of course the Zombies rocked way back then. Thanks for the turn on!!!
CHARLES LASSITER
GREAT SONG----LOVE THAT HARMONY AND ZOMBIES ORGAN. THANK YOU FOR SHARING THIS SMASHING HIT!!!!
Martin Splichal
Saw them a few years ago. They were totally fantastic.
oughton oughton
These guys had great voices with harmonies to match WOW ive adored them since their beginning ,, until eternity i say lol Jane x
shelley Ganz
HAUNTINGLY BRILLIANT!! THEIR BEST!!