A WHITER SHADE OF PALE

"A Whiter Shade of Pale". This is a "classic" song, I mean, a song which had a lot of influence in the development of Progressive Rock, and a song which after more than 40 years after being released, it still sounds very well, in my opinion. How many bands in the present can create a piece of music like this ? I don`t know. I like the "old music" of the sixties and of the seventies because it had a lot of creativity and it was played by real human beings, not by programmed computers like many "bands" do now.

This song was recorded by a line-up which included Gary Brooker (piano and vocals), Matthew Fisher (organ), David Knights (bass), Ray Royer (on an almost inaudible guitar) plus session drummer Bill Eyden, and with lyrics written by Keith Reid. It has a very good arrangement with a "Bach-like" organ arrangement by Fisher and great drums by Eyden. It seems that it was first recorded with this line-up (in a Monophonic recording), and later re- recorded (in Stereo) with new drummer Bobby Harrison. But Eyden`s version was considered as the best version (despite being a Mono recording) and it was released in May 1967, becoming a Number One Hit in the U.K. and a Hit in many parts of the world. This song, originally credited as being composed by Brooker and Reid, has become in the last few years the subject of a litigation started by Fisher who claimed that he deserved to be considered as composer of the very characteristic organ melody. The legal fight until now was won by Fisher, and the judge considered that he deserves to be included in the songwriting credit with Brooker and Reid. Who knows? Maybe in the next months, with another appeal by Brooker, the song could return to the original songwriting credit of Brooker / Reid.

The B-side, "Lime Street Blues", is, as the title says, a Blues, but a fast Blues. This song, also recorded in Mono, has Bobby Harrison as drummer. It is also a good song, and Royer`s guitar is more high in the sound mixing in comparison to "A Whiter...". The line-up of Brooker / Fisher / Knights/ Royer / Harrison only lasted for a few weeks during which they promoted the single in concerts, and after this happened, Royer and Harrison were fired and were replaced, respectively, by Robin Trower and B.J. Wilson, old mates of Brooker`s in the band called "The Paramonts" in the early sixties.

"A Whiter Shade of Pale" is one of few songs that can be looked back upon and be seen as the highlight for one of the most legendary cultural phenomenon's of the last century. And to say it's not well deserved is a lie. In fact, it's without doubt one of the best songs of all time.

It's a very cleverly done song with "Bach-derived" arrangements, & a beautiful Hammond organ, which is compliment by some very atmospheric drums. & I couldn't go on without mentioning the absolutely amazing voice of Gary Brooker, which is beautifully deep, with beautiful depth and texture, something that would help propel Procol Harum's status to be one of the more well-known bands in the psychedelic scene.

Then there's the B-side, "Lime Street Blues", which is a good track, but nothing to right home about. It's just a simple fast paced blues song, & doesn't match all too well with the smash hit "Whiter Shade of Pale".

Released just 4 months before their debut and self-titled album (on which this, our A-side track, appeared on US pressings), "A Whiter Shade of Pale" is one of those tracks that has been christened by the press and critics specifically as eternal, a must-hear and one of the greatest songs of all time. Under most circumstances, why would and how could we ignore that? What's crazy about this historical and continued regard is that this is their first ever release! Hell, I'm certainly impressed. More-so considered to be Baroque Pop than Progressive Pop/Rock, this is a more straight-ahead number, much like the majority of music found on their debut. The instrumentation is excellent though, with perfectly loose (sloppy?) Ringo drag, open, soaring organ and warm bass. Brooker's voice is clear and classic and the lyrics are certainly beautiful.

This is my first time actually hearing its B-side, "Lime Street Blues", rootsy and, of course, bluesy. Once again, evidence in their early discography that this is a post-Dylan, post-The Band world, and they're just livin' in it. Very alright with it. It is an interesting juxtaposition to "Whiter Shade", but as a single of course it works great. Rootsy in its organ and bluesy in its piano and guitar lead. The drums are certainly something you could have found in many a Beat track of the '60s. Being merely a blues-driven R'n'B number does, though, bring this otherwise essential single down a peg. I'm sure you can guess with a mean average what I gave each side.

A single initially and it took a while to get it on the initial album; so here I confine myself to talking only about the title hit of course.

1.A Whiter Shade Of Pale first single from Procol Harum and a unique sound, a unique Hammond organ; the instrument of choice, the one that rocked my tender years, even when I was still in my mother's womb... yes we have all been there; in short a title that I put at the Pygmalion of the musical adventure, on the same level as when a man loves a woman, in short a languorous organ which fills the ambient air by sucking in all the other instruments to amplify its own; so yes some will say that it was also one of the best titles to be able to look for the boy to flirt with; yes this moment when we could stay close to each other without there being a 'me too' which would separate the two lovebirds, this moment when the future couple could imagine chatting next to each other other, touch yourself without having the fear of a complaint in the ass....! In short, let's come back to this title OMNI, to Gary and his stratospheric voice, to Barrie James who typed 'slower than him you can't', to David who took the step, the one with whom you had to dance (a word which has lost its meaning nowadays, when the woman could feel certain body parts of the man and vice versa!), to David who launches a solo but I'm not so sure, to Matthew who was one of the first to showing that prog rock could use an instrument other than the guitar to melt.