To be honest, sitting here I can't remember how a couple of them sound. Maybe 'I Want Her...' would move up if I could remember how it goes.
― Billy Pilgrim (Billy Pilgrim), Wednesday, 13 July 2005 14:08 (eighteen years ago) link
― b b, Wednesday, 13 July 2005 15:15 (eighteen years ago) link
― PappaWheelie (PappaWheelie), Wednesday, 13 July 2005 15:43 (eighteen years ago) link
― Cunga (Cunga), Wednesday, 13 July 2005 15:48 (eighteen years ago) link
― Gerard (Gerard), Wednesday, 13 July 2005 16:16 (eighteen years ago) link
― t0dd swiss (immobilisme), Wednesday, 13 July 2005 21:37 (eighteen years ago) link
― peter smith (plsmith), Thursday, 14 July 2005 01:03 (eighteen years ago) link
I knew everyone would pick "Butcher's Tale" as their least favorite. It's a good song but it doesn't match what everyone loves about the album: The Pop-Laden, Sunshine-y, Hooks.
― Michael Costello (MichaelCostello1), Thursday, 14 July 2005 01:40 (eighteen years ago) link
― t0dd swiss (immobilisme), Thursday, 14 July 2005 01:57 (eighteen years ago) link
― Michael Costello (MichaelCostello1), Thursday, 14 July 2005 02:05 (eighteen years ago) link
not to be obvious or anything but "time of the season" was one of the peaks of '60s pop, and was the hit off this album for a damn good reason. it's an astounding recording and it has one of my favorite vocal harmony arrangements ever. i love "care of cell 44," too, but that one's always seem a tad bit overrated to me, with those near-corny beach boys rips. "brief candles" has a fabulous chorus hook and "friends of mine" is bubblegummily delicious. the last few songs are all a bit blurry in my memory, and i'm too lazy to walk across the room, pick up the cd and play it. maybe "butcher's tale" is some kind of weird bit of undiscovered brechtian genius and no one's figured it out yet.
― fact checking cuz (fcc), Thursday, 14 July 2005 04:34 (eighteen years ago) link
― fact checking cuz (fcc), Thursday, 14 July 2005 04:35 (eighteen years ago) link
― U = NUTS (David Allen), Thursday, 14 July 2005 05:16 (eighteen years ago) link
― Michael Costello (MichaelCostello1), Thursday, 14 July 2005 05:23 (eighteen years ago) link
2) Care of Cell 443) Beechwood Park4) Brief Candles8) Maybe After He's Gone9) This Will Be Our Year12) Rose for Emily5) Time of the Season7) Friends of Mine6) I Want Her She Wants Me1) Changes10) Hung Up on a Dream11) Butcher's Tale
― edd s hurt (ddduncan), Thursday, 14 July 2005 16:13 (eighteen years ago) link
― Dadaismus (Dada), Thursday, 14 July 2005 16:15 (eighteen years ago) link
― Kate Silver (Kate Silver), Thursday, 14 July 2005 16:16 (eighteen years ago) link
― Dadaismus (Dada), Thursday, 14 July 2005 16:17 (eighteen years ago) link
― That One Guy (That One Guy), Thursday, 14 July 2005 16:18 (eighteen years ago) link
1. Hung Up On a Dream2. Brief Candles3. Care of Cell 444. Maybe After He's Gone5. Time of the Season6. Changes7. Friends of Mine8. A Rose For Emily9. This Will Be Our Year10. Beechwood Park11. Butcher's Tale12. I Want Her, She Wants Me
... tho this is one of those rare albums where all the songs are good. 4-9 are too close to call really.
― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 10:39 (eighteen years ago) link
― zeus, Tuesday, 19 July 2005 11:11 (eighteen years ago) link
― loafingoaf, Tuesday, 19 July 2005 12:36 (eighteen years ago) link
― BUCKET t, Thursday, 21 July 2005 12:10 (eighteen years ago) link
― Jim Graham, Wednesday, 10 August 2005 00:58 (eighteen years ago) link
Had a chance to revisit O&O on a road trip recently.
1. This will be our yearThe most "felt" song on the album, or maybe just the one that I personally feel the most. It could have been just another "baby, i loves ya!" number, but being more about emerging from adversity adds a surprising depth. I much prefer the version with no horn overdubs. Gains further points for the trucker's gear change coming after the first chorus instead of near the end (and the song just doesn't work without it!), and for brevity, too. An absolutely perfect pop song.
2. care of cell 44Another nearly perfect pop song, both in writing and execution. How jaunty the choon, you'd almost not notice it's about the narrator's lover being sprung from the hoosegow. One of those rare beasts whose verse melody is as memorable as - yet very different from - the chorus's. When the background vox bust forth from their Beach Boys pastiche (you can practically hear them giggling while they perform them) into a brassy blast of "aaaah"s that sail the chorus along, you can't help but feel so good along with the narrator. "Walk/talk" middle 8 nearly loses me, but at least it's brief. A much better and less winky-wink BB takeoff than "Back in the USSR," for my money.
3. hung up on a dreamThis one is an unusual artifact: it sees through the horseshit of the hippie moment, while genuinely expressing its attractions. A pretty big achievement during that highly charged time. Very effective alternating between sweet and sinister. The tempo changes add a druggy, dreamlike quality to this one - nice mimesis! Love the thundering drums, the little guitar lick in the verses, and the baroque instrumental break.
4. butcher's taleAlthough it definitely doesn't belong on this album either musically or thematically, it's one of the best-composed songs on the record. Despite its out-of-place-ness, I always find myself getting sucked into its harrowing little world, and I find it genuinely creepy and absorbing. I don't know what I'd rather they had done with it; it deserves to be heard but both the song and the album suffer for its inclusion.
5. time of the seasonObviously a great single and a great performance. That rhythm track! That mood! But as a song it's a little under-composed. It loses points for the meandering jammy solo that pads it out, and for the repetition of the second verse. Either of which would have been forgivable on its own, but taken together they feel slightly lazy. I have hippie friends who despise this song because of "who's your daddy? Is he rich like me?" That weird bit of braggadocio makes me fonder of it somehow.
6. friends of mineAlmost too sweet to bear - a progenitor of twee indie? - this is a jaunty, pleasant track and not much more. It gets bonus points for being about other people instead of "you and me." Loses points for "the things that you say, the things that you do." The couples' sung names as backing vox should be a bridge too far, but the genuine love they're sung with makes them an appealing detail instead of sickening.
7. a rose for emilyLovely, but precious. Its simplicity is appealing on an album that sometimes verges on being overproduced. Some nice moments in the vocal arrangement but hard to get behind as a whole. Eleanor Rigby Emily ain't, quite.
8. changesLovely, but precious. Feels a bit medieval - on purpose, I'm sure - and not just musically, but structurally and thematically. The preoccupation with the trappings of wealth must have rankled hippies in much the same way "is he rich like me" did. Strawberry and peppermint could have stayed home - reflex of the times and a rhythmic pad instead of images the song needed. Somewhat impressive as a thing qua thing, but feels contrived also - a school exercise more than a felt thing.
9. brief candlesA mostly really great chorus, particularly in the production - the ticking rimshots, the hissing organ - brought to a screeching halt by each over-composed verse. We just can't care about these cardboard-cutout people, as lovely as the melody that tells their stories is. "Her sadness makes her smile" is just toothless schoolboy irony, a cliche, and unfortunately it's the punchline of the otherwise impeccable chorus.
10. I want her she wants meNice verse melody, but the song wears out its welcome pretty quickly. Underproduced and a slight composition (with a 1965 middle eight dragging it down). It's okay - would have been better if it didn't repeat its grating refrain quite so much.
11. maybe after he's goneI feel bad putting this so low; i always recall it as a better song and a better performance than it is when I listen to it. Good verse melody marred by maudlin lyrics, sung with little energy (I would have left you too, ya wet mopey bastard!). I like the drumming in the verses. Loses points for a crappy edit in the coda - that layers and drives home the crappiest part of the song: the crappy chorus.
12. beechwood park Lazy songwriting, lousy verse melody, no hook to speak of. Somewhat successful in its appeal to nostalgia if you don't pay too close attention. Works as a mood piece.
― bumbling my way toward the light or wahtever (hardcore dilettante), Sunday, 3 September 2017 03:15 (six years ago) link
Great post, hd. When I first discovered this album I became a bit obsessed with 'I Want Her She Wants Me', which has always been a personal favourite. It often gets neglected and rarely mentioned as a highlight, but for me it's still probably my favourite. I was relistening to this the other day too and started really getting into 'Butcher's Tale' as a great bit of Crimsonesque proto-prog.
― Shat Parp (dog latin), Sunday, 3 September 2017 07:16 (six years ago) link
hung up on a dream is such a unique and gorgeous song
― niels, Sunday, 3 September 2017 11:12 (six years ago) link
yup, that's the top one for me.
― PaulTMA, Sunday, 3 September 2017 16:06 (six years ago) link
This Will Be Our Year is too good. the whole album is great. fwiw i love "Beechwood Park" as a mood poem and song (killer middle eight).
I have hippie friends who despise this song because of "who's your daddy? Is he rich like me?" That weird bit of braggadocio makes me fonder of it somehow
always took this to be mocking of material wealth in favor of spiritual wealth. thus the line goes "Is he rich?" "Is he rich like me?" still bragging but it's a new consciousness rather money/possessions.
― AdamVania (Adam Bruneau), Sunday, 3 September 2017 16:12 (six years ago) link
'Hung Up On A Dream' is the best track on the LP, followed by 'Brief Candles' ...
― more Allegro-like (Turrican), Sunday, 3 September 2017 17:56 (six years ago) link
I just love those chord changes.
Love hardcore dilettante's write-up despite disagreeing with a lot of it! 'I Want Her...' is the only less-than-great song here and yeah both 'Brief Candles' and 'Beechwood Park' are near the top for me.
― Gavin, Leeds, Sunday, 3 September 2017 18:39 (six years ago) link
Thanks, folks! I don't know if I agree with everything I wrote, even. And re-reading it, I sound way harsher on the bottom half of songs than I really feel. My inner critic goes ape when unleashed. In truth, I love this record front to back and never skip a song. I think today I'd switch "brief candles" and "I want her".
― bumbling my way toward the light or wahtever (hardcore dilettante), Monday, 4 September 2017 04:03 (six years ago) link
Care of Cell 44Hung up on a DreamI Want Her She Wants MeBrief CandlesChangesThis Will Be Our YearA Rose for EmilyTime of the SeasonFriends of MineMaybe After He's GoneBeechwood ParkButcher's Tale
― timellison, Tuesday, 5 September 2017 05:31 (six years ago) link
'Maybe After He's Gone' rules so much. This album should have been huge - in terms of songwriting it absolutely annihilates Sgt. Pepper's...
― more Allegro-like (Turrican), Tuesday, 5 September 2017 06:06 (six years ago) link
http://albumsthatneverwere.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/the-zombies-rip.html
Did you guys see this "follow-up album" creation?
Worth a look...
― Mark G, Tuesday, 5 September 2017 09:21 (six years ago) link
Disappointed that so many people here are putting Butcher's Tale as their least favourite. That song rules.
― josh az (2011nostalgia), Wednesday, 6 September 2017 01:06 (six years ago) link
― josh az (2011nostalgia)
I can help with that. It's always been one of my favourites.
Care of Cell 44Butcher's TaleFriends of MineA Rose for EmilyBeechwood ParkMaybe After He's GoneThis Will Be Our YearTime of the SeasonBrief CandlesHung up on a DreamI Want Her She Wants MeChanges
― kitchen person, Wednesday, 6 September 2017 03:13 (six years ago) link
ugh this is like ranking childrenbeloved cats
hung up on a dreamcare of cell 44friends of minebrief candlesthis will be our yearbeechwood parka rose for emilytime of the seasoni want her she wants mebutcher's talemaybe after he's gonechanges
― ToddBonzalez (BradNelson), Wednesday, 6 September 2017 04:49 (six years ago) link
I like all of the songs individually - but find the album as a whole too much to take.
― Luna Schlosser, Wednesday, 6 September 2017 12:30 (six years ago) link
...Though will be seeing them play the album in London later this month.
― Luna Schlosser, Wednesday, 6 September 2017 12:59 (six years ago) link
the version I originally heard had Imagine The Swan on the end, and that version makes sense to me
― Shat Parp (dog latin), Wednesday, 6 September 2017 13:09 (six years ago) link
Had a real blast seeing the Zombies playing this album this evening at the Palladium in London. I find it impossible to rank the songs, but Hung Up on a Dream was the clear highlight for me.
― Luna Schlosser, Friday, 29 September 2017 22:30 (six years ago) link
Really nice vibe as a gig; a very faithful recreation of the O&O album, lots of emotional late middle-aged men bonding and agreeing how wonderful it was, and late middle-aged couples holding each other and gently dancing together.
― Luna Schlosser, Friday, 29 September 2017 22:49 (six years ago) link
how have I only just discovered this? esp with tt claiming it might be her favourite album. a VERY GOOD SHOUT tbah
Brief Candles Hung Up On A Dream A Rose For Emily Care Of Cell 44Butcher's Tale This Will Be Our Year Friends Of Mine Time Of The Season Changes Beechwood Park Maybe After He's GoneI Want Her She Wants Me
12 is merely good. 9-11 are really good. 5-8 are amazing. 3-4 are extraordinary. 1 and 2 are pure psychedelia
― imago, Wednesday, 3 January 2018 15:25 (six years ago) link
for some reason this album finally clicked with me last week, and I now have no idea how I ever didn't love it
"Time of the Season" not v representative of the album, so that being the standout hit doesn't do it any favors
― niels, Monday, 23 July 2018 09:23 (five years ago) link
Already boggling at my low ranking of Maybe After He's Gone just there. It's that kind of album
― imago, Monday, 23 July 2018 12:08 (five years ago) link
what instrument plays that high tone in the chorus of brief candles? is it mellotron?
― na (NA), Tuesday, 6 August 2019 22:38 (four years ago) link
sounds like a hammond to me
― Οὖτις, Tuesday, 6 August 2019 22:40 (four years ago) link
it doesn't really sound like mellotron to me except that it doesn't have any attack like other mellotron soundsxpost
― na (NA), Tuesday, 6 August 2019 22:41 (four years ago) link
According to the ever useful Planet Mellotron site, it is a mellotron - strings. In fact, according to Rod Argent it's a mellotron:
... we wanted to do it by reproducing every single note that was on the original album. Things like 'Hung Up on a Dream,' 'Brief Candles,' 'Changes'—these all require extra harmonies which we overdubbed at the time, and extra keyboard parts which I did on the mellotron.
― Euripedes' Trousers (Tom D.), Tuesday, 6 August 2019 22:54 (four years ago) link
Oh hold on though, on listening to the song, the high pitched tone, that could be a guitar!
― Euripedes' Trousers (Tom D.), Tuesday, 6 August 2019 22:58 (four years ago) link
It's hard to tell. I'm listening to the Marquis Enterprises Ltd. version on Spotify and it says "Mono Version," but that ain't mono.
― timellison, Wednesday, 7 August 2019 00:47 (four years ago) link
Played as a lead guitar part here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=at1rYffo8dw
― timellison, Wednesday, 7 August 2019 00:51 (four years ago) link
thanks. it sounds more keyboardy than guitary to me on the original recording but it's also buried in the mix a little so who knows
― na (NA), Wednesday, 7 August 2019 14:29 (four years ago) link