The Zombies, "I Want You Back Again" c/w "Remember When I Loved Her," Parrot 45 PAR 9769V (rel. 6.1965)
The most talented and forward-thinking British beat group after The Beatles, The Zombies were a two-hit wonder on their native soil; they did somewhat better in the US, despite their limited time here. Immigrations officials took an apparent dislike to the group and refused them the necessary work visas that would accommodate being in package tours and live show itineraries.
This ridiculous restriction (which The Kinks also struggled with at the time) prevented the group from attaining a solid fanbase like the ever-present Rolling Stones. The Zombies were a group's group and the property of dedicated fans who admired their recordings but never got to see the group in-person.
This ridiculous restriction (which The Kinks also struggled with at the time) prevented the group from attaining a solid fanbase like the ever-present Rolling Stones. The Zombies were a group's group and the property of dedicated fans who admired their recordings but never got to see the group in-person.
The group's Decca Records catalog, mostly issued in America on the Parrot label, and thus condemned to styrene editions, is one of the great bodies of 1960s British rock/pop. Like Carl Barks, the comic book artist whose beloved "Donald Duck" and "Uncle Scrooge" stories, unsigned by contract, they enjoyed a delayed and long-lasting adulation after their initial obscurity. Their records sound like no one else's and were copied by American garage bands almost as much as the Stones'. That is telling.
Parrot, a subsidiary of London Records (the American arm of UK Decca, which was unconnected to American Decca Records), took a chance with a unique US-only coupling of two intense minor-key tracks in the summer of 1965. On the heels of the uncharacteristic "Tell Her No," an effervescent bossa-nova styled hit, this pairing was perversely uncommercial: a bold and perhaps reckless move on London Records' part. It's one of the group's more sought-after singled by British collectors and fans, as neither track got a contemporary release there. (It is the only legitimate issue of the single's A-side until the 1997 4-CD collection Zombie Heaven.)
Composer-pianist Rod Argent penned "I Want You Back Again," a stark, hard-edged mod blues waltz that sounds earthier than other groups who strived to sound Black--a tactic that hasn't aged well. Lead singer Colin Blunstone had no pretensions to ape the Black American performers he and the group admired. His husky, dramatic voice interpreted the group's material and made it something unusual and captivating.
This bleak, existential recording has a wintry mood. Hugh Grundy's percussion is driving--ruthless alongside Argent's electric keyboard and Paul Atkinson's twangy guitar. Blunstone's voice captures the bewildered misery of a young man with a broken heart as he bemoans his lovelorn state and longs for a reunion that will never happen. He pours himself into this performance. He never overplays his hand, but one feels the emotional tension of Argent's lyric well-tended by this unmistakable voice.
A brief rave-up section approaches punk-rock intensity. This well-rehearsed band plays hard and big and the sonic fury they create is impressive. It's a brutal tour de force that was a bit much for all but the group's most devoted admirers. With no Cash Box review and little promotional effort on Parrot's part, it struggled at the bottom of the charts and peaked at #92. As one of an innovative group's most intense and powerful songs, this performance is a thing of dark beauty.
Parrot, a subsidiary of London Records (the American arm of UK Decca, which was unconnected to American Decca Records), took a chance with a unique US-only coupling of two intense minor-key tracks in the summer of 1965. On the heels of the uncharacteristic "Tell Her No," an effervescent bossa-nova styled hit, this pairing was perversely uncommercial: a bold and perhaps reckless move on London Records' part. It's one of the group's more sought-after singled by British collectors and fans, as neither track got a contemporary release there. (It is the only legitimate issue of the single's A-side until the 1997 4-CD collection Zombie Heaven.)
Composer-pianist Rod Argent penned "I Want You Back Again," a stark, hard-edged mod blues waltz that sounds earthier than other groups who strived to sound Black--a tactic that hasn't aged well. Lead singer Colin Blunstone had no pretensions to ape the Black American performers he and the group admired. His husky, dramatic voice interpreted the group's material and made it something unusual and captivating.
This bleak, existential recording has a wintry mood. Hugh Grundy's percussion is driving--ruthless alongside Argent's electric keyboard and Paul Atkinson's twangy guitar. Blunstone's voice captures the bewildered misery of a young man with a broken heart as he bemoans his lovelorn state and longs for a reunion that will never happen. He pours himself into this performance. He never overplays his hand, but one feels the emotional tension of Argent's lyric well-tended by this unmistakable voice.
A brief rave-up section approaches punk-rock intensity. This well-rehearsed band plays hard and big and the sonic fury they create is impressive. It's a brutal tour de force that was a bit much for all but the group's most devoted admirers. With no Cash Box review and little promotional effort on Parrot's part, it struggled at the bottom of the charts and peaked at #92. As one of an innovative group's most intense and powerful songs, this performance is a thing of dark beauty.
Billboard reviewed today's single and deemed it commercially viable. Good on them!
"Remember When I Loved Her" is a dark bossa nova with a classical air. Its elegant melody haunts the listener, as does Blunstone's resigned, contemplative performance. Argent plays a softer-toned keyboard while Atkinson's guitar, Chris White's bass and Grundy's drums help flavor this atmospheric mood-piece.
An Italian-language version of this song, sung by a female vocalist, turns up a few episodes of Patrick McGoohan's primo Cold War spy series Secret Agent. "Mio Amore Sta Lontano" made it to RCA-Victor's soundtrack LP of the series, which proved an American hit when televised in 1965 with its boffo Phil Sloan-Steve Barri theme song bellowed by Johnny Rivers. I wonder if Rod Argent got royalties for "Mio Amore"'s many on-air performances via reruns?
No one else made records like "Remember When..." and no one else could pull them off.
An Italian-language version of this song, sung by a female vocalist, turns up a few episodes of Patrick McGoohan's primo Cold War spy series Secret Agent. "Mio Amore Sta Lontano" made it to RCA-Victor's soundtrack LP of the series, which proved an American hit when televised in 1965 with its boffo Phil Sloan-Steve Barri theme song bellowed by Johnny Rivers. I wonder if Rod Argent got royalties for "Mio Amore"'s many on-air performances via reruns?
No one else made records like "Remember When..." and no one else could pull them off.
The Zombies' recordings are now revered as a high point in 1960s pop music. The reunited group enjoyed American acclaim as they toured the states in the 2010s; their show featured a live performance of their second LP, Odessey and Oracle. Alas, I never got to see them the few times they came through Portland, Oregon. Ah, well...
Tomorrow: Lula Reed shows the connection of early r&b and jazz on a rare, sublime 1953 single for King Records.
Love that first track; garage band classic! The second’s good, too. 👏
ReplyDeleteLove these! The Zombies could sell both a blues song like "I Want You..." and a haunting song like "Remember When..." (and other songs like "A Rose for Emily" and "Care Of Cell 44" ).The Zombies were certainly unique in music and songcraft.
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