"She's Not There" is the debut single by the English rock band the Zombies, written by keyboardist Rod Argent. It reached No. 12 in the UK Singles Chart in September 1964,[1] and No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States at the beginning of December 1964. In Canada, it reached No. 2.
| "She's Not There" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 One of side-A labels of original UK single | ||||
| Single by the Zombies | ||||
| from the album Begin Here | ||||
| B-side | "You Make Me Feel Good" | |||
| Released | 24 July 1964 | |||
| Recorded | 12 June 1964 | |||
| Studio | Decca, West Hampstead, London | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 2:25 | |||
| Label | Decca F11940 (UK) Parrot 45PAR 9695 (US) | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Rod Argent | |||
| Producer(s) | Marquis Enterprises | |||
| The Zombies UK singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| The Zombies US singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Rolling Stone magazine ranked "She's Not There" No. 297 on its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.[2]
In 2016, the song by The Zombies was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.[3]
Song profile
editRod Argent built the lyrics of "She's Not There" from a John Lee Hooker song, whose title – "No One Told Me" – became a part of the opening phrase of "She's Not There". Following an 29 April 1964 performance by the Zombies at St Albans Market Hall, Argent played the one verse he had written of the song for Ken Jones who was set to produce the band's first recording session. Jones encouraged Argent to write a second verse, intending the band to record it. Argent recalls: "I wrote the song for Colin's range" – referring to Zombies' vocalist Colin Blunstone – "I could hear him singing it in my mind". The song's genres and musical styles are described by authors and music journalists as jazz rock,[4] beat,[5] pop rock,[6] baroque pop,[7] and R&B.[8]
"She's Not There" was the second of four songs recorded by the Zombies at a 22 June 1964 recording session at Decca's West Hampstead Studio 2. The backing tracks needed seven takes.[9] One of the song's most distinctive features is Argent's electric piano sound; the instrument used was a Hohner Pianet. The backing vocals are in a folk-influenced close-harmony style. To make the single sound stronger for single release, Ken Jones organised Hugh Grundy to record a strident drum line overdub which only appears on the original mono single mix.
This minor key, jazz-tinged single was first aired in the United States during the first week in August 1964, on New York City rock radio station WINS by Stan Z. Burns, who debuted it on his daily noontime "Hot Spot" segment, during which new songs were played. The tune began to catch on in early autumn and eventually reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in December 1964.[10]
Personnel
edit- Colin Blunstone – lead vocals and backing vocals
- Rod Argent – Hohner Pianet electric piano
- Paul Atkinson – electric guitar
- Chris White – backing vocals, bass
- Hugh Grundy – drums, additional overdubbed drums[11]
Album releases
editThe song was later included both on the Zombies' debut album Begin Here, released in the UK in December 1964, and the US album The Zombies issued January 1965. It was also included on the soundtrack to the 1979 feature film More American Graffiti and the 2021 feature film Titane.
Chart history
editSantana cover
edit| "She's Not There" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Santana | ||||
| from the album Moonflower | ||||
| B-side | "Zulu" | |||
| Released | October 1977 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Rod Argent | |||
| Santana singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"She's Not There" was a hit for Santana when it appeared on their 1977 album Moonflower. Their version peaked at No. 11 in the UK.[18] It was also a hit in the US, spending 14 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 and peaking at No. 27,[19] as well as reaching No. 20 on the Cash Box Top 100 chart. Their take on it features Greg Walker as the lead vocalist.
Charts
editWeekly charts
edit| Chart (1977-1978) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles (Kent Music Report)[20] | 19 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[21] | 7 |
| Canada Top Singles (RPM)[22] | 21 |
| Ireland (IRMA)[23] | 4 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[24] | 2 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[25] | 3 |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[26] | 9 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[27] | 11 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[28] | 27 |
| US Cash Box Top 100[29] | 20 |
Year-end charts
edit| Chart (1978) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgium (Ultratop Flanders)[30] | 37 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[31] | 14 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[32] | 12 |
Other notable covers
edit- In February 1965, Swedish pop group Ola & the Janglers released the song as their second single, backed by Manfred Mann's "Don't Ask Me What I Say".[33] It became their breakthrough hit, reaching No. 10 on Tio i Topp for a week before being voted off.[34]
- Airing September 1965, the episode "Sting in the Tail," of the British TV series Danger Man, featured a French version of the song by Jeanne Roland with French version "Te Voilà" lyrics by Jacques Chaumelle.[35]
- Vanilla Fudge covered the song on their 1967 self-titled debut album.
- Colin Blunstone, under the pseudonym Neil McArthur, released a solo version in 1969, reaching No. 34 in the UK.[36]
- The Road reached No. 79 in Canada with their cover in February 1969.[37]
- UK Subs 1979 cover has reached No. 36 in UK.
- In 2011, the Fox TV series Glee released the song onto the soundtrack albums Glee: The Music, Volume 5 and Glee: The Music, The Complete Season Two after it was performed in season 2, episode 11.
- Version by Neko Case (duet with Nick Cave), used at the end of the 2011 "She's Not There" episode of True Blood.
References
edit- ^ "UK Top 40 Hit Database". EveryHit.com. Retrieved 12 August 2007.
- ^ "297 The Zombies, 'She's Not There'". Rolling Stone. 11 December 2003. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
- ^ https://www.grammy.com/awards/hall-of-fame-award#s [bare URL]
- ^ Bob Mason (2004). Magic Circles: Another Side of the Beatles. Duffy & Snellgrove. p. 100. ISBN 978-1-876631-87-1.
- ^ Peter Buckley (2003). The Rough Guide to Rock. Rough Guides. p. 1222. ISBN 978-1-84353-105-0.
- ^ Martin Charles Strong; Brendon Griffin (2008). Lights, camera, sound tracks. Canongate. p. 243. ISBN 978-1-84767-003-8.
- ^ Bower-Kail, Matt (24 February 2024). "WTF is… baroque pop?". Tickmaster Discover. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
- ^ Stanley, Bob (13 September 2013). "Needles And Pins: The Beat Boom". Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Story of Modern Pop. Faber & Faber. p. 139. ISBN 978-0-571-28198-5.
- ^ Johansen, Claes (2001). The Zombies: hung up on a dream. London: SAF Publishing. pp. 74–75, 80–81. ISBN 978-0-946719-34-1.
- ^ "The Zombies". Billboard Music Charts. Archived from the original on 25 December 2007. Retrieved 12 August 2007.
- ^ Buskin, Richard. "Classic Tracks: The Zombies 'Time of the Season'". SoundOnSound. Sound On Sound. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
- ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 4677." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
- ^ "Lever hit parades: 31-Dec-1964". Flavour of New Zealand.
- ^ "Zombies: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
- ^ "The Zombies Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
- ^ "Cash Box Top 100 12/05/64". Cashboxmagazine.com. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
- ^ "Cash Box YE Pop Singles – 1964". Tropicalglen.com. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
- ^ "The Official Charts Company – She's Not There". The Official Charts Company. 6 May 2013.
- ^ "Santana". Billboard.com. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
- ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ "Santana – She's Not There" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
- ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 5481a." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
- ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – She's Not There". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
- ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Santana" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
- ^ "Santana – She's Not There" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
- ^ "Santana – She's Not There". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
- ^ "Santana Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
- ^ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles, December 10, 1977". Tropicalglen.com.
- ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1978". Ultratop. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
- ^ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1978". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
- ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1978". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
- ^ "Ola & the Janglers – She's Not There". www.svenskpophistoria.se. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
- ^ Hallberg, Eric; Henningsson, Ulf (1998). Eric Hallberg, Ulf Henningsson presenterar Tio i topp med de utslagna på försök: 1961 – 74. Premium Publishing. ISBN 919727125X.
- ^ "IMDB – Secret Agent – Sting in the Tail – Soundtrack". IMDb.
- ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 336. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ^ "RPM Top 100 Singles – February 24, 1969" (PDF).
