A Whiter Shade Of Pale
Puhdys Lyrics
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Turned cartwheels 'cross the floor
I was feeling kind of seasick
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 opened
They might just as well be 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
The lyrics to Puhdys's song "A Whiter Shade Of Pale" are reflective of a night of revelry and alcohol-induced psychedelia. The first verse depicts a wild, carefree dance that resembles a light fandango. The singer and their companions seem to have lost themselves in the music, turning cartwheels and spinning around the floor. They are in a state of intoxication, with the singer feeling seasick and the room humming harder. Despite this, the crowd calls out for more and the waiter brings more drinks to fuel their party.
The second verse sees the singer recounting an encounter with a mysterious woman whose face turns a whiter shade of pale. The woman speaks cryptically, saying there is no reason for her ghostly appearance. The singer, however, is preoccupied with his own thoughts, as he recalls being lost in his playing cards and ignoring the woman's presence. The woman is one of sixteen vestal virgins who are leaving for the coast, a reference to a mythological cult of ancient Rome.
Line by Line Meaning
We skipped the light fandango
We danced lightly and gracefully with a certain joy and gaiety.
Turned cartwheels 'cross the floor
We were so happy and carefree that we did cartwheels across the floor like young children.
I was feeling kind of seasick
I was starting to feel a little dizzy, most likely from all the spinning and turning we were doing.
The crowd called out for more
The audience enjoyed our dancing so much that they called out for us to keep going.
The room was humming harder
The energy in the room was getting more and more intense, like a humming sound that grew louder and louder.
As the ceiling flew away
The energy was so strong that it felt like the ceiling was lifting off and disappearing into the ether.
When we called out for another drink
As we were getting tired and thirsty from all the dancing, we called out for the waiter to bring us another drink.
The waiter brought a tray
The waiter brought us a tray with our drinks on it, ready for us to quench our thirst.
And so it was that later
After all the excitement and revelry had died down.
As the miller told his tale
As the storyteller began to narrate his story.
That her face at first just ghostly
Her face was pale and colorless, like that of a ghost or specter.
Turned a whiter shade of pale
Her already pale face turned an even whiter shade, like she had seen a ghost or was about to faint.
She said: "There is no reason
She spoke, saying there was no reason for her sudden change in appearance.
And the truth is plain to see"
And the reality of the situation was obvious and clear for all to see.
But I wandered through my playing cards
I was lost in thoughts and contemplation, looking down at the deck of cards in my hands.
And would not let her be
I was too wrapped up in my own thoughts to notice her distress or discomfort.
One of sixteen vestal virgins
She was one of sixteen unmarried women who had taken a vow of chastity and dedicated themselves to the Roman goddess Vesta.
Who were leaving for the coast
They were all leaving to go on a journey or pilgrimage to the seaside.
And although my eyes were opened
Despite being physically awake and aware of my surroundings.
They might just as well be closed
I was so preoccupied with my own thoughts that my eyes might as well have been shut, as I wasn't really paying attention to what was happening around me.
And so it was that later
As the events of the night began to fade into memory.
As the miller told his tale
As the storyteller continued to regale us with his narrative.
That her face at first just ghostly
Her face, which had previously been pale like a ghost, was now returning to its normal color.
Turned a whiter shade of pale
Her face again turned white, but this time it was due to a sense of sadness and loss.
Contributed by Sydney I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.