Our Top 10 Songs of The Zombies list takes a look at a band from the 1960s that was part of the legendary rock and roll British Invasion of rock bands that traveled from England to the United States during the decade of the 1960s. Along with The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and many other bands, the Zombies electrified American audiences with a sound completely different from the decade of music that the 1950s had spawned. The legend of the Zombies has been defined by a small catalog of albums that had a huge impact. Songs like “Time of the Season,” “She’s Not There,” and “Tell Her No” inspired countless bands for years. That’s why they are in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
The Zombies included Colin Blunstone, Rod Argent, Paul Atkinson, Chris White, and Hugh Grundy. The band’s early success was based on the release of their debut single, “She’s Not There,” in 1964. The song hit number 2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and was included on their U.S. debut album, The Zombies, in 1965. Their debut album in both the UK and the U.S. also featured their huge hit, Tell Her No.
Three years after the release of their debut album, The Zombies would return with their masterpiece Odessey and Oracle. The album featured their classic track “Time of the Season.” Odessey and Oracle would become one of the most famous rock albums of the 1960s, sealing The Zombies’ fate in classic rock history.
Many rock fans probably do not realize that The Zombies returned to the studio many years later and released New World in 1991. However, Rod Argent played a very small role on the record. Thirteen years after the release of New World came the album As Far As I Can See. The album featured original Zombies members Colin Blunstone, Chris White, and Rod Argent and was released in 2004.
Blunstone and Argent reunited again as The Zombies in 2011 with the release of the album Breathe Out, Breathe In. The album included remakes of some old Zombies songs and songs Rod Agent had released in his 1970s band Argent.
The final Zombies album to be released as of this writing was issued in 2015 entitled Still Got That Hunger.
Our Top 10 Songs from The Zombies article focuses mostly on their 1960s material. If you are not familiar with the band, we hope this article introduces you to one of classic rock’s most important groups.
# 10 – Just Out Of Reach
The track “Just Out Of Reach” was released as a single in 1965. The Zombies only released two studio albums in the 1960s, yet at least 20 compilation albums were released that combined album cuts, non-album singles, and B-sides onto various releases. The song was composed by Colin Blunstone.
# 9 – Any Other Way
The Zombies’ “Any Other Way” is the only 21st-century Zombies song to be included on this list. It’s a great track released on their 2011 album, Breathe Out, Breathe In. This one has such a cool groove that it sounds like it could be placed on a modern film-noir-sounding track. We love this one.
# 8 – Kind Of Girl
“Kind Of Girl” was released on the Zombies EP in 1964. The EP contained only four racks, including a remake of Gershwin’s “Summertime.” The song featured Colin Blunstone on lead vocals, Rod Argent on organ, Paul Atkinson on guitars, Chris White on bass, and Hugh Grundy on drums.
# 7 – Care Of Cell 44
The Zombies’ “Care of Cell 44” was the opening track to their second album, Odessey and Oracle, which was released in April 1968. The song was composed by Rod Argent. It is easily one of the band’s most underrated songs. The group never understood why the song wasn’t a bigger hit.
# 6 – I Want You Back Again
“I Want You Back Again” was a stand-alone single released in 1965. It was later included on the compilation album Early Days. The song broke the Billboard Hot 100 but stalled at number ninety-five. The song was composed by Rod Argent.
# 5 – Leave Me Be
“Leave Me Be” was the follow-up single to the band’s debut, “She’s Not There.” It was a single-only release in 1964. Those opening guitar chords go through me whenever I hear this great song. This one is so haunting. That melody never fades from memory.
# 4 – She’s Coming Home
“She’s Coming Home” was released as a single in 1965. The song was also included in the popular compilation album Time Of The Zombies. It was a two-record set that combined non-album tracks, unreleased songs, and some of their big hits.
# 3 – Tell Her No
The final three songs on our top 10 songs from The Zombies list were tough to choose. These three songs defined the sound of the 1960s in so many ways. “Tell Her No,” released in December 1964, reached the number six position on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in 1964.
# 2 – She’s Not There
“She’s Not There” is the song that started it all for the band. “She’s Not There” was released as a single in 1964. It reached the number 2 position on the Billboard Hot 100. It hit number one on the Cashbox charts in the U.S. The song “She’s Not There.” was written by Rod Argent. In interviews, Rod Argent was quoted as saying that it was a John Lee Hooker song that inspired the lyrics to “She’s Not There.” Thirteen years after the song was released in 1964, the band Santana had a top twenty hit with it in 1977.
# 1 – Time Of The Season
The classic Zombies’ song “Time of the Season” was released on the Odessey and Oracle album. Just like “She’s Not There,” “Time of the Season” reached the number two position on the Billboard Hot 100. and then hit number one on the Cashbox charts. The song presents listeners with one of the best musical introductions in classic rock history.
Photo: Raph_PH [CC BY 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
I’d love to see you do a Colin Blunstone list. He’s made, and is still making, great music with and without the Zombies. His voice is one of the best. His first two albums as a solo artist – Ennismore and One Year, are still two of my favourite albums.
P.S. Love the site!