Classic Pop Icons

This week’s Song of the Week is Procol Harum’s breakthrough hit “A Whiter Shade of Pale.” “A Whiter Shade of Pale” was released in May 1967 on single, backed with “Lime Street Blues,” and also featured on the US version of the band’s debut album “Procol Harum” later in the year.

Although recorded just weeks after Procol Harum formed, “A Whiter Shade of Pale” was their most significant and popular recording and one of the leading psychedelic rock tracks of the time.

According to the lyricist, Keith Reid, the song title came first and it was a phrase overheard at a party. The Bach-inspired organ intro sets a serious tone, which combined with the obscure lyrics and title can lead people to assume the song carries a more weighty message than it really does. “A Whiter Shade of Pale” is in fact about a night of alcoholic or perhaps drug fuelled excess, in which the central male character attempts to seduce a girl – an ambition that he fulfills in the final verse, which was not used on the original recording but was later included in live versions.

The memorable opening line “We skipped the light fandango” is simply a corruption of the phrase “trip the light fantastic,” which means to dance. This line and the next, “Turned cartwheels across the floor,” are intended to tell the listener that, despite the somewhat somber nature of the instrumentation, the party is in full swing.

It’s often assumed that the line “As the miller told his tale” is a reference to Chaucer’s “Miller’s Tale” but Reid has denied this, noting that he’d never even read Chaucer. In Willie Nelson’s cover, the line became “The mirror told its tale,” which arguably made more sense than the original choice, given that it is followed by “That her face at first just ghostly / Turned a whiter shade of pale.”

“A Whiter Shade of Pale” has sold more than 10 million copies worldwide and in 2009 was named the most played song in the last 75 years in public places in the UK.

Procol Harum – “A Whiter Shade of Pale”

Authorship

“A Whiter Shade of Pale” was written by lead singer Gary Brooker, lyricist Keith Reid and organist Matthew Fisher. Reid did not play an instrument or sing, but wrote the lyrics to most of Procol Harum’s songs. There was much legal wrangling before Fisher’s contribution was recognised officially in 2009.

Recording date/location

“A Whiter Shade of Pale” was recorded in April 1967 at the Olympic Studios, located at 117 Church Road, Barnes, South West London, England.

Musicians

“A Whiter Shade of Pale” featured the original Procol Harum line-up and a session drummer:

• Gary Brooker – lead vocals and piano
• Matthew Fisher – organ
• Ray Royer- guitar
• David Knights – bass
• Bill Eyden – drums.

Ray Royer was replaced on guitar by Robin Trower for the next single and first album and full-time drummer B.J. Wilson would also join the group. Both Trower and Wilson had been members of Brooker’s previous group The Paramounts, which disbanded in 1966.

Chart performance

“A Whiter Shade of Pale” hit number one for six weeks in the UK, and also reached the top spot in Canada and Australia. The song peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US, the same week that The Doors’ “Light My Fire” was number one.

Covers

There have been hundreds of covers of “A Whiter Shade of Pale” in the past 44 years by a broad range of artists. Here’s two strong covers from British females.

Bonnie Tyler – “A Whiter Shade of Pale”

Bonnie Tyler included the song on her fourth album “Goodbye to the Island” in 1981 and subsequently on the compilations “Nightriding: Bonnie Tyler” (1990) and “It’s a Heartache” (1994). The classical organ is omitted from Tyler’s version and replaced by an unexpected but effective gospel-inspired piano. Tyler’s trademark raw, throaty vocals are quite restrained here and it’s an excellent cover.

Annie Lennox – “A Whiter Shade of Pale”

Annie Lennox’s post Eurythmics solo career was in high gear in 1995 when she recorded her synth pop cover of “A Whiter Shade Of Pale” for the album “Medusa.” It was also the second single from the album, following the highly successful “No More I Love You’s.” Lennox’s treatment is laidback and appealing, and fitted in neatly with the original material that she was recording at the time.

There will be a new Song of the Week on March 28.

“A Whiter Shade of Pale” is available on the 2-CD compilation album “Secrets Of The Hive: The Best Of Procol Harum.”

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