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Had the BIGGEST Song of the Year...But NOBODY Knew HOW To Pronounce Band’s Name! | Professor of Rock
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- Опубліковано 3 бер 2024
- Coming up, the story of a song that writers Gary Brooker and Keith Reid said was like putting together a jigsaw puzzle. A Whiter Shade of Pale by Procol Harum the song that would sell 10 million copies and the band name most people had no idea how to say! A Whiter Shade of Pale was Very complex and in the end, the song was over 10 minutes long…it had so many layers and lyrical twists and turns it was like a foreign film…. Problem is this was in a time when radio wouldn’t play songs over 4 minutes long so the band had to figure out how to trim it. This meant leaving two whole verses on the cutting room floor… The song became an instant classic and the de facto hit of one of 1967 the Summer of Love... In fact when Paul McCartney heard it he freaked out. It didn’t sound like anything on radio but would anyone ever hear the full song? Also, could anyone solve or decode this cryptic song… after it went to the top of the charts the world over...on its way to selling 10 million copies the band behind it fractured immediately. would they ever have another hit? It’s the story of a classic that many legends wished they had written... on Professor of Rock.
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Hey music junkies, Professor of Rock, always here to celebrate the greatest artists and the greatest songs of all time. If you have ever saved a cassette tape or several tapes from being eaten by your boombox with the might pen or pencil then this channel is for you. Make sure to subscribe below right now. click the notification button so that you Never miss out. We have some big interviews coming this year. We also have a Patreon you'll want to check out. We just put up a 15-minute video with many interview clips that you can only see there and we have a new series starting there soon.
So It’s high time for another edition of our series The New Standards. This show takes an in-depth look into songs that transcend genre, decade, and fads - songs that are musical monuments in our culture and society. On previous episodes, we have covered Hey Jude by The Beatles, Hotel California by The Eagles, and Dreams by Fleetwood Mac. Today we are taking a deep dive into the mysterious and masterful “A Whiter Shade of Pale” by Procol Harum.
So our story begins on May 17, 1967 Paul McCartney was out on the town in London. That night he met a 25-year-old freelance photographer named Linda, the future Mrs. McCartney. But the evening was memorable for another reason as well. While frequenting a nightclub called the Speakeasy, Paul, Linda, and a group of friends discovered the debut single of a new local band. Said McCartney, “It was the first evening any of us had ever heard a record called A Whiter Shade of Pale with words about feeling seasick.
The lyrics were all very strange and poetic and the theme was a famous Bach theme but we didn't know that. We just thought... what an incredible record! ... And we were all trying to guess who it was. So we had to go to the booth and ask, 'What was that one you just played?' and he said, 'Oh yes, Whiter Shade of Pale by Procol Harum. 'Procol what? Is it Latin or something?'”
I’m sure Sir McCartney must have had a similar reaction to many of us who heard this enigmatic tune for the first time. It’s like falling under a spell. It’s musical sorcery really.
Poll: What song contains the GREATEST LYRICS EVER?
Vincent.
_"Desolation Row"_
Or even 100 other of his songs
American Pie
Fleetwood Mac "Landslide"
Beautiful song. @@peterd.9978
When I was a student nurse in 1989, I was doing my first rotation in surgery and the case was a man with a tumor in his abdomen. I was amazed that the surgeons, nurses and surgical techs were all chatting about their weekend, their families, random things, not the patient or the case, they were just operating like it was habit, passing equipment, suctioning like it was any other kind of job. The tumor was sent to the lab for the pathologist to check it out and the surgeons were standing around clasping their hands (so they wouldn't break sterility). The mood was very cheery, the anesthesiologist had the music on 60s and 70s and it was an overall good vibe. A voice came over the intercom announcing that the tumor was malignant and at the very same instant, "Whiter Shade of Pale" came on the intercom. That instant, everyone stopped talking and you could see the sadness in the eyes of the surgeons and staff over their masks. The whole room just felt sad and somber and they silently and respectfully closed him up and did their tasks of counting sponges and cleaning up the room. The music was the perfect song for the mood in the room. Every time I hear the song, I think of this man.
That’s an interesting story! Thanks for relating it here! 🙏
Wow...that must have been so surreal; it sounds like a scene right out of the TV show M*A*S*H. That is sad, I do believe I will think of this story the next time I hear the song.
@@susangrande8142Indeed
Wow, very meaningful story!
Always loved this song. The only other Procal Harem song I know is Conquestidor, which I didn’t really care for!
This was a "Shhh! Everyone shut the hell up for a bit!" song when I first heard it. It was one of those songs where I wanted the world to stop so I could experience the music. 😅
It’s definitely one you need to put on your headphones for.
Thank the Lord you didn’t say…. Desperado
@@Heene1028 I hate the 🤬 Eagles, man.... that song maybe my LEAST favorite. 🤣
This was a 24 minute video that took over an hour to watch because my girlfriend wouldn't stop talking.
I still like their song Whiskey Train more, shame no one's ever heard it because of this one.
They will play 'A Whiter Shade of Pale' in a hundred years and beyond and it will still sound timeless and relevant and will be enjoyed. RIP Gary and Keith. Thank you for this total Masterpiece.
Agreed!
It feels like this song has always been with us.
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980that is exactly how I feel about it!
1967 was a watershed year for great music. RIP Gary Brooker.
For sure.
For me, it was 1984............
@@istankimjong-unbutcantstan3398 1984 was nowhere close to 1967, in terms of significant music.
The peak year of the 60s.
I totally agree. The music was weird, but also wonderful. it was imaginative. Whether it was inspired by someone being on something, it was the 60's summed up in '67. Jimmy's 'MacArthur Park' sung by Richard Harris, Sgt/ Peppers from the Beatles, 'Good Vibrations', from the Beach Boys, and other great songs, ..it was all happening when I was 15. And of course, the subject of this vid, 'Whiter Shade Of Pale'. All the 60's music was great. It was one of those decades, you had to be there, and like me, you had to be a teenager.
Can’t believe you didn’t mention Conquistador which received a lot of airplay in Canada. If you haven’t already heard Gary’s live version of WSOP with Danish Orchestra check it out. It’s my favourite.
It is great! Sorry... I was already running over time!
I love "Conquistador"! That is such a great song from a legendary group, maybe Adam will do an episode on that song, too? It deserves it's own show! hint hint!
Great song. My favorite of theirs.
Conquistador is epic, but I do understand Adam's time constraints, as any discussion of Procol Harum can easily go on for ages.
Love that too❤🎉
Robin Trower was absolutely amazing in the mid to late 70's. Please bring Robin Trower back to us. Thank you!
I know he was in the group, but can’t feel his presence
I only know him from the Bridge of Sighs! And too Rolling Stoned!
That great Univibe effect on his guitar, ( never understood why that never caught on with other players)!
This was played at my Godfather's funeral in 1986...he was something else, and I still miss the guy...
Thanks for sharing.
Condolences.
Condolences ❤🙏 and Thanks, for a great idea🤔
We played a song that brought a lot of joy to my grandfather, Take Me Out to the Ballgame. He sang it during every Dodger broadcast.
@@randal_gibbons Man, that song always makes me feel good...I love baseball, and the camaraderie of singing that song at a game with fellow fans...yer Gramps sounds pretty cool...
What always impressed me was that Gary Brooker never lost his voice. Listen to him singing this in his later years and it sounds just as great as the original album.
Maybe even better. More emotionally invested in the song.
When a piece of music gets Paul McCartney’s attention, we too must give it our attention. I remember when it was released in 1967. It was mind blowing and groundbreaking. Still is. Thank you Professor, you have given this song its just due.
I was a boy of about 8 years when I heard this song on the radio. It was love at first listen. Even now, when I am driving, it's one of those tunes that causes the radio to be turned up louder and I am compelled to sing along loudly. This song is as fresh today as it was 57 years ago. Timeless perfection is impossible to improve. Gary Brooker, RIP. Another great story, Adam. Thanks!
I was 11, that year music was awesome!
You're getting waaaaay to old to not have found equivalent or better.
RIP Gary Brooker...you left us with one of the warmest, undefinable masterpiece. Well done.👍💔
Wow, I just rediscovered this song about 2 weeks ago. Procol Harum's song Conquistador came up on my UA-cam suggested videos and I saw this alternate song suggestion, Whiter Shade of Pale. Both resonate with me. I shared the '67 version of Whiter Shade of Pale and then the 2007 live version with my son. 40 years between the two and better than ever. Sad to see Brooker has past. Thanks for choosing this song.
The most recent live version of this, with the orchestra is truly one of the greatest live performances of ANY LIVE version of a song that I've ever heard!!! PERIOD. They took a beautiful song and made it better, SOMEHOW!!!
The Summer of Love was a magical time to be young and alive. I vividly remember lying on the beach hearing it on my transistor radio. ❤
I was born that year. My parents played this their wedding.
Musical sorcery is the best description I've ever heard of this song. You nailed it!
They were just kids... Gary Brooker was doodling on the piano, trying to play Bach's Air on G String from memory and stumbled upon a cool descending chord sequence. His bandmate Keith Reid had submitted a stack of lyrics and Gary just took the top sheet and applied the words to the music. Pure magic. That song was part of every high school dance I attended and it never failed to fill the floor. Later, it was on the song list at my wedding, and later still, the song list at my son's wedding. Timeless.
I never made the connection to Bach before, but now I hear it!
One of my favorite bands (that sadly most never heard of) Brave Combo did an album of classical music, but with their own twist.
Their version of "Air on G String" is my favorite, and they wrote lyrics for it!
They renamed it "Fear (Air on a G String)"
"Fear! You just find your way to my weak knees
Heart! Making me helpless I can't start,
The news today is talk of war
What's at stake? Life's in shambles,
There's no cherry (something?) there's no piece of cake..."
ua-cam.com/video/gGDhvUVtMSI/v-deo.html
Simple as that!
You have some real fun facts. In my life, kind of a genuine joke, I remember in high school thinking as I held that cute redhead close on the dancefloor to this record, "Man she is into me." When the music stopped she said something along the line, "Thanks for the dance. See ya." Then skipped away to her crowd.
This song played very often back in the day. However, it was super rare in that you didn't get burned out with it like other songs that were played too often.
What's your favorite song from that era?
@@ProfessorofRockI am just a poor boy though my story’s often told;)
@@kevinmcconnell3641 The Boxer
Probably because each time you hear it, the meaning changes for you and life makes you think and feel it either as an old familiar friend or as a new enlightening experience. Love this song.
@@ProfessorofRock : there are SO many - but, one that should be FAR better-known is "No Good To Cry", by [Al Anderson and] The Wildweeds - LIKE Jasper Wrath's "You" & Fountainhead's "I Saw You" ten / twelve years later, a Constitution State CLASSIC.....ua-cam.com/video/QIztn3b2-K8/v-deo.html
If someone said this was one of the top five songs from the rock era, I wouldn't disagree. The organ line combined with the Brooker's vocals makes this utterly unforgettable. It's one of those songs that you didn't want to talk over when it came on the radio (sorta like Low Spark of High Heeled Boys). WSOP is a true classic that goes straight into your soul. Thank you, Adam.
One of the greatest lyrics in rock. Basing the melody on well-known Bach composition didn’t hurt. Gave it an instant feeling of familiarity, set against enigmatic lyrics. One of my favorite songs of that period.
For sure! Thanks for watching!
See what we said about music drawing inspiration from other works? This is what I’m talking about.
My other favorite Procol Harum song is Conquistador. Not sure why that song wasn't mentioned. Not as big as the 1st hit but was very popular.
@@Sepdet9 It got a lot of air time back in the day. Much more uptempo and interesting lyrics.
Hi Professor, I am enjoying this great video. In 1967 I was 11 years old and my two older brothers had a couple of record players in the basement along with a reel to reel tape recorder. They had more than a hundred and fifty 45s and LPS. I heard one of my brothers yell to my other brother 'hey get down here and listen to this.' A Lighter Shade of Pale was playing and that was the first time I heard the song. To this day it is one of my favorites of all time.
Thank you for sharing.
Steve
One of the most melodic, bittersweet, beautifully sad songs ever recorded...
No question!
This song was/is my in laws wedding song.. we lost Daddy not quite 4 years ago and i can't help but feel him whenever i hear this song, either from without or from within.
@ProfessorofRock it's Beautiful that you are covering this Colossal Masterpiece...Alan Cartwright bassist for Procol Harum was a very dear friend of mine,l remember Beautiful Moments when i lived in Palmers Green,at his place over the Years in Palmers Green North London N13,in the family home Alan over the Years waxing lyrical Fantastikal Magical Procol Stories...Gary Brooker and BJ Wilson when they were teenagers would spend much time at the Cartwright home listening to Vinyl Music Inspired and it was here at the Cartwight family home in the mid 60s where Gary would borrow the Album Bach's Air that would inspire him to Create A Whiter Shade of Pale with Procol Harum,I held that Same Album that Inspired the Song in my hand 50years later,his son then Russ handing me the same Album...Yes Truly Under a Spell...I was always rooting for Alan and Gary to be inducted in ROCK N ROLL HALL of Fame..hoping would happen soon..but both Alan,Gary,BJ Wilson have Now Passed...Truly Criminal they were never Inducted in the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame,Now I guess it's only Fisher and Trower are the Only Original Surviving Members?Truly Criminal...Heartbreaking...R.I.P. Alan Cartwight Dear Friend...You with Gary and BJ Wilson and Keith Reid are Now ROCK GODS...❤️
Always loved Alans bass with Procol my favorite era is with him and Mick
Of course, Gary's fantastic vocal work on this tune plays a huge central role in bringing these obscure lyrics to life, I just can't imagine any other vocalist pulling this off nearly as well as he did, he just nailed it perfectly.
My brother is 5 years my senior and played this for me when I was 7 or 8 back in 71. I think it's been stuck in my head ever since. It's a surreal song that you never get tired of hearing. My mom fell in love with it as well. I've listened to other Procol Harum albums and they really are very good. I need to dust off some of their songs and listen again. Thanks Professor.
I was 11 YO when this song hit the radio, my brother (RIP, Tommy) was a big Procol fan from the start....Great upload, great info !
RIP, Mr.Brooker.
Thanks for watching.
It could readily be argued that this song was the birth of Prog Rock. It's one of the very first psychedelic songs I remember from proto-hippie days (I was 10 when it came out in the US).
Very true.
I'd argue that the true birth of Prog was In 1965 when George Martin asked "Is there anything you guys REALLY want to do?" and John and Paul looked at one another tentatively before answering "Well...now that you mention it..." because that kickstarted the whole trend of experimentation in popular music and everything else built from there, but yeah, Procol Harum really went all-in on it to great effect.
@@Fred_Lougee Funny you mention that because I was thinking that there were certainly hints of what was to come with Rubber Soul in 1965. And true, there was a lot of experimentation happening around 1965--everything from the Beach Boys to Dylan going electric and crafting tunes like Visions of Johanna and many other works by many other artists. But these breakings away from the "3-minute pop song" that made up rock & roll until then were not yet full-on progressive in taking structures and even samples from Classical and Baroque and crafting what could essentially be called rock's version of tone poems. Still, good point you made.
Sounds a lot like an early power ballad.
Uhhh....Genesis? They started...I THINK in the same year?
It's in the movie Breaking the Waves. I used to listen to the song every single day on my way to work for almost a year. I hated my job of almost 8 years, the last year being the worst. I was almost done paying of my debt and knew I could put in my two weeks notice that last year. I don't know why, but the song made me feel so much comfort as I was driving to work.
Brooker's take on "Old Brown Shoe" at The Concert for George is a highlight of a great show. A Salty Dog is one of my favorite albums.
A Salty Dog, the seamans log.
The Devil Came From Kansas
Every cover version sucks compared to Procol, except Lennox and Santana.
@@bwilderd5082 Cat Steven's cover of Devil... is pretty good.
@@LarryGonzalez00 I missed that one. I’ll have to check it out.
Absolutely one of my favorite songs! Anyone who hasn't heard it, I have to turn them on to it. 💜👍😎 And I don't know why, but it often makes me cry 😢😢
For sure!
Same 😢 every time
It’s strong feelings put to music.
Just looked up the Latin name Procul Harum - beyond these things. Another excellent installment courtesy of the one and only Professor of Rock
I got to see Procol Harum in 1970 with The Steve Miller Band. It was my first concert after returning to Cleveland. I can't remember any other tune by them, except "Whiter Shade of Pale". For me it was on their Salty Dog album that I first heard it, I think.
As soon as you hear the intro, you know it's Whiter Shade of Pale". The song always sounded like a "Laid Back" acid trip, I never considered it as a dream.
Nice job Adam, It brought back a much gentler time in my life. ;-)
WOW! WHAT A SHOW!
Sounds like you had a blast!
One of the top poetic songs.
Amen!
Interesting that you mention Rene Magritte (mag-REET), as it brings to mind another fantasically evocative song by Paul Simon, "Rene and Georgette Magritte With Their Dog After the War," released in the 80s.
I'll have to go back and listen!
Oh yes I know that song!
I knew he mispronounced that name! I honestly doubted what I'd always known for a second, because POF always slays.
@@imaspoon4522Well, not at French 😅
First time a song reached deep inside me to pull out my feelings before I could even recognize _what_ I was feeling.
I probably heard this for the first time around 1970 or '71. More than likely on my red Panasonic PanaPet AM radio.
very cool.
Vintage cool!! I have 2 panapets!!
A GREAT tune. Love that song. Thanks again for focusing on this New Standard. Another homerun for your great show!!
Thanks for listening!
The most beautiful and haunting song of the sixties!! Going to high school dances in the late 60s this song always filled the dance floor. Loved Gary Brooker RIP.
I have a friend I only knew online through his YT channel. In his younger days he was an aspiring actor, one of his notable roles being the episode of Cold Case that featured Whiter Shade of Pale. Sadly, he passed on Dec 11 2023. But he lives on in our hearts and in his work. This song always held a special place in my heart, but even more so now. Thank you for the beautiful reminder. You always do such thoughtful, respectful and well-deserved presentations to the musical score of our lives. 🎶💜🎶
One of the very best album covers on your t-shirt
Love them!
I agree hesitant to pronounce band. This is one of the most laidback songs of all time. One of the best vibes. This song also influenced so many genres.
Amen! You always wonder if you're saying it wrong!
Pro-cull Hare-uhm.
Renè Ma- greet! Not Magr I te
The mood and atmosphere of this song is unmatched, even though it fits 1967 so well it feels like it could have been written several hundred years ago, like it has always been in the air, just a silly thought. I would love to hear the lyrics that were cut out, I wonder if they still exist somewhere. Fantastic episode professor and Rest In Peace Mr. Brooker
Thanks My Name!
The song is only from the 60s but it does sound ancient and wise.
The original, unrecorded, second verse - which Procol Harum did occasionally include in concert; particularly post 1991, reads: "She said: "I'm home on shore leave"/though in truth we were at sea/so I took her by the looking glass/and forced her to agree/saying you must be the mermaid /who took Neptune for a ride/but she smiled at me so sadly/that my anger straightway died". I have a fond memory of my first real conversation with the great Gary Brooker, reciting this verse - trading lines - sitting on a flight case backstage with a beer after PH's concert in Gothenburg in 1991. If my memory serves me right, he said that the 2nd. verse on the record is really the 4th., so that the following would be the original 3rd. verse: "If music be the food of love/then laughter is its queen/and likewise if behind's in front/then dirt in truth is clean/my mouth by then like cardboard/seemed to slip right through my head/so we crashed-dived straightway quickly/and attacked the ocean bed". Personally I can quite understand that this has become the most elusive of the 4 original verses, but there have apparently been some extremely rare performances where all 4 have been included.
@@bentaronsen5291Cool memory, Thanks for sharing. Hearing the missing lyrics must have been awesome. 😀
@@bentaronsen5291 Intriguingly poetic, but likely would have made it more inaccessible for mass audience repeat listening.
The thing about the arts,is that they'll be here longer than the artist. Rip Gary
Gary Brooker has one of my favourite voices. Procol Harum. What a great band.
Thanks for watching!
@@ProfessorofRock along with people like Paul Carrack and Karen Carpenter; I could listen to Brooker sing the phone book.
You deliver great content.
I was born in 1967 and my older sister by 9 years made me fall in love with it the very first time I heard it. Fast forward to 2020? When Gary played it live in Denmark with a full orchestra it left me sobbing. This song has always been and always will be part of the soundtrack of my life. Thank-you Gary for sharing your amazing talent with the world for so many years❤️🇨🇦
That song was in one of my favorite movies ever, "The Commitments."
"I see the light Fantastic!!!"
Fookin' eejits! 😂😂
@@inisipisTVWe skipped the light fantastic...
Poxiest bleedin' lyrics ever written
It was The Big Chill that introduced this game changer to me. I loved that movie when I first saw it on VHS as a teenager. I was blown away by the soundtrack especially Whiter Shade of Pale. I went to my parents who where in college in the late 60’s and they had a copy!! It was on some sort of K-tel best of the 60’s 8 track!! 😂 I listened to that old thing over and over. Great video as always Professor 🖖✌️
Thanks for watching. My parents watched it all the time.
Joe Cocker did the best cover of this great song
My husband would love your work. He loved music and could remember lists of trivia about everything he'd ever heard. Maybe he's watching through me, thank you from us both.
Some of the extended lyrics not on the original recording:
"She said, 'I'm home on shore leave,'
though in truth we were at sea
so I took her by the looking glass
and forced her to agree
saying, 'You must be the mermaid
who took Neptune for a ride.'
But she smiled at me so sadly
that my anger straightway died
If music be the food of love
then laughter is its queen
and likewise if behind is in front
then dirt in truth is clean
My mouth by then like cardboard
seemed to slip straight through my head
So we crash-dived straightway quickly
and attacked the ocean bed "- Keith Reid
I got the album Bachbusters when it came out in 1985, and although a non-traditional version I fell in love with Bach. When I heard Whiter Shade of Pale I immediately felt the influence of Bach. The pure emotion of his music. I am sure Bach would have approved.
I know what you mean!
Bach’s music develops the mind and the heart.
You should get Switched on Bach then.
At the final performance of Procol Harum in 2022, Gary Brooker still using the same key for the song as it was in the 60s and his voice didn't falter a bit. Absolute loss for the world of rock and music in general.
I agree with your dad. I was 16, in boarding school, when it came out, and it's still in my top-ten ever. Johnny Rivers did a great cover of this song (as you mentioned), with insanely beautiful music, especially piano.
"he Whiter Shade of Pale" will take you right BTTF and down memory lane...whoa!
As someone from Edmonton, Canada - would love to see a breakdown of their album with Edmonton Symphony Orchestra or the single "Conquistador". Such a great version.
Ok!
@ProfessorofRock your stuff is always must-watch - thanks for all you and your team do, Adam!
Nice! I never knew that magnificent orchestra was Canadian! I assumed it was the London Philharmonics who played on certain Moody Blues albums.
IMO, it's the orchestra that brings that song to another level of perfection.
If you don't have your speakers blasting that song, you aren't listening to it fully as intended. I would have loved to hear it live, I like feeling it in my bones!
Bonus or mistake??
Love Procol Harum.
Whiter Shade of Pale still is great today! Truly timeless!
Thanks for this either bonus or mistake episode. Great start to the week!
What do you think?
Nope. He said there's a double header today.
@@peterd.9978
I'm old and slow.
Missed it. 🤣
Both. The last one had errors...So I had to pull it.
@@ProfessorofRock
It's nice to see someone cares about quality.
Thanks Professor!
The Box Tops did their version of the song Whiter Shade of Pale with the amazing vocal style of Alex Chilton. It is a much more somewhat stripped down and melancholy version of the song but you really get a yearning of such a painful feeling when Alex Chilton sings it. Alex was always amazing at doing that. Alex Chilton put across more of that "girl leaving boy"pain in his vocal performance.
Maybe my favorite song of the 60's. I remember getting this song stuck in my head ALL DAY LONG a few times in high school, back in the late 80's. I listened to an oldies show on the radio every Saturday night with my friend John. I really love songs that include classical music in the background.
It's a classic and not a bad song to have in your head!
Yes it is a beautiful instrumental.
Thumbs-up for Conquistador, WSOP is truly great, but Conquistador is still my favorite.
But then, several years later they recorded a live album in Edmonton, with many of their best songs and suddenly Conquistador was all over the radio. When I was in high school there were three albums that everyone was talking about- Procol Harum’s live in Edmonton record, Paul McCartney’s Band on the Run and The Dark Side of the Moon. You could NOT turn on the radio, even super commercial top 40, without hearing Conquistador. Maybe it didn’t reach iconic status like A Whiter Shade of Pale, but it came pretty damn close
This was my mom's favorite song - she loved Gary Brooker's voice. I miss you, mom ❤
Her favorite line was "one of 16 vestal virgins who were leaving for the coast".
I saw them at the Masonic temple in Detroit back in @1974 The fantastic acoustics of that venue were amazing especially with this wonderful band.
Wow! What a venue!
their performance on the Midnight Special from 1973 is really good!
Such a legendary song with intriguing lyrics and a fantastic melody...
Great T shirt Professor, Crime Of The Century is a masterpiece and the album cover is an all time classic!
One of the most evocative and memorable songs ever in my lifetime.
Conquistador - a must hear.
Sometimes a person needs to stop trying analyze and just sit back and enjoy.
I love this song and it was featured on the show House at the end with said doctor playing it on his new organ.
I remember that!
Thanks for covering this song. It always perplexed me, but I like it.
Very cool!
I love 'Conquistador', though.
The lyric is what makes this such a cool song - I love Annie Lennox version
Same!
Annie is always class
Ah, I was one of those ten million, & that album enjoyed plenty of play.
Cheers Professor
I grew up listening to this song on the oldies (50s, 60s, 70s) station and was always fascinated by the overall song - the dynamics, the vocals, the lyrics, all of it. Of all the times I heard it, I don't recall the DJ ever mentioning the artist. Now I understand why that probably was
My high school bestie was murdered and all during her funeral all I could think about was this song. I still think about her every time I hear it.
How awful, so sorry. But a beautiful memory.
Sorry for your loss ❤
That is so sad! I can only imagine how terrible that must have been for you. Now whenever I hear it, I will think of you and your best friend. Blessings to you!
😃 *Oddly enough, this isn't even close to their best song. A much better (amazing) song that should have been a huge hit is "Conquistador". I recommend listening on a great system very loud.* 😃
Was my father’s favourite song so we made sure to have it played at his funeral. Saw Gary Brooker perform it at a music festival in the U.K. back in the late 90s, was a great experience
Many years ago, when I was a freshman/sophomore, my neighbor (who had joined the Army when he was 22 and I was 11) had come home and I guess he was looking for something that would take HIM back to a “better” time. He had been part of the Granada conflict… but I was 14 at that point and we’d just sit around either his backyard or mine and just listen to classic rock (his musical choice and I was ALWAYS looking for “new to me” music). That summer, I experienced the music of Jackson Browne, CSN, OLD Tom Petty, OLD Fleetwood Mac, 10cc, King Harvest (a song that STILL resonates with me to this day)… I LOVED CLASSIC ROCK! And Procol Harem’s Whiter Shade of Pale is a song I’ve attached to that summer. The song’s melody was so… ethereal? Other worldly? Floaty if that’s a word. The line in the song, “One of 16 Vestigial Virgins” Not sure what the line meant, but I still think about that line whenever I hear the song…GREAT SONG. Great memory…
Thanks for sharing!
Even after looking up "Vestal virgins", it's even more incomprehensible. The Vestal virgins were priestesses of the Roman goddess Vesta who guarded the sacred flame of the city of Rome.
It’s like ancient poetry.
I was 13 in 1967, and I loved this song. It's the organ that makes it, Hammond Organs are legendary. The M-102 is perfect for this song. My absolute favorite Hammond is that B-3 as played by Steve Winwood. It's awesome👍! Thanks PoR!
Saw Procul Harum twice , both times opening for Jethro Tull in the 80's and 90's. Loved them!
My favorite cover of Whiter Shade of Pale is one that I've come across just a few years ago. Doro's 1989 cover with Jon Levin interpreting the organ solo to electric guitar. With Doro carefully singing the lyrics with her German accent, the recording speaks of the song's universality while bringing the tune back to the home of Bach.
Thanks for sharing.
This is the proper answer. It was the perfect album opener and pairs with the closer bis aufs Blut.
You didn't mention the album the song " The Worm and the Tree" came from.
Hey, dude, Whiter Shade of Pale is also featured in China Beach. The scene is when Dana Delaneys character dances, being held in the arms of a soldier who is in a wheelchair. It’s practically ballet.
It’s beautiful.
loved, loved, loved China Beach and the soundtrack was a big part of it. Awesome show.
"A Whiter Shade Of Pale" is an all-time classic no doubt about it.
This is the first time that I’ve gotten tearful during one of your fantastic pieces, PoR. After all of these years, this song has always made me feel like that. The kicker is that I’ve never thought much about the lyrics; for some reason it just makes me emotional. 🤷♀️
I love the YT video of "A Whiter Shade of Pale, live in Denmark 2006". Sounds just like it did in 1967. BEAUTIFUL!!!
Absolutely loved, loved, loved, this song! Oh, and still do love it!
I am a huge Beatles fan, which is also my number one all-time favorite band. But "Whiter Shade of Pale" is my number one all-time favorite song. Friends and family always assumed a Beatle song would be at the top, but no. I have so many wonderful memories attached to "Whiter Shade of Pale"
Thank you for sharing this story and video, Professor!
The best selling artist in the UK in 1967 wasn't Procol Harum. It was Englebert Humperdinck, who had no, 1s with 'Release me' and 'The Last Waltz', plus 'There Goes My Everything' at no. 2.
Loved the insert in a scene in the movie "The Commitments". When of the best musical movies of all-time!
Skip the light fandango!
Poxiest bleedin' lyrics ever written
My Dad had a 69 Triumph Bonneville, that he had disassembled and boxed in 71 when we moved from Kansas to Texas in 1971, after he returned from Vietnam. The plan was always to restore it and ride it when he retired. In 2013 while beginning the task of looking for parts, he was diagnosed with bladder cancer from agent orange exposure. In 2014, he was told there was nothing the Drs could do. As he grew weaker and knew he was dying, he found a UA-cam video from a bike ride POV, and this song played over the ride. I was sitting behind him crying silently, as I am typing this. His face full of longing, regret, and acknowledgement the end was near and he would never ride his beloved Triumph again. I know I turned another, shade of pale. The haunted expression on his face, still haunts me when I hear this song.
Thanks Professor, another classic episode! 🤟
I thought you would mention the scene in The Commitments where their keyboard player is playing Whiter Shade of Pale in the church. That scene always comes to mind when I hear this song, though I knew of it before. I must have been 12 when I first heard it and it immediately put me in a contemplative headspace, as if I had somehow graduated to having an experienced and bittersweet life simply by listening to it. Such a fantastic track.
This is my favorite song of all time! Thank you for covering it!
I remember the song was used in the fantasy miniseries The Tenth Kingdom. This freaky batch of Henson-esque mushrooms were using it to try and lul John Larroquette to sleep. 😀
This is such a good song ... and there are so many covers of it out there that are also amazing! I've always been partial to Annie Lennox's version of the song as well. Enjoyed the vid!
Rock on!
I bought my 2nd cousin tickets to a mid seventies Procul Harum concert in Chicago. He and his new bride loved it.
Saw Gary Brooker and the band at the complex in SLC in Aug '12 opening for Yes,and they played this great song.
My first memory of this song was not a great one, lol. It was in the late '70's & in my neighbourhood, my dad was the music man. 8 tracks, LP's, guitars & amps, he had a dream. When the temperatures got warm he'd set up the speakers against the window & start playing the songs that were popular. Mostly it was a signal to the other parents that it was bedtime for the kids & to let everyone else know it was time to kick back & relax with friends out on the lawns with a beer or whatnot. It took a lot of experimenting on my dad's part to get the right mix of music that would send us kids off to dreamland easily. He started with "A Whiter Shade of Pale". Naturally we kids recognized this parental ploy & would fight against bedtime with all we had, especially once we cottoned on to the adults gathering to "party". He then switched to some more pounding drums and bass lines & that did the trick. Kids were going to sleep easily, (thanks AC/DC), parents could visit their friends & everyone enjoyed their summer evenings.
It wasn't until I was watching "The 10th Kingdom" starring among others, John Laroquette (sp.). One of his scenes included his character singing along to this song. I recognized it & decided that the song wasn't as horrible as my childhood self had determined & eventually sat down to listen to the song in it's entirety. My only regret about it, is that I hadn't done it sooner so that I could have used the song in my senior English class lyrics deconstruction assignment. I have loved the song ever since. I play it with a reverence that made my own children take notice & give it the courtesy of care that it deserves. Oh yeah, my Dad did eventually form a band & they recorded & released one cd. Their biggest fan is my eldest child.
Great story. Thanks for sharing it.
My favorite use of this song was in the movie "The Tenth Kingdom". John Larroquette was tripping on shrooms in the enchanted forest. Classic!
I saw Brooker play this live with Fairport Convention at their Cropreddy festival in 1990. It was great.
OMG one of my favorite songs ever. I absolutely love this channel. Thank you so much for your time
I think of Chaucer immediately when I hear that "miller told his tale" line. It's one of the first things taught about in American "English Literature" classes.