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.

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.