Procol Harum - A Whiter Shade of Pale Lyrics (2024)

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Procol Harum

About A Whiter Shade of Pale

"A Whiter Shade of Pale" is the debut single by the British rock band Procol Harum, released 12 May 1967. The single reached number 1 in the UK Singles Chart on 8 June 1967 and stayed there for six weeks. Without much promotion, it reached number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States. One of the anthems of the 1967 Summer of Love, it is one of the best selling singles in history, having sold more than 10 million copies worldwide. With its Bach-derived instrumental melody, soulful vocals, and unusual lyrics – by the song's co-authors Gary Brooker, Keith Reid and Matthew Fisher – "A Whiter Shade of Pale" reached number 1 in many countries when released in 1967. In the years since, it has become an enduring classic. It was the most played song in the last 75 years in public places in the UK (as of 2009), and the United Kingdom performing rights group Phonographic Performance Limited in 2004 recognised it as the most-played record by British broadcasting of the past 70 years. Also in 2004, Rolling Stone placed "A Whiter Shade of Pale" 57th on its list of the "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time".more »


Year:
1973
4:03
172Views
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We skipped the light fandangoTurned cartwheels 'cross the floorI was feeling kinda seasickBut the crowd called out for moreThe room was humming harderAs the ceiling flew awayWhen we called out for another drinkThe waiter brought a trayAnd so it was that laterAs the miller told his taleThat her face, at first just ghostlyTurned a whiter shade of paleShe said, 'There is no reason'And the truth is plain to seeBut I wandered through my playing cardsAnd would not let her beOne of sixteen vestal virginsWho were leaving for the coastAnd although my eyes were openThey might have just as well've been closedAnd so it was that laterAs the miller told his taleThat her face, at first just ghostlyTurned a whiter shade of paleAnd so it was that later

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Procol Harum

Procol Harum are a British rock band, formed in 1967, which contributed to the development of progressive rock, and by extension, symphonic rock. Their best-known recording is their 1967 single "A Whiter Shade of Pale". Although noted for its baroque and classical influence, Procol Harum's music also embraces the blues, R&B and soul. In October 2012, the band were nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. more »

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Genre »

Rock

Style »

Prog Rock, Psychedelic Rock

Sheet Music PDF Playlist

Written by: Gary Brooker, Keith Reid, Matthew Fisher

Lyrics © T.R.O. INC., Onward Music Limited

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

12 facts about this song

Song Release

"A Whiter Shade of Pale" was originally released by the British rock band "Procol Harum" in 1967.

Annie Lennox's Version

Annie Lennox, the former lead singer of the Eurythmics, covered the song in 1995 and released it in her album "Medusa".

Song Success

Procol Harum's version became an instant hit, reaching number one in the UK Singles Chart and stayed top for six weeks.

Global Recognition

The song is one of fewer than 30 singles that have sold 10 million (or more) copies worldwide.

Procol Harum's Debut Single

"A Whiter Shade of Pale" was debut single of Procol Harum.

Songwriting Credits

The song was written by Gary Brooker, Keith Reid, and Matthew Fisher.

Lawsuit

In 2006, former Procol Harum organist Matthew Fisher won a lawsuit in the U.K. for a share of royalties from the song, as he claimed he co-wrote the music.

Notable Cover Versions

Besides Annie Lennox, the song has been covered by numerous other artists including Willie Nelson, Bonnie Tyler, and Sarah Brightman.

Classic Status

In 1998, the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, a special Grammy award established in 1973 to honor recordings that are at least twenty-five years old, with qualitative or historical significance.

Annie Lennox's chart performance

Lennox's version reached number two on the Italian singles chart, her version also charted in Canada, the U.K, and Belgium.

Film and TV

The song has been used in numerous film and tv soundtracks, including "The Big Chill", "The Boat That Rocked", and "Withnail and I".

Inspiration

The song is often said to have been inspired by the works of Johann Sebastian Bach, specifically his Orchestral Suite Nº 3 in D Major.

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Procol Harum - A Whiter Shade of Pale Lyrics (2024)

FAQs

What is the meaning of whiter shade of pale by Procol Harum? ›

“A Whiter Shade Of Pale” is believed to be a poetic journey through a drunken seduction, which is described by way of references to sex as a form of travel, (usually nautical), using mythical and literary journeys.

Did John Lennon like whiter shade of pale? ›

The song, “A Whiter Shade Of Pale”. John Lennon was said to be a great fan of the song and was known to have played it repeatedly on the record player fitted in his psychedelic Rolls Royce.

Does Procol Harum mean anything? ›

Stevens also came up with the group's name Procol Harum, a mis-spelling of the Latin phrase Procul Harun (roughly meaning “far beyond these things”), which was also the pedigree name of his friend's cat. (Another explanation is that it was a corruption of Procellarum, a vast ocean on the Moon.)

Who sang the original song Whiter Shade of Pale? ›

Gary Brooker, the Procol Harum frontman whose soaring vocals on the band's 1967 proto-prog rock classic “A Whiter Shade of Pale” helped make the song a mainstay of 1970s FM radio, died February 19 of cancer.

What does 16 Vestal virgins mean? ›

The Vestals were priestesses and acquired their name after Vesta, the goddess of the hearth and home. Think here of keeping the home fires burning. It was their duty to not only remain a virgin for 30 years but they were to keep Vesta's sacred fire burning.

What does "skipped the light fandango" mean? ›

Here the "light fandango" refers to the normal dance moves. The speaker in the lyrics skipped the normal moves with his partner.

What Bach piece is Whiter Shades of Pale based on? ›

Specifically, the jumping-off point for "A Whiter Shade of Pale" is from the Baroque era: the opening of Bach's Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D Major (BVW 1068), movement II, better known as the "Air on the G String" thanks to a rearrangement in the 19th century.

What kind of organ was played in A Whiter Shade of Pale? ›

The song's distinctive, Bach-inspired organ part was played on a Hammond M102.

What is the whiter shade of pale based on? ›

'A WHITER Shade Of Pale' is a 1960s reading of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, Miller's Tale et al. Dave Lee, Kidsgrove, Stoke.

Is Procol Harum a one-hit wonder? ›

Finding themselves labelled as one-hit wonders in their home country, while in the US their reputation as a live act only continued to improve, for the next several years Procol Harum spent most of their time touring America.

Why did Procol Harum break up? ›

' Procol Harum broke up in 1977 after ten years of hard work. They had achieved much, but in the wake of punk rock, the writing was on the wall. Gary Brooker made some solo albums that explored the funky side of his musical nature and in 1991 reformed Procol Harum to make a new album and play concert dates.

How old was Procol Harum when he died? ›

Gary Brooker, the lead singer of the rock band Procol Harum, whose 1967 hit A Whiter Shade of Pale mesmerised baby boomer fans with its psychedelic melancholy, has died at the age of 76.

What is the meaning behind the song "A Whiter Shades of Pale"? ›

The general consensus is that “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.

What happened to the lead singer of Procol Harum? ›

Gary Brooker, the frontman for Procol Harum, the long-running band most famous for 1967's “A Whiter Shade of Pale,” died Saturday at age 76. The cause of death was cancer.

Does Procol Harum still exist? ›

The band went through a number of lineup changes over the next ten years, before disbanding in 1977. They reformed in 1991 and remained active until Brooker's death in early 2022.

What was Miller's tale in Whiter Shades of Pale? ›

The song is about a guy, who later in life is the miller telling his story of himself and a woman, being stranded at sea, both hallucinating and close to death and of the woman, as he watches, finally dying.

What is the meaning of pale white? ›

1. lacking brightness of colour; whitish. pale morning light. 2. (of a colour) whitish; produced by a relatively small quantity of colouring agent.

What is the meaning of shades of white? ›

Shades of white are colors that differ only slightly from pure white. Variations of white include what are commonly termed off-white colors, which may be considered part of a neutral color scheme. White. Common connotations. Purity, snow, brightness.

What is the theme of the whiter shade of pale? ›

A Whiter Shade of Pale meaning

The song's overall mood is one of melancholy and introspection, with the lyrics exploring themes of love, loss, and the search for meaning.

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