The long and protracted tale behind UK prog legends Procol Harum's 1967 number one smash hit A Whiter Shade Of Pale. The baroque roquers of Procol Harum (Richmond, London) became world famous after the delivery of a few superb symphonic pop prototypes. In an interview with Uncut magazine, Reid shed a little light on the song’s origin and meaning. With its Bach-derived instrumental melody, soulful vocals, and unusual lyrics – by the song's co-authors Gary Brooker, Keith Reid and Matthew Fisher – "A Whiter Shade of Pale" reached No. What I got from it is that one of the 16 Vestal virgins decided to have a little fun before she had to lead a life keeping Vestas fires going and having to stay a virgin. if ( localStorage.getItem(skinItemId ) ) { Just crank up the volume everytime I hear opening organ chords. Yet the moment that Matthew Fisher’s Hammond organ pierces the air, “A Whiter Shade Of Pale” is utterly mesmerizing. It’s a single with almost incomprehensible lyrics, has been the subject of drawn-out legal proceedings, and is the most played record by British broadcasting over the past 70 years or so. Watch official video, print or download text in PDF. _g1 = document.getElementById('g1-logo-inverted-img'); It was the first single released by a relatively unknown British band, it was driven by a classical organ part derived from Bach, and it featured some of the most inscrutable lyrics of the era. _g1 = document.getElementById('g1-logo-mobile-inverted-img'); What can be said about A Whiter Shade Of Pale? Yet the song defies a specific interpretation, instead conjuring various shades of melancholy which are embellished by the mournful music and Brooker’s pained delivery. A Whiter Shade of Pale: Procol Harum [Formated to fit on one page lead sheet - just double column the last part]] [INTRO] / C Em Am C / F Am Dm F / G G7 Em G7 / … YOU KNOW THE MEANING OF LIFE THING AND THE MOURNFUL MELANCHOLYNESS OF LIFE…THINKING OF BACK WHEN THEY WERE YOUNG AND USED TO SKIP THE LIGHT FANDANGO….YOU KNOW…DANCE PARTY…AND HAD A…LIFE…OH…AND CHASE THE BABES…I WAS 11 YEARS OLD WHEN THAT SONG CAME OUT ITS STILL ONE OF MY FAVORITES…I NOW KNOW HOW THOSE FOLKS FELT…EVEN BACK THEN…. Released in May 1967, it debuted at Number 11 in the UK, reaching the top a week later. Thank you for signing up to Prog. “Now, younger people hear it and it still sounds full of atmosphere. “It came along at just the right moment, and meant so much to so many people at a formative time,” considers Brooker. } catch(e) {}, try { But what is it about A Whiter Shade Of Pale that has made it so enduring and iconic? With Procol Harum it was a bit of a mess for a few weeks, bit of a shock. I asked who had booked it, the driver said, ‘Your manager.’ We sacked him and I took the bus!”. var _g1; The original lyrics had four verses, of which only two are heard on the original recording. Although Reid says it has nothing to do with it is very difficult to believe in that. All rights reserved. But, the song still gets air play today and possibly will for many generations to come. _g1.setAttribute('srcset', _g1.getAttribute('data-srcset')); “The miller told his tale” Non hai capito le parole? The general consensus is that “A Whiter Shade Of Pale” is a snapshot of a drunken sexual escapade gone awry. In recent times, the song has been the subject of a protracted court case, with organist Matthew Fisher claiming he co-wrote the music with Brooker. It went to far and she lost her virginity. With the ceiling flying away and room humming harder, I wanted to paint an image of a scene.”, The general consensus is that “A Whiter Shade Of Pale” is a snapshot of a drunken sexual escapade gone awry. Formed in the 1960s, progressive rock band Procol Harum are best known for their multimillion-selling single "A Whiter Shade of Pale" which is the most played record by a British artist of the last 70 years.Procol Harum's extraordinary career now spans almost 50 years. Without much promotion, it reached number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States. I believe the line although my eyes were open I might just as well’ve been blind, means he didn’t figure out that she had been one of the Vestal virgins. Original lyrics of A Whiter Shade Of Pale song by Procol Harum. Comment and share your favourite lyrics. _g1.setAttribute('srcset', _g1.getAttribute('data-srcset')); Procol Harum – A Whiter Shade Of Pale Spring September 29, 2013 Procol Harum – A Whiter Shade Of Pale 2013-09-29T12:04:39+02:00 Prevedene pesme 2 … _g1.setAttribute('src', _g1.getAttribute('data-src') ); But when you consider some of the concoctions that sounded ridiculous on paper and yet turned out to be pure magic when recorded, it’s clear that hit songs are produced by a combination of talent, inspiration, luck, and some sort of pixie dust that floats around recording studios but only alights on certain musicians at certain times, like it did for Procol Harum when they recorded “A Whiter Shade Of Pale.”. TOTPWatch: Procol Harum performed A Whiter Shade Of Pale on Top Of The Pops on five occasions; 25 May 1967. November 5, 2019, 11:00 am Cosa aspetti? There was a problem. Complete your Procol Harum collection. I always thought that meant that he (they) got drunk. "And so it was that later as the miller told his tale that her face, at first just ghostly, turned a whiter shade of pale. This record we thought would be a hit [A Whiter Shade of Pale AWSOP] was more than that. The label is A&M.The record is M-. Wut ever we all get out of it we all can agree to , roll one up and burn it down, and TURN IT UP,!!! if ( localStorage.getItem(skinItemId ) ) { Keith Reid, who served as the band’s chief lyricist, wrote the words that have confounded generations of fans who still can’t help but singing along. Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, 8 June 1967. Death is when you are a whiter shade of pale. One more clarification, vestal virgins had a 30 year contract so it wasn’t a lifetime. “Keith Reid [Procol Harum lyricist] had written the lyrics and posted them to me,” recalls pianist/singer Gary Brooker. You will receive a verification email shortly. Addeddate 2020-11-04 16:13:49 Identifier procol-harum-a-whiter-shade-of-pale-06.-cerdes-outside Scanner Internet Archive HTML5 Uploader 1.6.4 Bath Please deactivate your ad blocker in order to see our subscription offer, White Willow's Jacob Holm-Lupo teams up with Prog writer for new concept work, Wardruna celebrate the Winter Solstice by sharing epic new single Andvevarljod, Prognosis unveil new line-up with video for brand new single Dark Waters, Gandalf's Fist release new festive single Witchwood. I thought a Miller was a black moth with a powdery white edge-like coke. There is a fine mix of an instrumental melody, soulful vocals, and lyrics that are also quite unique. This tale has something similar to the music. 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