♫ A Whiter Shade Of Pale ♫ (Redux)

Posted on by under Bits 'n Pieces, music, music history

I have played this one only once, back in 2020, but it is one that definitely deserves a redux!

Released in May 1967, this is the debut single by the British rock band Procol Harum.  Within a month, the song had surged to the #1 spot in the UK where it would remain for six weeks, and hit #5 in the U.S.  One of the anthems of the 1967 Summer of Love, it is one of the best selling singles in history, having sold more than 10 million copies worldwide.  There have been over 1,000 covers of this song by other artists!

A Whiter Shade of Pale was co-written by Gary Brooker, Keith Reid and Matthew Fisher, and instead of me telling you about it, I’m going to let them tell you about it in this first video, which I found interesting … perhaps it’s just that I was mesmerized by the accents.  The second video is the actual song.

A Whiter Shade of Pale
Procol Harum

We skipped the light fandango
Turned cartwheels ‘cross the floor
I was feeling kind of sea-sick
And the crowd called out for more
And the room was humming harder
As the ceiling flew away
When we called out for another drink
But the waiter brought a tray
And so it was later
As the miller told his tale
That her face at first just ghostly
Turned a whiter shade of pale

You said there is no reason
And the truth is plain to see
But I wandered through my playing cards
And would not let her be
And one of sixteen vestal virgins
Who were leaving for the coast
And although my eyes were open
They might just as well be closed
And so it was later
As the miller told his tale
That her face at first just ghostly
Turned a whiter shade of pale

And so it was later
As the miller told his tale
That her face at first just ghostly
Turned a whiter shade of pale
A whiter shade of pale
Turned a whiter shade of pale
A whiter shade of pale

Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Gary Brooker / Keith Reid / Matthew Fisher
A Whiter Shade of Pale lyrics © T.R.O. Inc.

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31 thoughts on “♫ A Whiter Shade Of Pale ♫ (Redux)”

  2. One of my favorite bible stories is of Jesus, the water and the wine at the wedding. The father of the bride facing withering criticism for holding back the good stuff. Finally is fine.😂

    Liked by 1 person

  5. What makes me wonder about this is why it has been covered more than a thousand times. Why? You can’t improve on perfection. Yes, some of the lyrics are nonsense, but the feel of the song as a whole is magical. Those were great times for music.

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  6. One of my favourites. I did not know much about it so that was an interesting video. Glad you were mesmerised by the accents! An American passenger at Heathrow once said to me ‘Oh I love the way you say ‘can’t’.

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  8. Jill, the first four lines are as unusual as they come. I had to listen carefully as lyrics back then were harder to locate and not always with the album. It is a very cool song beginning with the organ. Keith

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    • Agreed. As usual, I typically don’t pay much attention to lyrics since I cannot hear them well anyway, so I just enjoy the music. And I do love the organ intro! Glad you liked it!

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      • Here’s another one Jill.
        Lots of takes on the lyrics’ meaning, but so haunting a song

        Lyrics:
        “All hands on deck, we”ve run afloat” I heard the captain cry
        “Explore the ship, replace the cook, let no one leave alive!”
        Across the straits, around the Horn, how far can sailors fly?
        A twisted path, our tortured course, and no one left alive

        We sailed for parts unknown to man, where ships come home to die
        No lofty peak, nor fortress bold, could match our captain’s eye
        Upon the seventh seasick day we made our port of call
        A sand so white, and sea so blue, no mortal place at all

        We fired the gun, and burnt the mast, and rowed from ship to shore
        The captain cried, we sailors wept, our tears were tears of joy
        Now many moons and many Junes have passed since we made land
        A salty dog, this seaman’s log, your witness my own hand

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  10. If you liked the accents, you should listen to mine. I don’t sound unlike Gary Brooker, though perhaps a little bit more ‘London’ than him, although he grew up in the East End of the city on the other side of the river to me.
    I bought that single when I was 15. Everyone had a copy at the time, and it was indeed a huge hit. After that, I didn’t buy anything else they released.
    Best wishes, Pete.

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