The Zombies were a band of excellent musicians…some of the best of the British Invastion. In 1968 they released Odessey and Oracle and in 1969 this song peaked at #3 in the Billboard 100 and #1 in Canada. The Zombies had already broken up by the time this song hit.
The Zombies had practically no budget when they made this album. They wanted orchestration on this album but couldn’t afford it but they figured something out. The Beatles just finished Sgt Pepper when the Zombies entered the studio. John Lennon had left his Mellotron so the Zombies used it instead of orchestration.
During the recording of the single, the band were arguing with each other. The biggest argument was between keyboardist Rod Argent, who wrote the song, and vocalist Colin Blunstone was over the line, “When love runs high.”Blunstone thought the high note at the end of the line was very hard to do and yelled at Argent. He told Argent that if he thought it was so easy he should sing it.
Blunstone ended up singing the song and doing a terrific job. The song is now a huge classic. The album has been remembered as one of the best pop albums of the sixties.
The first two singles flopped so The Zombies said enough was enough and broke up. Then came Al Kooper whoh really liked this album. He worked at Columbia Records and persuaded Clive Davis to release this record in America. He thought it had a poteintal for a hit single.
Al Kooper pushed this album to Clive Davis and that was a big reason it was released in America. After the band broke up Rod Argent formed “Argent” and Colin had a successful solo career in the UK.
In 2017, the four surviving original members (Colin Blunstone, Rod Argent, Chris White and Hugh Grundy) re-united for a North American tour marking the 50th anniversary of the recording of Odessey and Oracle.
Colin Blunstone: “It was written in the morning before we went into the studio in the afternoon, and I kind of struggled on the melody, Rod and I had quite a heated discussion – he being in the control room and me singing the song – and we were just doing it through my headphones. Because it had only just been written, I was struggling with the melody.
“It makes me laugh, because at the same time I’m singing, ‘It’s the time of the season for loving,’ we’re really going at one another.”
Time of the Season
It’s the time of the season
When love runs high
And this time, give it to me easy
And let me try with pleasured hands
To take you in the sun to (promised lands)
To show you every one
It’s the time of the season for loving
What’s your name?
Who’s your daddy?
(He rich) Is he rich like me?
Has he taken, any time (any time)
(To show) to show you what you need to live
Tell it to me slowly (tell me what)
I really want to know
It’s the time of the season for loving
What’s your name?
Who’s your daddy?
(He rich) Is he rich like me?
Has he taken, any time (any time)
(To show) to show you what you need to live
Tell it to me slowly (tell me what)
I really want to know
It’s the time of the season for loving
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