Rolling Stone magazine ranked "She's Not There" #291 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
One of the song's most distinctive features is Argent's electric piano sound which was rare at the time. In the UK, it was the first hit song with an electric piano as the lead instrument. Rod Argent, the keyboard player in the Zombies, was challenged by Decca Records producer Ken Jones to write a hit record for his group, and he came up with this.
Santana covered this on their 1977 album Moonflower.
She's Not There
The Zombies Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The way she lied
Well, no one told me about her
How many people cried
But it's too late to say you're sorry
How would I know, why should I care?
Please don't bother trying to find her
Well, let me tell you 'bout the way she looked
The way she acts and the color of her hair
Her voice was soft and cool, her eyes were clear and bright
But she's not there
Well, no one told me about her
What could I do?
Well, no one told me about her
Though they all knew
But it's too late to say you're sorry
How would I know, why should I care?
Please don't bother trying to find her
She's not there
Well, let me tell you about the way she looked
The way she acts and the color of her hair
Her voice was soft and cool, her eyes were clear and bright
But she's not there
But it's too late to say you're sorry
How would I know, why should I care?
Please don't bother trying to find her
She's not there
Well, let me tell you about the way she looked
The way she acts and the color of her hair
Her voice was soft and cool, her eyes were clear and bright
But she's not there
The Zombies' She's Not There is a classic 1964 rock song about a woman who has disappeared without a trace. The lyrics speak of the singer's surprise that no one had warned him about her lies and the hurt she's caused others. The song's chorus repeats the idea that it's too late to apologize, as the woman has already vanished, leaving everyone to deal with the aftermath. The verses describe the woman in detail, from her appearance to her voice and demeanor, but even with all this information, she remains a mystery - unreachable, untraceable, and inexistent.
The song's catchy melody and upbeat rhythm belie the tragic theme, resulting in a potent contrast that adds to its emotional impact. Some have interpreted the woman's disappearance as a metaphor for death or depression, while others have seen it as symbolic of a tumultuous relationship falling apart. Regardless of the interpretation, She's Not There remains a beloved and enduring piece of music that continues to resonate with listeners.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, no one told me about her
I was not warned about her existence
The way she lied
She was not truthful with me
Well, no one told me about her
Again, I was not given any information about her
How many people cried
Her actions caused many people distress
But it's too late to say you're sorry
Apologizing at this point will not make a difference
How would I know, why should I care?
I have no reason to feel remorseful about not knowing
Please don't bother trying to find her
There is no point in attempting to locate her
She's not there
She is no longer present in my life
Well, let me tell you 'bout the way she looked
Allow me to describe her appearance
The way she acts and the color of her hair
Her behavior and physical features stood out to me
Her voice was soft and cool, her eyes were clear and bright
She had attractive and appealing qualities
Well, no one told me about her
Once again, I was not informed about her
What could I do?
There was nothing I could have done differently
Well, no one told me about her
Despite many people being aware of her, no one mentioned her to me
Though they all knew
Others were aware of her presence
But it's too late to say you're sorry
Apologizing at this stage is futile
How would I know, why should I care?
There is no reason for me to feel concerned or responsible
Please don't bother trying to find her
It is pointless to attempt to locate her
She's not there
She is no longer around or within reach
Well, let me tell you about the way she looked
Again, I will describe her appearance
The way she acts and the color of her hair
Her actions and physical features were notable
Her voice was soft and cool, her eyes were clear and bright
She had attractive and alluring qualities
But she's not there
However, she is no longer present in my life
But it's too late to say you're sorry
Regretting the past will not make any difference now
How would I know, why should I care?
I have no reason to feel remorseful or responsible
Please don't bother trying to find her
Attempting to locate her would be pointless
She's not there
She is not present anymore
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION
Written by: Rodney Terence Argent
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Philip Kassabian
An excellent song by The Zombies.
@juliagribble6512
Well, no one told me about her
The way she lied
Well, no one told me about her
How many people cried
But it's too late to say you're sorry
How would I know? Why should I care?
Please don't bother trying to find her
She's not there
Well, let me tell you 'bout the way she looked
The way she acts and the color of her hair
Her voice was soft and cool
Her eyes were clear and bright
But she's not there
Well, no one told me about her
What could I do?
Well, no one told me about her
Though they all knew
But it's too late to say you're sorry
How would I know? Why should I care?
Please don't bother trying to find her
She's not there
Well, let me tell you 'bout the way she looked
The way she acts and the color of her hair
Her voice was soft and cool
Her eyes…
@ABritInThePhilippines
Just love this song...
@bongisland2762
what's nuts is this is 1964!!
NO OTHER POP MUSIC that year was THIS ADVANCED! (I always thought this was 1968 or such.) It's SO FAR AHEAD of the Beatles of 1964, and everyone else!
@benbenwards9999
@@bongisland2762 It was really 1964. Yes, they were advanced. Only them had a keyboard player of that level. I remember our HS prom of 1965 in FEATI, Philippines two local bands played this song and other zombies song like "I remember when I loved her". The Beatles became popular as early as 1962. In 1968 the music trend changed. Psychedelic groups like Doors, Santana, Jimi Hendrix and others like Vanilla Fudge became popular.FYI.
@scorpius319
@@danielakbotoev257 Ok, infant.
@Charleskesilatgmail
Daniel Akbotoev why are you listening to this song then?
@lindadote
Daniel Akbotoev ......this infantile insult amuses (or rather, bemuses) me. It’s the music made and enjoyed by “Boomers” that your current “artists” are “sampling” right now, 50+ years later. I can’t imagine the “sampled” pieces will be played in 50+ years time yet the music we grew up loving has undoubtedly stood the test of time and will continue to do so.
@MerkinMuffly
Groundbreaking for 1964, not even the Beatles had a song that year that was as somber and lyrically sophisticated as this, they were still doing mostly upbeat love songs. It still holds up today.
@terencenordberg7482
True - 1 phenomenal song versus the Beatles’ 40
@Elchamuc020
Still to this day I am the walrus mops the floor better than this jam