This band was musician’s musicians… Not a weak link in the Zombies.
This was written by Zombies keyboardist Rod Argent. The group had a big hit with their first single, “She’s Not There.” The band followed it up in the UK with “Leave Me Be,” which flopped. The band did not want that song to be next but the producer and all the people that were making the decisions released it anyway.
The Zombies then recorded “Tell Her No,” which became their second single in the US and third in the UK. In America, it did very well, but in the UK it fared worse as the band had lost some momentum by releasing “Leave Me Be.”
The song peaked at #6 in the Billboard 100, #6 in Canada, and #42 in the UK. Some critics point to this song as a precursor to jazz fusion for the way the song moves.
This is one of the three big hits the band had in America. She’s Not There, Tell Her No, and Time of the Season. I also have to include their great album Odessey and Oracle which personally I would put up there in the same league as Sgt Pepper and Pet Sounds.
Tell Her No
And if she should tell you “come closer”
And if she tempts you with her charms
Tell her no no no no no-no-no-no
No no no no no-no-no-no
No no no no no
Don’t hurt me now for her love belongs to me
And if she should tell you “I love you”
And if she tempts you with her charms
Tell her no no no no no-no-no-no
No no no no no-no-no-no
(Don’t take her love for your arms)
No no no no no
Don’t hurt me now for her love belongs to me
I know she’s the kind of girl
Who’d throw my love away
But I still love her so
Don’t hurt me now, don’t hurt me now
If she tells you “I love you”
Just remember she said that to me
Tell her no no no no no-no-no-no
No no no no no-no-no-no
(Don’t take her love from my arms)
No no no no no
Don’t leave me now for her love belongs to me
