Beechwood Park

Album: Odessey And Oracle (1968)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Beechwood Park is a prep school in Markyate, Hertfordshire, England, near where the band is from. The song was written by Zombies bassist Chris White, who explained in The Guardian (February 22, 2008): "Beechwood Park is a real place. My father owned a general store in Hertfordshire and he used to deliver to a private girls' school called Beechwood Park. I remember driving round there and seeing steam rising off the road in the summer after rain."
  • The intro guitar was run through a Leslie cabinet, which contains a rotating horn, thus the swirling effect. The Leslie effect was also used by Eric Clapton and George Harrison. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Tobbe - Uddevalla, Sweden
  • "Beechwood Park" is part of Odessey And Oracle, an album that was nearly left for dead. It was released in the UK in 1968 and had little impact. But a year later, the producer Al Kooper heard it and convinced the record label to issue it in America, where it took off thanks to the song "Time Of The Season." Just one problem: The Zombies were already broken up. They did eventually re-form, but not until 2004.
  • Paul Weller has credited "Beechwood Park" as a major inspiration for him to start writing songs. He has mentioned in interviews that the song's evocative, melancholic atmosphere and its nostalgic lyrics struck a deep chord with him as a young musician. Weller, known for his work with The Jam, The Style Council, and his solo career, has often spoken about his admiration for 1960s music, particularly bands like The Zombies, The Kinks, and Small Faces.

Comments: 4

  • K Bloomfield from YorkshireBeechwood Park is in Markyate, not Flamstead. It was never a girls school, it was a boys school, because I attended in the 60’s. It is now a co-Ed school.
  • Berkogal from BerkoBeechwood Park is now a co-ed prep school and still is very beautiful.
  • Jamie from Toronto, OnThe intro guitar is not being run through a leslie. it is being run through the tremolo unit of a guitar amplifier, most likely the tremolo of a fender twin reverb.
  • Christibe from Dayville, CtHauntingly Beautiful
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Rosanne Cash

Rosanne CashSongwriter Interviews

Rosanne talks about the journey that inspired her songs on her album The River & the Thread, including a stop at the Tallahatchie Bridge.

Trans Soul Rebels: Songs About Transgenderism

Trans Soul Rebels: Songs About TransgenderismSong Writing

A history of songs dealing with transgender issues, featuring Pink Floyd, David Bowie, Morrissey and Green Day.

Scott Stapp

Scott StappSongwriter Interviews

The Creed lead singer reveals the "ego and self-fulfillment" he now sees in one of the band's biggest hits.

Gavin Rossdale On Lyric Inspirations and Bush's Album The Kingdom

Gavin Rossdale On Lyric Inspirations and Bush's Album The KingdomSongwriter Interviews

The Bush frontman on where he finds inspiration for lyrics, if his "machine head" is a guitar tuner, and the stories behind songs from the album The Kingdom.

The End Of The Rock Era

The End Of The Rock EraSong Writing

There are no more rock stars - the last one died in 1994.

Rick Astley

Rick AstleySongwriter Interviews

Rick Astley on "Never Gonna Give You Up," "Cry For Help," and his remarkable resurgence that gave him another #1 UK album.