they took it casually together but the woman got carried away. Explore 15 meanings and explanations or write yours. Visit our corporate site. In June 1967, Procol Harum went to number 1 on the UK singles chart with a song that over 40 years later would be named the most-played record of the past 70 years (with more than 900 known recorded versions by other artists). This record we thought would be a hit [A Whiter Shade of Pale AWSOP] was more than that. } try { But despite the instant success, Brooker wasn’t about to get carried away by pop stardom. The baroque roquers of Procol Harum (Richmond, London) became world famous after the delivery of a few superb symphonic pop prototypes. Louder is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Original lyrics of A Whiter Shade Of Pale song by Procol Harum. No matter whether you buy one or twenty the postage is still the same $3.50 TOTAL (in the U.S.) "And she smiled at me so sweetly That my anger straightway died. Yet the moment that Matthew Fisher’s Hammond organ pierces the air, “A Whiter Shade Of Pale” is utterly mesmerizing. Log In. The long and protracted tale behind UK prog legends Procol Harum's 1967 number one smash hit A Whiter Shade Of Pale. The single is A Whiter Shade Of Pale, the debut release from Procol Harum that not only topped the UK charts for six weeks, but also made it to Number Five in America. } That fame was achieved not in the least by the release of a contemporary version of Johann Sebastian Bach's Air from the Suite for Orchestra No. The British progressive rock band Procol Harum was most popular in the late 60’s, especially when the band released its hit song ““A Whiter Shade of Pale” on May 12th, 1967. _g1.setAttribute('srcset', _g1.getAttribute('data-srcset')); if ( localStorage.getItem(skinItemId ) ) { If you spend too much time trying to figure out Procol Harum’s “A Whiter Shade Of Pale,” you might miss out on its majestically-rendered sorrow. _g1.classList.remove('lazyload'); The song, “A Whiter Shade Of Pale”. “I had the phrase ‘a whiter shade of pale,’ that was the start, and I knew it was a song,” he said. var _g1; Cosa aspetti? Alan Freeman was the host. 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. (1998), The Symphonic Music (1995), + many compilations including Secrets of the Hive (2007), One Eye to the Future, The Best of – Then and Now (2010) Picture sleeve: many. } catch(e) {}, try { 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. 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. This is a 45 rpm record by PROCOL HARUM called A WHITER SHADE OF PALE / CONQUISTADOR. 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. Turned a whiter shade of pale She said, "I'm here on a shore leave," Though we were miles at sea. Already a member? You will receive a verification email shortly. Obviously the track was available in the height of the swinging sixties. 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. Can anyone explain the words from the song 'A Whiter Shade Of Pale' by Procol Harum? In an interview with Uncut magazine, Reid shed a little light on the song’s origin and meaning. “Keith Reid [Procol Harum lyricist] had written the lyrics and posted them to me,” recalls pianist/singer Gary Brooker. One more clarification, vestal virgins had a 30 year contract so it wasn’t a lifetime. The original lyrics had four verses, of which only two are heard on the original recording. Therefore the Millers tale was something that she was afraid someone might figure out who she was. My postage is inexpensive. 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. And so it was that later As the miller told his tale _g1.setAttribute('src', _g1.getAttribute('data-src') ); _g1 = document.getElementById('g1-logo-inverted-img'); Listen free to Procol Harum – A Whiter Shade of Pale (A Whiter Shade of Pale, Lime Street Blues). Death is when you are a whiter shade of pale. =death illness Procol Harum- Name of group is a mystery for those of us NOT IN THE KNOW we are the non elite =Insult “procol” is from the word “proclamation” and Harum =Slaves “To Proclaim ownership of the slaves by the minter.” Here are the subtext of the lyrics: 1. "A Whiter Shade Of Pale" was originally released as a single with "Lime Street Blues" on the B-side. After all, who could have possibly predicted the success of “A Whiter Shade Of Pale,” which went to #1 in the UK in 1967, #5 in the US, and has outlasted so many other flower-power and psychedelic-flavored tracks from that era to be one of the most enduring songs of the 60’s? "A Whiter Shade of Pale", surprisingly declared by the BBC to be the most played song in public places in the past 75 years, has also famously been the subject of a bitter feud between … Wut ever we all get out of it we all can agree to , roll one up and burn it down, and TURN IT UP,!!! The single is A Whiter Shade Of Pale, the debut release from Procol Harum that not only topped the UK charts for six weeks, but also made it to Number Five in America. A Vestal virgin is buried alive if they have sex. 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Procol Harum – A Whiter Shade Of Pale. “A Whiter Shade Of Pale” is believed to be a poetic journey through a drunken seduction, which is described by way of references to sex as a form … The line should read although my eyes were open they might just as well’ve been closed. Watch official video, print or download text in PDF. But the band's Jewish history is less widely-known. Are you a songwriter? The single reached number 1 in the UK Singles Chart on 8 June 1967 and stayed there for six weeks. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. Album: Procol Harum … plus! Only members can comment. This is what I got from listening to the song. } catch(e) {}, by “I’d been working on a musical idea, which until then had been purely instrumental, when I opened the post and A Whiter Shade Of Pale was on the top of other lyrics. A Whiter Shade of Pale Think about that color, what does it mean? The third verse has been heard in live performances by Procol Harum… Non hai capito le parole? Wayne from Salem, Va In Latin "Procol Harum" means Far From These Things or Something More Than This. Air On A G String was the starting point but the rest was invention, with constant reference to Bach-like breaks and atmosphere.”. There is a fine mix of an instrumental melody, soulful vocals, and lyrics that are also quite unique. 1 in several countries when released in 1967. Greg Lake's I Believe In Father Christmas is prog's favourite Xmas song ever. 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.”. 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