Such an incredible gift this man Gary Brooker had. To still be sounding this good at 61 and beyond. Procol Harum was a popular music group. Keith Reid a co-writer said that while he was not using drugs when he wrote the beginnings of it, he may have been a bit high when the inspiration first hit him. He noticed that a girl he was sitting on the floor near at a party was pretty stoned and yet decided she might need just a bit more. He noticed that her face had lost all it's color already and had gone kind of ashen and ghostly. Regardless of it's origin, the song has stood up for so many years (first recorded by them in 1967 I believe). I am sure that Gary's ability to sing it at this level well into his later years had a lot to do with the songs staying power. Wonderful song. Amazingly sung and played. Especially here with the help of this wonderful orchestra.
What an amazing story thank you for sharing that. Always loved this song, had many different thoughts about what it meant to me over the years. I think this was the most amazing version he ever did. It came out the year I was born.
Procol Harum first released this as their debut song in May 1967 when I was in high school. The organ plays a big part in original song. Became an instant hit! This is the Danish National Orchestra performing with the band in this concert. 😊
This song Whiter Shade of Pale is over 55 years old as it came out in May of 1967. It recieved regular play on FM radio stations throughout the US. The Singer, Gary Brooker passed away in February of 2022 leaving this beautiful song to all of us to enjoy.
Procol Harum, it means "Beyond These Things" in Latin. Gary Brooker is the lead singer. The Miller's Tale is a story out of The Canterbury Tales, written by Geoffrey Chaucer in England from 1387-1400. At its most basic, it's the bawdy tale of an old and dull-witted carpenter who is betrayed by his much younger wife. This is the key to the song. The girl is about to leave the older man ("her face at first just ghostly"). She hears The Miller's Tale and blanches at her own sexual indiscretion ("turned a whiter shade of pale"). She avoids telling him why she's leaving ("there is no reason"), and he's blind to the indiscretion ("although my eyes were open, they may just as well have been closed"). He attempts to reason with her (“I wandered through my playing cards”), and so prevent this young, supposedly faithful lover (“Vestal Virgin”) from leaving him for good ("for the coast"). I cannot take credit for the explanation, a professor shared his knowledge to the meaning of this song.
Bull feathers. Keith Reid, the lyricist who wrote the words of the song said that the line “As the miller told his tale” has nothing to do with Chaucer.
@@Nomad-vv1gk Miller's tale was written by Chaucer. You write that it has nothing to do with it, so what is meant by Miller's tale? Story by Chaucer sure fits the song. You just write it isn't, why? Cause you're a dick? Or are you F'ng Keith Reid?
Procol Harum's lyricist Keith Reid wrote the words to this song. In a Songfacts interview, he explained: "It's sort of a film, really, trying to conjure up mood and tell a story. It's about a relationship. There's characters and there's a location, and there's a journey. You get the sound of the room and the feel of the room and the smell of the room. But certainly there's a journey going on, it's not a collection of lines just stuck together. It's got a thread running through it." Reid got the idea for the title when it came to him at a party, which gave him a starting point for the song. Says Reid: "I feel with songs that you're given a piece of the puzzle, the inspiration or whatever. In this case, I had that title, 'Whiter Shade of Pale,' and I thought, There's a song here. And it's making up the puzzle that fits the piece you've got. You fill out the picture, you find the rest of the picture that that piece fits into."
It's amazing how a younger generation wasn't exposed to such classics from my generation. This is probably one of the top 100 songs from my era. God Bless Gary for inspiring my generation with such a soulful song. RIP.
Love this song. I actually prefer the studio version from the 60's as it is the one I grew up on. This live version is very good though as it shows how powerful Gary Brooker's voice was even as he got older. "Conquistador" is another great song by Procol Harum. Sad to hear of his passing recently.
Paul Rodgers, now in his 70s, still has a great voice. I saw Natalie Merchant a few months ago, just after she had turned 60. Her voice is as wonderful as ever.
This is one of those many songs from the sixties where each separate phrase may invoke a different vision which at most times were almost completely disjointed from all visions from other phrases unless one had partaken of a selection of certain thought altering substances, of which there were many different types. If so affected then the song probanly made almost perfect sense but only while one was so affected and under that influence, and not a moment longer.
In an interview Reid said. “I had the phrase ‘a whiter shade of pale,’ that was the start, and I knew it was a song,” he said. “It’s like a jigsaw where you’ve got one piece, then you make up all the others to fit in. I was trying to conjure a mood as much as tell a straightforward, girl-leaves-boy story. With the ceiling flying away and room humming harder, I wanted to paint an image of a scene.”
I always thought that the characters in the song had been overserved, and they were being boisterous getting more so. “The room was humming harder…,” I remember that feeling.😅 And, I remember feeling kind of seasick.
They will play this song in 100 years and it will still sound beautiful and relevant. RIP Gary and Keith. Thank you for this timeless Masterpiece, that has brought so much joy to millions
From The Guardian newspaper in 2010 - "Procol Harum's A Whiter Shade of Pale tops most-played list ..... The 1967 hit is the most inescapable song in Britain in the last 75 years. Yes, even more unavoidable than Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody."
I first heard this song over 50 years ago. It was the shorter AM radio version. A few years later I heard the album cut, a little bit longer. The song actually starts out with the organ intro that's a minute or two in here. There's the original "Promotional" video from 1967 on UA-cam. I highly recommend checking it out. Rest in peace Gary.
We skipped the light fandango Turned cartwheels 'cross the floor I was feeling kinda seasick But the crowd called out for more The room was humming harder As the ceiling flew away When we called out for another drink The waiter brought a tray 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 She 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 One of sixteen vestal virgins Who were leaving for the coast And although my eyes were open They might have just as well been closed 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 is one to listen to over and over and over and each little bit will get into your soul. It is a VERY deep message. As we say here in Texas; Y'all be safe.
Britt, no one has ever figured out what the song is all about. It's from the sixties and the author noticed so many people had an opinion of what the song was about so he thought it would be a good idea to continue the mystery and it stands to this day. But, Britt, this was so beautiful it actually defines what music is. A symphony orchestra meeting up with a small band near a castle in Denmark making music like this. Sadly, the singer, Gary Booker who had been singing this song since the 1960's passed away in February, 2022. It's important to note the song's majestic sound peaked when the organ starts to play. It is not the same song without the organ.
It was recorded in April 1967 and released May 12, 1967. Like many other songs of the 1960s often songs were written without any intention for them to make sense, just rhyme, sometimes the lyrisist was in a drug induced state and the lyrics didn't make sense...to those who were sober. This is one of those songs where the lyrics make no sense and anyone who tells you different doesn't know what their talking about, especially if their not a Baby Boomer. Only Boomers can really know the music of the 1960s and early 1970s, others may like them but they can never really know them. Why, you might ask? The answer is very simple, you had to be there.
In an interview with Uncut magazine, Keith Reid, who served as the band’s chief lyricist, shed a little light on the song’s origin and meaning. “I had the phrase ‘a whiter shade of pale,’ that was the start, and I knew it was a song,” he said. “It’s like a jigsaw where you’ve got one piece, then you make up all the others to fit in. I was trying to conjure a mood as much as tell a straightforward, girl-leaves-boy story. With the ceiling flying away and room humming harder, I wanted to paint an image of a scene.” “A Whiter Shade Of Pale” is a snapshot of a drunken sexual escapade gone awry. 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. Even when you can’t quite understand their meaning, Reid, who was clearly influenced by Dylan’s surreal story songs from the mid-60’s, writes lines that leave a lasting impact, right from the immortal opener: “We skipped the light fandango.” Keith Reid also said that the line “As the miller told his tale” has nothing to do with Chaucer.
A beautiful song. A mix of Bach's Air on a G String and Geoffrey Chausers Canterbury Tales. The Millers Tale. A young lady that wants to leave her older husband for a younger man but doesn't want to break his heart.
And your completely wrong. From the Wiki page: The lyricist, Keith Reid, said: "I'd never read The Miller's Tale in my life." There are two additional verses in the version they often played in concert the illuminate the meaning better. " the lyrics concern a drunken seduction, which is described through references to sex as a form of travel, usually nautical, using mythical and literary journeys."
@@doomhunter697 - I do not think his reference to The Miller's Tale was random? He may not have read Chaucer but he grew up in England and probably went to grammar school where Chaucer, Shakespear, Dickens et al., were on the list of authors whose works were studied. He was exposed to the culture. I was in grammar school when the song came out and immediately recognised the reference to The Canterbury Tales, granted the lyrics on the whole is of the psychedelic rock genre.
l have still got the 45rpm record l brought in 1968, it's a little worse for wear but still plays well. it's just a wonderfully emotional song from a great British band. Gary Brookers voice has matured beautifully, very nice arrangement with the Danish National Orchestra at this concert. What a stunning setting, Denmark is a beautiful country.
Gary Brooker is not only an amazing singer and piano player but if I am not entirely mistaken he also wrote the whole orchestra and choir arrangement. And since the music was clearly inspired by Bach the whole introduction is the actual classical piece by Johann Sebastian Bach on which the song was based.
In essence it's about a sexual affair that's gone wrong and the journey taken through drink and drugs during and after. They were really in to French film Noir and loved the dark surrealist views it showed. Remember that this song originally came out in 1968 where nothing was straightforward including the music.
If you go back and listen to the original, you can see how the song was enhanced by the orchestra and choir. This song was beautiful then and this version brought it over the top.
Melancholy is the word and the feeling I've always associated with this beautiful song. Written in a time of turmoil, yet idealistic hope, it is one of my favorite songs. ~ Lesa on my husband's account ❤️
That's the word. I've always hated and liked this song at the same time. Probably because I don't like being melancholy, but I recognize the good singing and music in the song. Catch 22.
This is the performance that’s on my playlist and it’s perfection. Would’ve loved being there for this. Adding the orchestra - how beautiful. Masterpiece! ♥️
Britt, your confusion about the lyrics may be answered by reading 'The Canterbury Tales' by Geoffrey Chaucer. Written in the middle ages. It tells of a tryst that a miller had with a Lady. He then went on to relate details of the liaison in a public setting. Her face went ghostly, then a whiter shade of pale as the story progressed.
Hear this a few times a year on various radio stations for the past 50 odd years and each time I do hear it the first image in my head is me as a kid with my dad in his car going around scrape yards on a Saturday morning looking for parts for his car , 1 of those tunes that is more than a tune it’s a snippet of my childhood with my dad
One of the band members went on a cruise. Sailing wasn't so smooth. In his group was a woman who was getting seasick and turning "A Whiter Shade Of Pale".
@@ugadawgs1990 i read that one of the band members went on a cruise and a woman in his group was seasick and getting worse. Hence, Whiter Shade Of Pale.
I am impressed that you are reacting to such a classic by a group of my childhood. Procol Harum was an English rock band during the late 60s-70s. This was their biggest hit, not their only great song. Gary Brooker was an amazing singer and this version with the orchestra is flawless to me. I enjoyed your reaction - I had not heard AWSOP in a while. Thank you for this gift.
Procol Harum wasn't sure what this song was about. What really stood out was the melody of this 60s song.....listen to the original version with the same singer when he was young
I'm always surprised when reaction channel people don't just open up a browser window and bring up the lyrics to the song they're listening to. It would take like, 15 seconds. Here you go: We skipped the light fandango Turned cartwheels 'cross the floor I was feeling kind of seasick But the crowd called out for more The room was humming harder As the ceiling flew away When we called out for another drink The waiter brought a tray 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 She 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 One of sixteen vestal virgins Who were leaving for the coast And although my eyes were open They might just as well have been closed 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 And so it was that later As the miller told his tale...
What a wonderful performance of a all time classic song. My favourite band of all time with wonderful orchestra and choir. I have seen him perform this song with orchestra and choir a few times but this is special. So sad Gary passed away just over a year ago but he has left us with so many memories and so much great music.
The braclet on the mike is just something holding the foam in place over the mic. Foam is added to eliminate noise from wind that might come along while performing outside and also his breath (just like the foam on your mic).
What an INCREDIBLE arrangement of this song. I have never had the slightest clue what the F this song is about, but still I have always loved it. It brings tears to my eyes, and I don't even know why. I guess I kinda think of this song as a kinda stream-of-consciousness commentary on life and experience and shit that happens and how life is and how people are. Well...kinda like an acid trip, which is probably what inspired it...thanks for reacting to this.
Was lucky to see him with the Ringo Starr's All Star Band in 96 and he sang this. My wife bought us tickets for my birthday and surprise they were only $25.00. Try that now. RIP Gary, thanks for the music and memories. Jim
For my late, lifelong friend of forty years - Billy... "A Whiter Shade Of Pale" We skipped the light fandango turned cartwheels 'cross the floor I was feeling kinda seasick but the crowd called out for more The room was humming harder as the ceiling flew away When we called out for another drink the waiter brought a tray 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 She 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 one of sixteen vestal virgins who were leaving for the coast and although my eyes were open they might have just as well've been closed 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 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 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 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 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 is a musical rendition of a scene in Canterbury Tales - above a young wife who betrayed her husband with a miller (handyman) hired to work at their home. The husband and miller were drinking together and as the miller became drunker he began to brag about sleeping with the man’s young wife. The wife, overhearing and watching them drink together, freaked out and turned to a ‘whiter shade of pale’ as she realized that she was busted. Procol Harem is aloosely Latin phrase translated to mean ‘beyond these things’.
"Whiter Shade of Pale" is a girl leaves boy story written in a surrealism style. "The room was humming harder, as the ceiling flew away" "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"
The words reflect England in 1967 during the psychedelic era so the words are not to be analyzed too much as 56 years later,I still have no idea what they mean. Procul Harum was a 4 /5 Man Group led by the organist here: Gary Brooker, who, sadly, passed in February 2022. This was Garry with a Danish Orchestra.
The cover on the mic is to prevent any breeze from being picked up by the mic. A sort of wind break that is still transparent to sounds. The band is just there to secure it to the mic.
This was their first ever release from their debut album, I believe it was top of the UK 🇬🇧 charts for about 6 weeks and made the top 5 in USA 🇺🇸 There have been 1,000+ cover versions recorded since!
Gary Brookers voice is phenomenal...its called a whiskey tenor...and that was near the end of the set, hed already been singing for around an hour...you have witnessed a performance of sheer perfection, everything, the location, orchestra (Danish National Concert Orchestra), vocals...
Step 1 - Orchestra prelude Step 2 - Gary Brooker and orchestra Step 3 - Gary Brooker + orchestra + band (Procol Harum) + choir “A WHITER SHADE OF PALE” was released by Procol Harum in 1967 and it was their first single ❤ RIP Gary Brooker 1945 - 2022 *PROCOL HARUM is a latin expression that means "beyond these things”, but the legend tells that was a Burmese Blue cat, that belonged to a friend of the band and that he lived until 1972. The cat’s name was actually Procul Harun, but the cat’s name was misspelled.
Procol Harum's 1967 release of this song was followed by a USA tour, which included a November concert at Fillmore West, SF to promote the album. Gary's voice and his haunting organ play were like sirens calling us to the light. That night was filtered by LSD and Bill Graham's light show. No orchestra and no piano, but Gary's voice was even more haunting.
I remember when this song came out in the 1967. It was an instant hit. The lyrics are a little strange. He often mentions "the miller's tale" in the song. The Miller's Tale was the one of the Canterbury Tales. It was the second Canterbury tale.
The amazing thing about building upon Bach's "Air on the G String" is it's not the first time to be referenced in popular music - Bach's music was all but forgotten to history until his work was re-discovered nearly a century later. "Air on the G String" was actually an arrangement of Bach's Suite No. 3 by composer August Wilhelmj in the late 19th century.
1967 I was in St Thomas, Virgin Islands having lunch in a restaurant, it was August, and hot, this song came out of the jukebox "Whiter Shade of Pale", first time I'd heard it, liked it immediately. It's now 2023, and I still can't relate anything to the lyrics, or even understand what his story is about, there is no logic to it but I still enjoy it, take me back to that moment in St. Thomas.
I saw Procol Harum in California at a small club during a time when their career was at a low point. There weren’t that many people there but the band was magnificent. They played a long set well into the night with numerous encores for the few people left. Gary Brooker’s voice was strong as ever and their dedication to excellence in their craft was amazing to behold.
The song is largely about the pressures of performing. "I was feeling kinda sea sick, But the crowd called out for more.", is just the start of it. For those of us who have been there, it's perfectly understandable.
I used to slow dance to this song in Catholic Elementary School, 7th and 8th grade , from the Fall of 66 - Spring 68. This song brings back so many wonderful memories from that time. Now a days, whenever I hear this song it brings tears to my eyes. I love this song.
Something about hearing a song you grew up on being turned into an orchestral masterpiece with the songwriter 30 years later. This song was an epic anthem in the early 70's - it was that big of a deal.
After over half a century, that Hammond organ line has become hard-wired into my synapses. There is a lot of history in this song. The music is influenced by Johann Sebastian Bach's (1685 - 1750) "Air on the G String" from his Orchestral Suite No.3 in D major. You can really hear it in the oboe line in the orchestral introduction (which was not part of the original song from 1967; I'm not positive, but I read somewhere that Gary Booker wrote or co-wrote the orchestral and choral charts for this particular concert). The Miller's Tale was one the The Canterbury Tales written by Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1340s - 1400). The Vestal virgins reference goes back to ancient Roman times. They were priestesses of the cult of Vesta, goddess of the hearth, home, and family. They were required to take a vow of chastity for at least 30 years while they served her temple.
As I recall, the author says the Miller mentioned has nothing to do with the Canterbury Tales. Also there is no profound meaning behind the lyrics. The scene is a hotel room. The guys is so drunk, the girl is not interested in him physically coming on to her. The author heard someone use the expression, "whiter shade of pale," a few days before using it himself to describe the lady's facial reaction to his failed advances.
It was the penultimate slow dance number back in the day. Many love affairs started with this song out on the dance floor. I finished high school in '69, so I've good remembrance of it. No garage band was worth its salt without this in their playlist.
The song doesn't tell a story, it presents images that suggest regret, isolation, and melancholy. While there are people dancing, the singer feels "sick," he's dizzy ("the ceiling flew away..." I know that disoriented feeling), and the pale skin of the person he's trying to talk to is just getting paler from emotional distress. Then on to the next verse.
This was a rock ballad hit in the mid 60s and I remember hearing this on the radio around the same time Percy Sledge's When A Man Loves A Women was out amongst all the other great rock songs at the time. Organs were used in many if not most of the rock songs nearly as much as guitars back then. I believe the term keyboard came later in place of organs.
That song was released in 1967 and I saw them live right after that song came out. Let the song take you on a journey and tell you a story don't worry so much about the meaning because it means something different to each person. Songs of that era has such a wealth of emotion which these day just doesn't exist .
You graduated high school when the same year they performed this in Denmark. I was born the same year the song was first released in 1967. I never have understood what this song was about, but it's beautiful even without knowing.
The Band Procol Harum was quite famous from late 1960ies to 80ies and I saw them live in my 20ies. Was an indoor concert and in a rather "solemn" atmo, no dancing, show mainly consisting of playing their songs - and quite impressing. One of my preoccupations is being a musician/multiinstrumentalist, and eventually I play this song myself :-D - Gtx from the Lake of Constance, Swiss German border
I was in high school... my buddy was a singer in a high school band. I danced to this tune with my girlfriend when this song was new (late 60's). I divorced my girlfriend but still love this song. Thank you for enjoying it.
We skipped the light fandango Turned cartwheels 'cross the floor I was feeling kinda seasick But the crowd called out for more The room was humming harder As the ceiling flew away When we called out for another drink 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 She said, "There is no reason And the truth is plain to see" But I wandered through my playing cards Would not let her be One of 16 vestal virgins We're leaving for the coast And although my eyes were open They might have just as well been closed 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 And so it was later As the miller told his tale That her face, at first just ghostly Turned a whiter shade of pale
![This was BEYOND THINGS! ✨| Procol Harum - A Whiter Shade of Pale (Denmark 2006)[REACTION]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/NZ-fQoPXN8s/mqdefault.jpg)
![This was BEYOND THINGS! ✨| Procol Harum - A Whiter Shade of Pale (Denmark 2006)[REACTION]](/img/tr.png)
Thanks for this awesome song Gary, we already miss you.,
Such an incredible gift this man Gary Brooker had. To still be sounding this good at 61 and beyond. Procol Harum was a popular music group. Keith Reid a co-writer said that while he was not using drugs when he wrote the beginnings of it, he may have been a bit high when the inspiration first hit him. He noticed that a girl he was sitting on the floor near at a party was pretty stoned and yet decided she might need just a bit more. He noticed that her face had lost all it's color already and had gone kind of ashen and ghostly. Regardless of it's origin, the song has stood up for so many years (first recorded by them in 1967 I believe). I am sure that Gary's ability to sing it at this level well into his later years had a lot to do with the songs staying power. Wonderful song. Amazingly sung and played. Especially here with the help of this wonderful orchestra.
there is a version with the original extra two verses
What an amazing story thank you for sharing that. Always loved this song, had many different thoughts about what it meant to me over the years. I think this was the most amazing version he ever did.
It came out the year I was born.
Keith Reid passed away 2 weeks ago.
@@tafinzer Well, it's a bit debatable. Look at Wikipedia for more info.
I first heard it in February 1968
Procol Harum first released this as their debut song in May 1967 when I was in high school. The organ plays a big part in original song. Became an instant hit! This is the Danish National Orchestra performing with the band in this concert. 😊
This song Whiter Shade of Pale is over 55 years old as it came out in May of 1967. It recieved regular play on FM radio stations throughout the US. The Singer, Gary Brooker passed away in February of 2022 leaving this beautiful song to all of us to enjoy.
Procol Harum, it means "Beyond These Things" in Latin. Gary Brooker is the lead singer.
The Miller's Tale is a story out of The Canterbury Tales, written by Geoffrey Chaucer in England from 1387-1400. At its most basic, it's the bawdy tale of an old and dull-witted carpenter who is betrayed by his much younger wife. This is the key to the song. The girl is about to leave the older man ("her face at first just ghostly"). She hears The Miller's Tale and blanches at her own sexual indiscretion ("turned a whiter shade of pale"). She avoids telling him why she's leaving ("there is no reason"), and he's blind to the indiscretion ("although my eyes were open, they may just as well have been closed"). He attempts to reason with her (“I wandered through my playing cards”), and so prevent this young, supposedly faithful lover (“Vestal Virgin”) from leaving him for good ("for the coast").
I cannot take credit for the explanation, a professor shared his knowledge to the meaning of this song.
Bull feathers. Keith Reid, the lyricist who wrote the words of the song said that the line “As the miller told his tale” has nothing to do with Chaucer.
@@Nomad-vv1gk Miller's tale was written by Chaucer. You write that it has nothing to do with it, so what is meant by Miller's tale? Story by Chaucer sure fits the song. You just write it isn't, why? Cause you're a dick? Or are you F'ng Keith Reid?
@@Nomad-vv1gk bulls don't have feather
@@Nomad-vv1gk Calm down...PUNK .
One of the most iconic songs ever written...!
Procol Harum's lyricist Keith Reid wrote the words to this song. In a Songfacts interview, he explained: "It's sort of a film, really, trying to conjure up mood and tell a story. It's about a relationship. There's characters and there's a location, and there's a journey. You get the sound of the room and the feel of the room and the smell of the room. But certainly there's a journey going on, it's not a collection of lines just stuck together. It's got a thread running through it." Reid got the idea for the title when it came to him at a party, which gave him a starting point for the song. Says Reid: "I feel with songs that you're given a piece of the puzzle, the inspiration or whatever. In this case, I had that title, 'Whiter Shade of Pale,' and I thought, There's a song here. And it's making up the puzzle that fits the piece you've got. You fill out the picture, you find the rest of the picture that that piece fits into."
Keith passed away 2 weeks ago.
Just damn…
This … THIS is why I read the comments. Thank you!
It's amazing how a younger generation wasn't exposed to such classics from my generation. This is probably one of the top 100 songs from my era. God Bless Gary for inspiring my generation with such a soulful song. RIP.
Top 100? More like Top 10. Few from any era can hold a listener in rapture a half-century later.
God bless J.S. Bach for the melody
Love this song. I actually prefer the studio version from the 60's as it is the one I grew up on. This live version is very good though as it shows how powerful Gary Brooker's voice was even as he got older. "Conquistador" is another great song by Procol Harum. Sad to hear of his passing recently.
Conquistador is the bomb !!!!!
I think Gary’s voice sounds better in this performance compared to the original recording. He got better as he aged.
his voice is even better, this is the best rendition in my view...
RIP Gary Brooker. Sadly missed 😢
Thanks for reacting to one of my all time favorite songs. To still be able to sound like Gary did at 61 is just unheard of tbh.
Love from Norway 🇸🇯❤️🔥
Roger Daltrey and Paul McCartney both sound that good at 80!
Agreed! Same with Steve Winwood.
Paul Rodgers, now in his 70s, still has a great voice. I saw Natalie Merchant a few months ago, just after she had turned 60. Her voice is as wonderful as ever.
This is one of those many songs from the sixties where each separate phrase may invoke a different vision which at most times were almost completely disjointed from all visions from other phrases unless one had partaken of a selection of certain thought altering substances, of which there were many different types. If so affected then the song probanly made almost perfect sense but only while one was so affected and under that influence, and not a moment longer.
Gary Brooker's voice sounded just as good here if not better than it did in the original studio release 40 years prior! RIP
In an interview Reid said. “I had the phrase ‘a whiter shade of pale,’ that was the start, and I knew it was a song,” he said. “It’s like a jigsaw where you’ve got one piece, then you make up all the others to fit in. I was trying to conjure a mood as much as tell a straightforward, girl-leaves-boy story. With the ceiling flying away and room humming harder, I wanted to paint an image of a scene.”
I always thought that the characters in the song had been overserved, and they were being boisterous getting more so. “The room was humming harder…,” I remember that feeling.😅 And, I remember feeling kind of seasick.
They will play this song in 100 years and it will still sound beautiful and relevant. RIP Gary and Keith. Thank you for this timeless Masterpiece, that has brought so much joy to millions
I have always loved this song. Sometimes the artist's performance in their 60s or older do not hold up to earlier ones, glad this one did.
And then some, i feel.
From The Guardian newspaper in 2010 - "Procol Harum's A Whiter Shade of Pale tops most-played list ..... The 1967 hit is the most inescapable song in Britain in the last 75 years. Yes, even more unavoidable than Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody."
I first heard this song over 50 years ago. It was the shorter AM radio version. A few years later I heard the album cut, a little bit longer.
The song actually starts out with the organ intro that's a minute or two in here.
There's the original "Promotional" video from 1967 on UA-cam. I highly recommend checking it out.
Rest in peace Gary.
Check it out to see a young Gary Brooker, and his song mates. Many would call this song "Classic". I would call it "quintessential 1960s".
We skipped the light fandango
Turned cartwheels 'cross the floor
I was feeling kinda seasick
But the crowd called out for more
The room was humming harder
As the ceiling flew away
When we called out for another drink
The waiter brought a tray
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
She 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
One of sixteen vestal virgins
Who were leaving for the coast
And although my eyes were open
They might have just as well been closed
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 is one to listen to over and over and over and each little bit will get into your soul. It is a VERY deep message.
As we say here in Texas; Y'all be safe.
Britt, no one has ever figured out what the song is all about. It's from the sixties and the author noticed so many people had an opinion of what the song was about so he thought it would be a good idea to continue the mystery and it stands to this day. But, Britt, this was so beautiful it actually defines what music is. A symphony orchestra meeting up with a small band near a castle in Denmark making music like this. Sadly, the singer, Gary Booker who had been singing this song since the 1960's passed away in February, 2022. It's important to note the song's majestic sound peaked when the organ starts to play. It is not the same song without the organ.
It was recorded in April 1967 and released May 12, 1967. Like many other songs of the 1960s often songs were written without any intention for them to make sense, just rhyme, sometimes the lyrisist was in a drug induced state and the lyrics didn't make sense...to those who were sober. This is one of those songs where the lyrics make no sense and anyone who tells you different doesn't know what their talking about, especially if their not a Baby Boomer. Only Boomers can really know the music of the 1960s and early 1970s, others may like them but they can never really know them. Why, you might ask? The answer is very simple, you had to be there.
In an interview with Uncut magazine, Keith Reid, who served as the band’s chief lyricist, shed a little light on the song’s origin and meaning. “I had the phrase ‘a whiter shade of pale,’ that was the start, and I knew it was a song,” he said. “It’s like a jigsaw where you’ve got one piece, then you make up all the others to fit in. I was trying to conjure a mood as much as tell a straightforward, girl-leaves-boy story. With the ceiling flying away and room humming harder, I wanted to paint an image of a scene.”
“A Whiter Shade Of Pale” is a snapshot of a drunken sexual escapade gone awry. 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. Even when you can’t quite understand their meaning, Reid, who was clearly influenced by Dylan’s surreal story songs from the mid-60’s, writes lines that leave a lasting impact, right from the immortal opener: “We skipped the light fandango.” Keith Reid also said that the line “As the miller told his tale” has nothing to do with Chaucer.
A beautiful song. A mix of Bach's Air on a G String and Geoffrey Chausers Canterbury Tales. The Millers Tale. A young lady that wants to leave her older husband for a younger man but doesn't want to break his heart.
THE young lady had to tell her husband. She was feeling seasick. Ghostly like whiter shade of pale.
Education is a wonderful thing!
And your completely wrong. From the Wiki page: The lyricist, Keith Reid, said: "I'd never read The Miller's Tale in my life."
There are two additional verses in the version they often played in concert the illuminate the meaning better. " the lyrics concern a drunken seduction, which is described through references to sex as a form of travel, usually nautical, using mythical and literary journeys."
yup
@@doomhunter697 - I do not think his reference to The Miller's Tale was random? He may not have read Chaucer but he grew up in England and probably went to grammar school where Chaucer, Shakespear, Dickens et al., were on the list of authors whose works were studied. He was exposed to the culture. I was in grammar school when the song came out and immediately recognised the reference to The Canterbury Tales, granted the lyrics on the whole is of the psychedelic rock genre.
Now you need to watch The Moody Blues doing "Nights In White Satin". They do a live version with an orchestra also, you'd like it.
A WHITER SHADE OF PALE was played on the church organ at our wedding, in the church!
l have still got the 45rpm record l brought in 1968, it's a little worse for wear but still plays well. it's just a wonderfully emotional song from a great British band. Gary Brookers voice has matured beautifully, very nice arrangement with the Danish National Orchestra at this concert. What a stunning setting, Denmark is a beautiful country.
Gary Brooker is not only an amazing singer and piano player but if I am not entirely mistaken he also wrote the whole orchestra and choir arrangement. And since the music was clearly inspired by Bach the whole introduction is the actual classical piece by Johann Sebastian Bach on which the song was based.
I believe you are right and a great loss, last February.
In essence it's about a sexual affair that's gone wrong and the journey taken through drink and drugs during and after. They were really in to French film Noir and loved the dark surrealist views it showed. Remember that this song originally came out in 1968 where nothing was straightforward including the music.
1967
@@tomroome4118 I stand corrected
@@erict956 No prob, Eric, you had a great comment.
@Tom Roome to be fair I was born in 69 so I thought it was the year before
@@erict956 I was 12 when it came out in '67. Part of the soundtrack of my life.
If you go back and listen to the original, you can see how the song was enhanced by the orchestra and choir. This song was beautiful then and this version brought it over the top.
Melancholy is the word and the feeling I've always associated with this beautiful song. Written in a time of turmoil, yet idealistic hope, it is one of my favorite songs.
~ Lesa on my husband's account ❤️
That's the word.
I've always hated and liked this song at the same time.
Probably because I don't like being melancholy, but I recognize the good singing and music in the song.
Catch 22.
This is the performance that’s on my playlist and it’s perfection. Would’ve loved being there for this. Adding the orchestra - how beautiful. Masterpiece! ♥️
Britt, your confusion about the lyrics may be answered by reading 'The Canterbury Tales' by Geoffrey Chaucer. Written in the middle ages. It tells of a tryst that a miller had with a Lady. He then went on to relate details of the liaison in a public setting. Her face went ghostly, then a whiter shade of pale as the story progressed.
All of us Boomers grew up loving this song!
haha!
I believe that some radio stations banned this when it was first released in '68, because it contained the word 'Virgin'
We now present the Hammond B3 organ.
With a rotating cone.
I grew up with that same model organ in my living room. My mom and my uncle played. Incredible sound. Good memories.
Hear this a few times a year on various radio stations for the past 50 odd years and each time I do hear it the first image in my head is me as a kid with my dad in his car going around scrape yards on a Saturday morning looking for parts for his car , 1 of those tunes that is more than a tune it’s a snippet of my childhood with my dad
Britt...decades after this song was originally released...folks are still debating what the meaning of the lyrics truly are...😀
Let me give you a little tip: don’t try to figure out the meaning of the song. Just know it’s one of the greatest rock songs ever.
One of the band members went on a cruise. Sailing wasn't so smooth. In his group was a woman who was getting seasick and turning "A Whiter Shade Of Pale".
I agree 100%. I was a young teenager when this was a hit.
@@ugadawgs1990
i read that one of the band members went on a cruise and a woman in his group was seasick and getting worse. Hence, Whiter Shade Of Pale.
@@stuartmazzeo2516I think the song is taken from the Canterbury Tales of the 1300s /1400s/about the Millers unfaithful wife.🙃
Better than Led Zeppelin ever wrote. This is a masterpiece.
I am impressed that you are reacting to such a classic by a group of my childhood. Procol Harum was an English rock band during the late 60s-70s. This was their biggest hit, not their only great song. Gary Brooker was an amazing singer and this version with the orchestra is flawless to me. I enjoyed your reaction - I had not heard AWSOP in a while. Thank you for this gift.
Procol Harum wasn't sure what this song was about. What really stood out was the melody of this 60s song.....listen to the original version with the same singer when he was young
I'm always surprised when reaction channel people don't just open up a browser window and bring up the lyrics to the song they're listening to. It would take like, 15 seconds. Here you go:
We skipped the light fandango
Turned cartwheels 'cross the floor
I was feeling kind of seasick
But the crowd called out for more
The room was humming harder
As the ceiling flew away
When we called out for another drink
The waiter brought a tray
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
She 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
One of sixteen vestal virgins
Who were leaving for the coast
And although my eyes were open
They might just as well have been closed
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
And so it was that later
As the miller told his tale...
What a wonderful performance of a all time classic song. My favourite band of all time with wonderful orchestra and choir. I have seen him perform this song with orchestra and choir a few times but this is special. So sad Gary passed away just over a year ago but he has left us with so many memories and so much great music.
that is so awesome you got to see him live! I bet it was amazing!
The braclet on the mike is just something holding the foam in place over the mic. Foam is added to eliminate noise from wind that might come along while performing outside and also his breath (just like the foam on your mic).
What an INCREDIBLE arrangement of this song. I have never had the slightest clue what the F this song is about, but still I have always loved it. It brings tears to my eyes, and I don't even know why. I guess I kinda think of this song as a kinda stream-of-consciousness commentary on life and experience and shit that happens and how life is and how people are. Well...kinda like an acid trip, which is probably what inspired it...thanks for reacting to this.
Was lucky to see him with the Ringo Starr's All Star Band in 96 and he sang this. My wife bought us tickets for my birthday and surprise they were only $25.00. Try that now. RIP Gary, thanks for the music and memories. Jim
We lost Gary Brooker, the vocalist last year. He had a great voice.
For my late, lifelong friend of forty years - Billy...
"A Whiter Shade Of Pale"
We skipped the light fandango
turned cartwheels 'cross the floor
I was feeling kinda seasick
but the crowd called out for more
The room was humming harder
as the ceiling flew away
When we called out for another drink
the waiter brought a tray
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
She 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
one of sixteen vestal virgins
who were leaving for the coast
and although my eyes were open
they might have just as well've been closed
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
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
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
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
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 is a musical rendition of a scene in Canterbury Tales - above a young wife who betrayed her husband with a miller (handyman) hired to work at their home. The husband and miller were drinking together and as the miller became drunker he began to brag about sleeping with the man’s young wife. The wife, overhearing and watching them drink together, freaked out and turned to a ‘whiter shade of pale’ as she realized that she was busted. Procol Harem is aloosely Latin phrase translated to mean ‘beyond these things’.
"Whiter Shade of Pale" is a girl leaves boy story written in a surrealism style. "The room was humming harder, as the ceiling flew away"
"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"
Came out in 67, might have topped the charts in more countries than any other song of its time.
It only went to number 5 in the USA.
The words reflect England in 1967 during the psychedelic era so the words are not to be analyzed too much as 56 years later,I still have no idea what they mean.
Procul Harum was a 4 /5 Man Group led by the organist here: Gary Brooker, who, sadly, passed in February 2022.
This was Garry with a Danish Orchestra.
Check out some others from the Danish National Orchestra. Theme from The Good, the Bad,and the Ugly comes to mind. You'll love it.
The cover on the mic is to prevent any breeze from being picked up by the mic. A sort of wind break that is still transparent to sounds. The band is just there to secure it to the mic.
This was their first ever release from their debut album, I believe it was top of the UK 🇬🇧 charts for about 6 weeks and made the top 5 in USA 🇺🇸 There have been 1,000+ cover versions recorded since!
One of the best songs ever with a great performer
Gary Brookers voice is phenomenal...its called a whiskey tenor...and that was near the end of the set, hed already been singing for around an hour...you have witnessed a performance of sheer perfection, everything, the location, orchestra (Danish National Concert Orchestra), vocals...
An absolute epic, a memory of how awesome it was to grow up in the 1960's.
truly an epic
I asked to sing this song in a band I was in , but after seeing this version, I won’t sing it again, you can’t improve on perfection! Luv ya
"and tho my eyes were open, they might just as well been closed" gets me every time. Who HASN'T felt like that at some point?
A true classic!
Step 1 - Orchestra prelude
Step 2 - Gary Brooker and orchestra
Step 3 - Gary Brooker + orchestra + band (Procol Harum) + choir
“A WHITER SHADE OF PALE” was released by Procol Harum in 1967 and it was their first single
❤ RIP Gary Brooker 1945 - 2022
*PROCOL HARUM is a latin expression that means "beyond these things”, but the legend tells that was a Burmese Blue cat, that belonged to a friend of the band and that he lived until 1972. The cat’s name was actually Procul Harun, but the cat’s name was misspelled.
ICONIC!
I love what you do! You are discovering music that has fiilled and enhanced my life for decades. I love your reactions!
thank you so much! i appreciate it! have the day you deserve!
And I graduated in 1968. Listening to this music was one of my best postgraduate experiences.
Eine der besten Konzerten die ich gehört habe. Ich bin 75 Jahre alt 😍🇭🇷👏
Procol Harum's 1967 release of this song was followed by a USA tour, which included a November concert at Fillmore West, SF to promote the album.
Gary's voice and his haunting organ play were like sirens calling us to the light. That night was filtered by LSD and Bill Graham's light show. No orchestra
and no piano, but Gary's voice was even more haunting.
Splendid arrangement of the aria on the fourth string by Bach, historic piece, great Britt..Massimo
I remember when this song came out in the 1967. It was an instant hit. The lyrics are a little strange.
He often mentions "the miller's tale" in the song. The Miller's Tale was the one of the Canterbury Tales. It was the second Canterbury tale.
An awesome song ❤ And a live outdoor concert.. in a beautiful place in the summertime.. in Denmark 🇩🇰😍
The amazing thing about building upon Bach's "Air on the G String" is it's not the first time to be referenced in popular music - Bach's music was all but forgotten to history until his work was re-discovered nearly a century later. "Air on the G String" was actually an arrangement of Bach's Suite No. 3 by composer August Wilhelmj in the late 19th century.
What a unique Voice , hear it ones ... you never will forgett .
No one will ever create Music like this again , so pure . Just enjoy Life .
Iconic song ... iconic vocal ... elevated by the orchestral arrangement!
1967 I was in St Thomas, Virgin Islands having lunch in a restaurant, it was August, and hot, this song came out of the jukebox "Whiter Shade of Pale", first time I'd heard it, liked it immediately. It's now 2023, and I still can't relate anything to the lyrics, or even understand what his story is about, there is no logic to it but I still enjoy it, take me back to that moment in St. Thomas.
Now try The Moody Blues, Nights In White Satin , live. It's also incredible.
Forever Country Then & Now
I saw Procol Harum in California at a small club during a time when their career was at a low point. There weren’t that many people there but the band was magnificent. They played a long set well into the night with numerous encores for the few people left. Gary Brooker’s voice was strong as ever and their dedication to excellence in their craft was amazing to behold.
The song is largely about the pressures of performing. "I was feeling kinda sea sick,
But the crowd called out for more.", is just the start of it. For those of us who have been there, it's perfectly understandable.
I used to slow dance to this song in Catholic Elementary School, 7th and 8th grade , from the Fall of 66 - Spring 68. This song brings back so many wonderful memories from that time. Now a days, whenever I hear this song it brings tears to my eyes. I love this song.
The foundations of this song involved a party that GB went to in his younger days. And some artistic license. Great singer. RIP.
Something about hearing a song you grew up on being turned into an orchestral masterpiece with the songwriter 30 years later. This song was an epic anthem in the early 70's - it was that big of a deal.
After over half a century, that Hammond organ line has become hard-wired into my synapses.
There is a lot of history in this song. The music is influenced by Johann Sebastian Bach's (1685 - 1750) "Air on the G String" from his Orchestral Suite No.3 in D major. You can really hear it in the oboe line in the orchestral introduction (which was not part of the original song from 1967; I'm not positive, but I read somewhere that Gary Booker wrote or co-wrote the orchestral and choral charts for this particular concert). The Miller's Tale was one the The Canterbury Tales written by Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1340s - 1400). The Vestal virgins reference goes back to ancient Roman times. They were priestesses of the cult of Vesta, goddess of the hearth, home, and family. They were required to take a vow of chastity for at least 30 years while they served her temple.
As I recall, the author says the Miller mentioned has nothing to do with the Canterbury Tales. Also there is no profound meaning behind the lyrics. The scene is a hotel room. The guys is so drunk, the girl is not interested in him physically coming on to her. The author heard someone use the expression, "whiter shade of pale," a few days before using it himself to describe the lady's facial reaction to his failed advances.
It was the penultimate slow dance number back in the day. Many love affairs started with this song out on the dance floor. I finished high school in '69, so I've good remembrance of it. No garage band was worth its salt without this in their playlist.
The song doesn't tell a story, it presents images that suggest regret, isolation, and melancholy. While there are people dancing, the singer feels "sick," he's dizzy ("the ceiling flew away..." I know that disoriented feeling), and the pale skin of the person he's trying to talk to is just getting paler from emotional distress. Then on to the next verse.
Britt you have a perfect voice for late night radio, swooning us away with melodies
This was a rock ballad hit in the mid 60s and I remember hearing this on the radio around the same time Percy Sledge's When A Man Loves A Women was out amongst all the other great rock songs at the time. Organs were used in many if not most of the rock songs nearly as much as guitars back then. I believe the term keyboard came later in place of organs.
This is one of those songs where i don't care one bit what he's saying its the sound that counts.
so true!!!
His voice was real. Lived in. Broken in. Honest. Experienced.
Amazing how he sounds so close to his much younger self, loved this.
Gary Booker was so damn good (RIP). I saw Procol Harum open for Jethro Tull at San Diego State Univ amphitheater. GREAT NIGHT I'll never forget !
What wonderful music. The ensemble is brilliant.
Gary Booker died last year. Still had that powerful voice.
That song was released in 1967 and I saw them live right after that song came out.
Let the song take you on a journey and tell you a story don't worry so much about the meaning because it means something different to each person.
Songs of that era has such a wealth of emotion which these day just doesn't exist .
I'll never forget when this song came out when I was a young girl in the 60s. Still gets me every time. 🩵
Always loved this song; it never get old. Rest in Peace, Gary. Thanks for this reaction and choice!✌💙✌
You graduated high school when the same year they performed this in Denmark. I was born the same year the song was first released in 1967. I never have understood what this song was about, but it's beautiful even without knowing.
The Band Procol Harum was quite famous from late 1960ies to 80ies and I saw them live in my 20ies. Was an indoor concert and in a rather "solemn" atmo, no dancing, show mainly consisting of playing their songs - and quite impressing. One of my preoccupations is being a musician/multiinstrumentalist, and eventually I play this song myself :-D - Gtx from the Lake of Constance, Swiss German border
It's a wind screen on the mic because they're outdoors.
I was in high school... my buddy was a singer in a high school band. I danced to this tune with my girlfriend when this song was new (late 60's). I divorced my girlfriend but still love this song. Thank you for enjoying it.
We skipped the light fandango
Turned cartwheels 'cross the floor
I was feeling kinda seasick
But the crowd called out for more
The room was humming harder
As the ceiling flew away
When we called out for another drink
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
She said, "There is no reason
And the truth is plain to see"
But I wandered through my playing cards
Would not let her be
One of 16 vestal virgins
We're leaving for the coast
And although my eyes were open
They might have just as well been closed
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
And so it was later
As the miller told his tale
That her face, at first just ghostly
Turned a whiter shade of pale