| "Care of Cell 44" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by The Zombies | ||||
| from the album Odessey and Oracle | ||||
| A-side | "Care of Cell 44" | |||
| B-side | "Beechwood Park" | |||
| Released | 1967 | |||
| Format | 7" | |||
| Recorded | Abbey Road Studios, 1967 | |||
| Genre | Psychedelic pop, sunshine pop | |||
| Length | 3:53 | |||
| Label | Date Records | |||
| Writer(s) | Rod Argent | |||
| The Zombies singles chronology | ||||
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"Care of Cell 44" is a single by The Zombies, from their 1968 album Odessey and Oracle. It was featured on Pitchfork Media's 200 Best Songs of the 1960s list[1], and has since been covered by modern artists including Elliott Smith and Of Montreal.
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"Care of Cell 44" tells the somewhat uncommon story of a person writing to their partner in prison, as they await their release from prison. Rod Argent, the Zombies main songwriter said "It just appealed to me. That twist on a common scenario, I just can't wait for you to come home to me again".[2] Given the subject matter, the music accompanying this is very upbeat and jaunty, and has been described as, "The sunniest song ever written about the impending release of a prison inmate."[1]
At its time of release as the lead single for Oddesey and Oracle in 1967, the track was not a success, causing some of the tension that led to the eventual breakup of the band in December of that year. Colin Blunstone, the group's vocalist said, "I thought that "Care of Cell 44" was incredibly commercial. I was really disappointed when it wasn't a hit."[2]
However, subsequent critical reappraisal of the album, following both the success of "Time of the Season" the following year and the album's later cult following[3][4] has led to the track becoming much more popular, resulting in several cover versions from modern artists.
Allmusic critic Matthew Greenwald calls it a "breezy, infectious pop melody" with "choral harmony breaks," and particularly praises Chris White's "melodic" bass playing.[5] He also remarks that the song shows its Brian Wilson and Paul McCartney influences but remains original.[5]
Production notes:
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