The Zombies – She’s Not There

“She’s Not There” Single by the Zombies from the album Begin Here
B-side “You Make Me Feel Good”
Released 24 July 1964
Label Decca (UK) Parrot (US)
Songwriter Rod Argent
Producer Marquis Enterprises
Charted No.2 in US, No.12 in UK, No.2 in Canada

The Zombies, from Hertfordshire, England, recorded “She’s Not There” after they won a talent contest that led to a recording session. They were all teenagers at the time.

The group signed to Decca Records, and their keyboard player, Rod Argent, wrote the song for the session. It tells the story of an alluring woman who won’t be tied down to one man – the singer wants to let us know all about her, but he can only use words, since she’s not there.

“She’s Not There” is the debut single by the English rock band the Zombies. 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.

This song was born in bassist/vocalist Chris White’s bedroom and only had one verse until Zombies producer Ken Jones heard it,” said White. “We were playing in Hatfield, and Ken Jones came up to hear us. And after the gig, Rod said, ‘I’ve got this song that we’ve been rehearsing’ and he played it to Ken on the piano. He did the verse, and then the solo, and there was no second verse, and Ken said, ‘Can’t we go back to the beginning again?’ So Rod had to write another verse, because it only had one originally.”

The song got a big boost when it was judged on the UK TV show Juke Box Jury, where a panel of musical authorities would pass judgment on a song. “She’s Not There” got the thumbs up from panelist George Harrison, who declared it a hit.

Rolling Stone magazine ranked “She’s Not There” No. 297 on its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

In 2016, the song by The Zombies was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.