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.
Maybe After He's Gone
The Zombies Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With words as soft as morning rain
But the light that fell upon me
Turned to shadow when he came
Maybe after he's gone
She'll come back, love me again
Maybe after he's gone
I remember joy and pain
Her smile, her tears are part of me
I feel I'll never breathe again
I feel life's gone from me
Maybe after he's gone
She'll come back, love me again
Maybe after he's gone
She'll come back, want me again
All the days
And all the nights
Are time just passing by
And all the dreams I'm dreaming now
Hide the tears that I cry
I feel so cold
I'm on my own
As the night folds in around me
Night surrounds me
I'm alone
Maybe after he's gone
She'll come back, love me again
Maybe after he's gone
She'll come back, want me again
Maybe after he's gone
She'll come back, love me again
Maybe after he's gone
She'll come back, want me again
Maybe after he's gone
She'll come back, love me again
After he's gone
She'll come back, love me again
The lyrics to The Zombies' song, "Maybe After He's Gone," tell a story of a man who is deeply in love with a woman who is in a relationship with someone else. She professes her love for him, but when her partner arrives, the light seems to immediately leave the room, causing the singer to feel as though he has lost all of the joy and happiness he once shared with her. He believes that maybe, after her partner is gone, she will return to him and love him again.
The lyrics elicit a sense of longing, despair, and hope all at once. The singer is haunted by memories of the past, both good and bad, and is trapped in a state of uncertainty about the future. He yearns for the woman's affection and hopes that she will one day return to him. The theme of time passing by is also prominent, as the singer notes that he feels as though he can never breathe again and that life is gone from him.
The ambiguity of the lyrics is what makes them so powerful. The words "maybe" and "after" leave enough room for interpretation, allowing the listener to imagine different scenarios and outcomes. Perhaps the woman will never return, or maybe she will come back but not as the person the singer once knew. The haunting melody and melancholic chord progression add to the overall sense of despair, making "Maybe After He's Gone" a timeless classic.
Line by Line Meaning
She told me she loved me
The singer's lover expressed her love for him.
With words as soft as morning rain
Her words were gentle and soothing, like the rain.
But the light that fell upon me
The happiness and warmth the singer felt.
Turned to shadow when he came
Was replaced with darkness when her significant other appeared.
Maybe after he's gone
The artist hopes that when the other person is no longer in the picture.
She'll come back, love me again
His lover will return and love him anew.
I remember joy and pain
He recalls both happy and painful memories with his lover.
Her smile, her tears are part of me
He carries her emotions with him still.
I feel I'll never breathe again
He is experiencing profound sadness and despair.
I feel life's gone from me
He feels as though life has lost meaning.
All the days
All the time that passes.
And all the nights
All the time that passes.
Are time just passing by
Time is simply moving forward.
And all the dreams I'm dreaming now
The singer still has hopes and aspirations.
Hide the tears that I cry
But he is still deeply sad and cries inwardly.
I feel so cold
He is experiencing a profound sense of loneliness and detachment.
I'm on my own
He feels isolated and alone.
As the night folds in around me
The darkness and sadness envelop him.
Night surrounds me
He is in the grips of profound sorrow.
I'm alone
He is isolated from others.
After he's gone
When her significant other is no longer in the picture.
She'll come back, love me again
The artist is hopeful that his lover will return and love him anew.
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION
Written by: C. WHITE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ned D.
Odessey And Oracle is one of the best and also one of the most underrated albums ever.
Niklas Lachmann
@Todd Packer there's still a difference between commercial success and critics ratings
Todd Packer
@Niklas Lachmann that’s subjective, if I think they should be as big as the Beatles or Justin beiber then they’re underrated
Niklas Lachmann
@Todd Packer no. This album is included in the Rolling Stones 500, 1001 albums you must year before you die, and so on. It's not underrated
Todd Packer
@Niklas Lachmann that’s how we colloquially use the word underrated
Niklas Lachmann
I don't See how it's underrated. It's just not that popular.
Jan From NYC Saves Money!
Ironically the person who showed me this song was over half my age and has recently passed. I will forever think of the light of his special place in this world every time I hear this gem tune.
lyonslaforet
Odyssey & Oracle is one of the finest albums released in 1968 and it's impossible to resist this wistful melody!
Donna Frost
this album is a true masterpiece
f.w.
Colin's ethereal vocals sound like they're about to break apart! Beautiful harmonies and musicianship! And lets give a shout out to Grundys dynamic percussion!