Tell Her No

Last updated
"Tell Her No"
Tell Her No label.jpg
Single by the Zombies
from the album The Zombies
B-side "What More Can I Do" (UK) / "Leave Me Be" (US)
Released28 December 1964 (US)
January 1965 (UK)
RecordedNovember 25, 1964
Genre Pop rock
Length2:07
Label Decca F12072
Parrot 9723
Songwriter(s) Rod Argent
Producer(s) Ken Jones
The Zombies UKsingles chronology
"Leave Me Be"
(1964)
"Tell Her No"
(1965)
"She's Coming Home"
(1965)
The Zombies USsingles chronology
"She's Not There"
(1964)
"Tell Her No"
(1964)
"She's Coming Home"
(1965)

"Tell Her No" is a hit single written by Rod Argent and included by English rock band the Zombies on their debut album The Zombies in 1965. It peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States in March 1965 and was one of three big American hits by the Zombies (the others being "She's Not There", in 1964, and "Time of the Season", in 1969). "Tell Her No" was only a minor hit for the Zombies in their native Britain, where it peaked at No. 42 on the UK Singles Chart in February 1965.

Contents

In 1983, Juice Newton scored a Billboard Top 40 hit in the United States with her version of the song.

Style

According to Argent, "Tell Her No" was influenced by the music of Burt Bacharach and Hal David. [1] In a contemporary review, Record World said "The fellows have slowed down their frenzy to sing a good follow-up to 'She's Not There.'" [2] Cash Box described it as a "striking rock-a-rhythmic jumper" that's "a softly-essayed affair that moves along in ear-arresting fashion." [3]

The Rolling Stone Illustrated History of Rock & Roll described it as "a standard Beatles cop" stating that it was "almost as good" as the Zombies' earlier hit single "She's Not There." [4] Music critic Maury Dean described it as a precursor to jazz fusion for the way the song moves in fits and starts and for its polyrhythms. [5] According to Allmusic critic Lindsay Planer, the song's "quirky instrumental introduction is repeated throughout and practically sounds off-key before it remarkably resolves into the slightly baroque verses." [1] Planer praised the catchy melody, the tight arrangement and the song's "creative advancement." [1] Dean called it an "excellent song," especially noting how Rod Argent's keyboards drive it. [5] Michael Gallucci of Ultimate Classic Rock states that the song doesn't waste a second of its little more than two minutes. [6]

The word "No" is mentioned a total of 63 times in the lyrics. Lead singer Colin Blunstone mumbled one line in the second refrain and wanted to rerecord it, but producer Ken Jones liked it that way and left it in, leading listeners to wonder what was actually being sung. [7] Blunstone thinks the words sung were "Don’t love this love from my arms." [7] Gallucci particularly praised how Blunstone sang the "whoa-oh-oh" a little earlier in the song, during the second verse. [6]

Cover versions

In 1983, country-pop singer Juice Newton recorded a cover of "Tell Her No". [8] Newton reached No. 14 on the US Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary singles chart and No. 27 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. She changed the song's lyrical gender and point of view, which significantly altered the song's meaning to being about a woman convincing her man to resist the temptations of a potential adulteress.

Del Shannon also did a take on the song. [1] Tahiti 80 did a rendition in concert. [9]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Zombies</span> English rock band

The Zombies are an English rock band formed in St Albans in 1961. Led by keyboardist/vocalist Rod Argent and vocalist Colin Blunstone, the group had their first British and American hit in 1964 with "She's Not There". In the US, two further singles—"Tell Her No" in 1965 and "Time of the Season" in 1968—were also successful.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colin Blunstone</span> British singer

Colin Edward Michael Blunstone is an English singer and songwriter. In a career spanning more than 60 years, Blunstone came to prominence in the mid-1960s as the lead singer of the rock band the Zombies, which released four singles that entered the Top 75 charts in the United States during the 1960s: "She's Not There", "Tell Her No", "She's Coming Home" and "Time of the Season". Blunstone began his solo career in 1969, releasing three singles under a pseudonym of Neil MacArthur. Since then, he has released ten studio albums under his real name. He appears on several albums with the Alan Parsons Project and sang "Old and Wise".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Time of the Season</span> Single by the British band The Zombies

"Time of the Season" is a song by the British rock band the Zombies, featured on their 1968 album Odessey and Oracle. It was written by keyboard player Rod Argent and recorded at Abbey Road Studios in September 1967. Over a year after its original release, the track became a surprise hit in the United States, rising to number three on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Cashbox chart. It has become one of the Zombies' most popular and recognizable songs, and an iconic hit of 1960s psychedelia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Russ Ballard</span> English musician

Russell Glyn Ballard is an English musician.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">She's Not There</span> 1964 single by the Zombies

"She's Not There" is the debut single by British rock band the Zombies, written by keyboardist Rod Argent. It reached No. 12 in the UK Singles Chart in September 1964, and No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States at the beginning of December 1964. In Canada, it reached No. 2.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Centerfold (song)</span> 1981 single by The J. Geils Band

"Centerfold" is a song by the J. Geils Band, released in September 1981 as the lead single from their tenth album Freeze Frame. The most successful single of the group's career, it reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in February 1982 and held that spot for six consecutive weeks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris White (musician)</span> British bassist

Christopher Taylor White is an English musician. He came to prominence in the mid-1960s as the bass guitarist and occasional lead vocalist of the rock band The Zombies. White is one of the main composers of the Zombies' music, and made major lyrical contributions to the band's songs. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2019 as a member of the Zombies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Atkinson (guitarist)</span> British musician (1946–2004)

Paul Ashley Warren Atkinson was a British guitarist and record company executive, best known as a founding member of the pop/rock band The Zombies. Atkinson was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Judy's Turn to Cry</span> 1963 single by Lesley Gore

"Judy's Turn to Cry" is a song written by Beverly Ross and Edna Lewis that was originally released by Lesley Gore in 1963. The song is the sequel to Gore's prior hit "It's My Party", and both songs were produced by Quincy Jones. It was released on Gore's first album I'll Cry If I Want To and also as a single which reached No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and No. 10 on the Billboard R&B singles chart. The single earned a gold record.

"Lay Back in the Arms of Someone" is a song co-written by Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman, performed by the English band Smokie.

Hugh Birch Grundy is an English musician. In a career spanning more than 50 years, Grundy came to prominence in the mid 1960s as the drummer of the English rock band the Zombies. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hold Your Head Up</span> 1971 single by Argent

"Hold Your Head Up" is a song by the English rock band Argent, first released as a single in 1971. The song was a Top 5 hit in the US, the UK, and the Canadian charts, peaking at No. 5 in all three countries. However, it was the band's only song to chart on the Billboard Hot 100. Billboard ranked it as the No. 50 song for 1972. The song appeared on the third Argent album All Together Now (1972).

<i>Dirty Looks</i> (album) 1983 studio album by Juice Newton

Dirty Looks is the fifth solo album by the American country pop singer Juice Newton. It was released by Capitol Records in 1983.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Just Out of Reach (song)</span> 1965 single by the Zombies

"Just Out of Reach" is a song written by singer Colin Blunstone, first recorded by his band the Zombies in 1965. In 1965, it was clear that the Zombies were going to be featured in Otto Preminger's 1966 movie Bunny Lake Is Missing. Therefore, the band had struck a deal with Preminger; he wanted three new songs by the group, recorded in the span of only ten days. During this time, the band's primary songwriters, keyboardist Rod Argent and bassist Chris White suffered somewhat from writer's block. Although White had already managed to come up with two songs, "Remember You" and "Nothing's Changed", the third song was still missing, much to the group's disappointment. Therefore, Blunstone was tasked with the final song.

<i>Greatest Hits</i> (Juice Newton album) 1985 greatest hits album by Juice Newton

Greatest Hits is the ninth album and first greatest hits collection by country pop singer Juice Newton. It was originally released by Capitol Records in 1984 with ten tracks taken from her albums Juice, Quiet Lies, and Dirty Looks. It was reissued in 1986 in an expanded 15-track edition titled Juice Newton's Greatest Hits . The album became a best seller and has been certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America.

<i>Anthology</i> (Juice Newton album) 1998 compilation album by Juice Newton

Anthology is a compilation album by country pop singer Juice Newton. It was originally released by Renaissance Records on October 13, 1998. The album covers her career from 1975 to 1989 and features 19 songs taken from her albums Juice Newton & Silver Spur, Juice, Quiet Lies, Can't Wait All Night, Old Flame, Emotion, and Ain't Gonna Cry. However, it includes the 1975 take of "The Sweetest Thing " from the first RCA album, not the 1981 hit version from Juice.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leave Me Be</span> 1964 single by the Zombies

"Leave Me Be" is a song written by British bassist Chris White and recorded by his band the Zombies. Following the release of their debut single "She's Not There" in July 1964, White wrote a handful of songs in between performances during the band's heavy schedule. Most of the work on the song occurred in August 1964, when the Zombies recorded both a demo and the backing track for it. The instrumentation largely differs from both earlier and later Zombies records; it features electric organ played by Rod Argent, compared to his previous usage of the electric piano. Together with record producer Ken Jones, they returned in September to finish the vocal track, which was disliked by most band members for its similarity to "She's Not There"; the vocals would eventually be re-recorded a few months later.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">She's Coming Home</span> 1965 single by the Zombies

"She's Coming Home" is a song written by keyboardist Rod Argent recorded by his band the Zombies. The song has early origins in Argent's life; he lifted segments from the 1946 song "Magnificat and Nunc dimittis" which he had heard in boy choir. Characterized by its unusual chord progression, the song was recorded on 2 March 1965 during a three-hour session held at Decca Studios along with several other tracks, all of whom were by their standard producer Ken Jones, who knew what Argent had looked for in the song and attempted to produce it in that style.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Want You Back Again</span> 1965 single by the Zombies

"I Want You Back Again" is a song written by keyboardist Rod Argent and originally recorded by his band the Zombies. Initially laid down during a session at Decca Studios on 25 November 1964, the group was unsatisfied with the result and the song was not re-recorded until 2 March 1965, together with several other songs. The song largely departs from the soft rock sound of their earlier singles and ventures into jazz rock. Characterized by an unusual rhythmic melody, the song was liked by lead vocalist Colin Blunstone, who didn't like the genre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whenever You're Ready (The Zombies song)</span> 1965 single by the Zombies

"Whenever You're Ready" is a song written by English keyboardist Rod Argent, first recorded by his band the Zombies. Following an American tour in April 1965 supporting their then single "She's Coming Home", the band were disappointed in finding out it had been a chart failure. After the follow-up "I Want You Back Again" was an even less commercial song, pressure from the group's management came forward in order for them to write a commercial song in the style of their earlier singles, which had been hits.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Planer, Lindsay. "Tell Her No". Allmusic . Retrieved 2017-01-26.
  2. "Singles Reviews" (PDF). Record World. January 2, 1965. p. 6. Retrieved 2023-07-22.
  3. "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. January 2, 1965. p. 14. Retrieved 2023-07-22.
  4. DeCurtis, Anthony; Henke, James; George-Warren, Holly, eds. (1992). The Rolling Stone Illustrated History of Rock and Roll. Random House. p. 206. ISBN   0-679-73728-6.
  5. 1 2 Dean, Maury (2003). Rock 'n' Roll Gold Rush. Algora Publishing. pp. 184, 296–297. ISBN   9780875862071.
  6. 1 2 Michael Gallucci (21 October 2016). "5 Reasons the Zombies Should Be in the Hall of Fame". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 2017-01-26.
  7. 1 2 Righi, Len (August 13, 2007). "Colin Blunstone's voice reanimates the Zombies". Pop Matters. Retrieved 2017-01-26.
  8. "Dirty Looks". Allmusic . Retrieved 2017-01-26.
  9. McCormick, Moira (October 21, 2000). "Tahiti 80's Heartbeat Catches Ears". Billboard Magazine . p. 11. Retrieved 2017-01-26.