More U.K. Obscurities On U.S. Labels: The Zombies 1969 A.D.

THE ZOMBIES-If It Don't Work Out/Don't Cry For Me US Date 2-1648 1969

 Such was the cynicism devoted to the quest for revenue at Date records following their March 1969 #1 U.S. smash with The Zombie's  "Time Of The Season" that they trawled the band's archives and came up with these two chestnuts for a June 1969 release that coupled "If It Don't Work Out" backed with "Don't Cry For Me" (both originally recorded in July 1965). Both tracks were also slated for their slapdash 1969 Date LP "R.I.P", which was cancelled and did not see the light of day until 2015 when it was released as it was intended in it's original running order. Of course like all other Date U.S. Zombies 45 releases besides "Time Of The Season" this failed to chart and as a result is much sought after.

"If It Don't Work Out" was first aired not by the Zombies but by Dusty Springfield who recorded it as an track on her October 1965 U.K. LP "Ev'rything's Coming Up Dusty". It was issued as a single in March 1966 by The West Five (U.K. HMV POP 1513) who titled it "But If It Don't Work Out" (and it has often been erroneously reported that the Zombies are playing on it). 

"If It Don't Work Out" is driven by Argent's piano (he wrote it as well) and would have made an amazing single in it's own right with a particularly strong vocal performance by Colin Blunstone and some cheery backing vocals. In December '68 Gus Dudgeon added strings/flute/etc and additional vocals to the existing '65 recording fattening it up for a single release.

Rod Argent

"Don't Cry For Me" is by far, in my opinion, the stronger of the two tracks. Why this languished in the vaults and wasn't issued as a single when it was first recorded is perplexing. It has a bite and sounds almost venomous with a vengeance, something of a polar opposite to most of the band's '65 fey "little boy lost/wounded" beat ballads that they were best known for. I will say that for me the '68 mix with added backing vocals by Argent/White is far superior to the sparse original recording.

Chris White

Versions of both the '65 and '68 mixes can be found on the essential "Zombie Heaven" box set and the '68 mixes are available on the LP/CD issue of "R.I.P".

Hear "If It Don't Work Out (1968 version with overdubs)":

https://youtu.be/O-KudsHDyUA

Hear the undubbed original 1965 version of "If It Don't Work Out":

https://youtu.be/0BIbPR29Lvk

Hear "Don't Cry For Me (1968 version with overdubs)":

https://youtu.be/Z7UBNNCPtpE

Hear the undubbed original 1965 version of "Don't Cry For Me":

https://youtu.be/7lBzB2iTnd4

More U.K. Obscurities On U.S. Labels: The Zombies "Indication"

 

THE ZOMBIES-Indication/How We Were Before US Parrot 45 PAR 3004 1966

Despite the fact that they were far bigger in the US than at home in the U.K. beat quintet The Zombies had fallen on hard times, commercially, by the time Parrot issued their eighth and final American single for the label, "Indication" in July of '66 (it was issued in the U.K. at the same time as Decca F 12426). Unfortunately the American single version of "Indication" is edited (more on that in a bit). Both countries featured "How We Were Before" on the flip side and the single failed to chart in both places. It does however, remain one of their most sought after releases. 

"Indication" is probably one of the most progressive Parrot/Decca era songs with it's raga feel to the guitar from Paul Atkinson sounding almost ratty and it's interplay with Rod Argent's jazzy arpeggios on his electric piano. It's frantic, different and extremely enjoyable. As the number winds down Argent begins ad libbing all over the place as the vocals follow the melody through an array of changes. The vocal improvisations and Atkinson's repetitive guitar licks make it sound "way out" (almost possibly "raga") and at odds with anything they ever did, but not too way out. BUT unfortunately the US version here hacks most of that ending off, clocking it at 2:07, the original UK mix is 3:00!! According to the liner notes of the "Zombie Heaven" box set Atkinson despised it and was not happy with it!

"How We Were Before" is a decent track but it sounds incredibly dated by 1966, like a wayward step cousin of "Leave Me Be" or "I Must Move" with it's gentle acoustic guitar and multi layers of harmonies (the bongos are a nice touch too). It's not unlistenable, but it's not something I find myself going back to repeatedly. It's "old" sound is because it was cut back in July of 1965 and was no doubt dug up because a B-side was needed to facilitate the single's release.

Both tracks are on a host of compilations put out by Big Beat over the past two decades. 

Hear Colin Blunstone and Rod Argent discuss "Indication" here.

"Hear Indication (unedited version)":

https://youtu.be/_W5mLHJRe5Q

Hear "How We Were Before":

https://youtu.be/LuOIhc9PeFU

The Zombies "Is This The Dream"

 

THE ZOMBIES-Is This The Dream/Don't Go Away US Parrot 45 PAR 9821 1966

The Zombie's seventh U.S. single arrived in February 1966 (it was previously issued in the U.K. as Decca F 12296 in November of '65). It would be their next to last single for Parrot and was issued long after the band's brief run of U.S. hits had long since passed. Despite the lack of a recent U.S. hit (their last Top 40 chart placing here was "Tell Her No" in late 1964 which reached #6) Parrot continued to match most of their U.K. seven inch offerings with a U.S. release.

Keyboardist Rod Argent's "Is This The Dream" is almost "tough" sounding at times. Blunstone's vocals nearly strain on top of a driving Motown beat punctuated by some "hey hey hey"'s by the band. It launches into a mashed up electric piano solo by Rod Argent all led by an infectious James Jamerson style bass line by Chris White (which doubles up as the number is winding up and Blunstone once again sings on the verge of breaking his voice). The harmonies really carry this one and though they are at odds with the roughness of it I love it!

The flip side "Don't Go Away" is a somber affair. It's sparse musical backing (acoustic guitar, faint organ, bass, drums) sounds almost like an unfinished track and it's lyrically geeky, like an almost forced "Let's Spend The Night Together" with Blunstone sounding almost unconvincing in his efforts to get his partner to stay with him. Try as I may this track just doesn't cut it for me, sorry fellas.

Both sides are available in a host of places because it literally seems like Ace/Big Beat issues a new Zombies collection literally every year!

Hear "Is This The Dream":

https://youtu.be/8zCiLEtJHGA

Hear "Don't Go Away":

https://youtu.be/1OVRx3GcByE

The Zombies-She's Coming Home

THE ZOMBIES-She's Coming Home/I Must Move U.K. Decca F12125 1965

Without a doubt nearly all of The Zombies 60's single tracks are amazing. I can honestly say that unlike The Beatles or The Hollies there are no equivalents to the mundane boredom of "Love Me Do" or lame American covers like "Stay" or "Searchin'" in the Zombies U.K. A-side discography. Picking a favorite Zombies number is really a tough call, but today's A side item rates as one of my faves ever since I first heard it in a "new light" on the "Time Of The Zombies" Epic U.S. double LP in 1986 (I owned it on 45 for over a decade and never really dug it!).

September 1965's "She's Coming Home" (the band's fourth U.K. single and third American one) has all the makings of your typical Zombies "teen angst" number: the tragic protagonist, his long lost (but soon to be returning love) and this somber minor chords tastefully accented by Rod Argent's piano and organ (whilst Colin Blunstone soulfully croons).  Ken Jone's production is, as always, top notch and crystal clear.  On the flip we have "I Must Move", a number that easily could have made an A-side.  Starting out with Paul Atkinson's echo drenched acoustic guitar it's one of the St. Alban's boy's greatest triumphs in my book.  The harmonies and melody are precision pop at it's finest.

Both sides can be found on a multitude of products, I personally recommend Big Beat's CD "The Singles Collection" which collects all their Decca AND CBS British 45 rpm tracks, in Mono!

Hear "She's Coming Home":

http://youtu.be/94b6BKeUiAk

Hear "I Must Move":

http://youtu.be/flUjhGoHVq8

For entertainment purposes here's Brenda Holloway tearing up "Shes' (He's) Coming Home":

Squeezing A Dead Zombie For An Extra Tune....

THE ZOMBIES-Imagine the Swan/Conversation Off Floral Street U.S. Date 2-1644 1969

America loved the Zombies, in fact their records charted higher here than at home in the U.K. and there was no shortage of releases here by them.  Their U.K. Decca period was released here on Parrot while their later U.K. CBS era was released by the small label Date (alongside Gary Walker and The Coasters to name but a few), home of their most oft played American hit "Time Of The Season" (#3 in November 1968 after a second release on Date with a different B-side).  Date squeezed out some interesting stuff by them, like the U.S. only 45 of two "Oddysey And Oracle" tracks "Butcher's Tale (Western Front 1914)" b/w "This Will Be Our Year" (Date 2-1612 November 1968).  As most of you probably know these releases were long after The Zombies jacked it in.  The label, capitalizing on the success with "Time Of The Season" churned out today's subject in May of 1969. By this point the personnel only included keyboardist Rod Argent and bassist Chris White and of course made zero impact leaving "Time.." as their last American hit (which did not even chart in the U.K.!).

"Imagine The Swan" is a beautiful piece of sentimentality, my opinion on it varies.  If I'm feeling nostalgic I dig it, if I'm jaded well I'll dismiss it as sentimental rubbish, I'm often in the latter.  Regardless it's a well produced pop track with great vocals by Chris White (and trademark Zombies choral pop perfection in the backing harmonies department).  "Conversational Off Floral Street" is an incredible organ and piano instrumental with some cool keyboard trills by Argent.  It's almost jazzy at times (and as one YouTube user pointed out owes a great deal to Dave Brubeck's "Unsquare Dance") with the ivories and the Hammond playing off each other's individual licks behind some solid drumming and bass.

Both sides have been issued in a number of places, namely the amazing "Zombie Heaven" box set or the less pricey double CD "The Singles A's & B's".

Hear "Imagine the Swan":

http://youtu.be/GtU50hKztfw

Hear "Conversation Off Floral Street":

http://youtu.be/hZhysDn9zG4

The Zombies: Bunny Lake Cameo

"MAD" magazine's take on "Bunny Lake Is Missing".  Cheers to Michael Lynch for digging this up!

The rarely seen promo spot with The Zombies!



The band's 30 seconds in the film......with their killer "alternate" version of "Remember You".

The Zombies CBS Ressurection

THE ZOMBIES-Friends Of Mine/Beechwood Park U.K. CBS 2960 1967

For nearly half a year The Zombies were in a nail biting limbo. Their gigs were drying up, their fees dropping and their ventures into the U.K. hit parade were long gone. March of 1967 saw their final Decca single (a cover of Little Anthony & the Imperials "Going Out Of My Head" b/w "She Does Everything For Me" Decca F 12584). The band eventually secured a new contract with CBS and set about recording new material that would eventually compose their (posthumous) second British LP "Oddysey (sic) And Oracle".

      On "T.O.T.P" '66

 

"Friends Of Mine" sparks the "new" Zombies sound of CBS (Date in the U.S.) with both upbeat optimism and a more decidedly poppy sound that ushers in their use of choral perfection.  Name checking friends, lovers and cohorts in the chorus "Friends Of Mine" epitomises the Zombie's "Sound of '67".  The flip, "Beechwood Park" is a somber number that's akin to The Moody Blue's B-side of the same year "Cities".  Again it relies on the band's vocal prowess and has a laid back jazzy approach (first exhibited in their cover of "Summertime" way back in '64).

    Miming for Swedish TV '66

Both numbers, as indicated earlier, can be found on their excellent "Oddysey And Oracle" which has been re-released in several servings.

Hear "Friends Of Mine":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ON-F0i69_8k


Hear "Beechwood Park":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaZANBaF_0Q