Brightman has received over 180 Gold and Platinum sales awards in over 40 different countries around the world and is the only artist to hold #1 spots on the Billboard Classical and Dance charts simultaneously, her other achievements feature her ranking by the Recording Industry Association of America as the best-selling female classical artist of the twenty-first century and a Guinness World Record for the success of “Time to Say Goodbye,” the best-selling single in German recording history.
She has established herself as the world's biggest selling soprano of all time, She has sold 78 million albums worldwide, including 40 million copies of the soundtrack of The Phantom of the Opera (1986 musical), 26 million albums, over two million DVDs and 10 million copies of the single " Time to Say Goodbye "as a soloist.
She made her debut as a dancer in troupes such as Hot Gossip and later released a string of disco singles. She was a musical theatre performer and partner of theatre composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, with whom she originated roles including Christine Daaé in The Phantom of the Opera.
After her divorce, Brightman became a crossover artist with former Enigma producer Frank Peterson. Her style, a blend of classical vocals and pop-inspired instrumentation and arrangement, earned her further success.
She is often cited as the woman who paved the way for other international success stories such as Il Divo, Andrea Bocelli and Josh Groban. She is said to be worth as much as £30m (about US$49m).
A Whiter Shad of Pale
Sarah Brightman Lyrics
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Turned cartwheels ´cross the floor
I was feeling kind of seasick
But the crowd called out for more
The room was humming harder
As the ceiling flew away
When we called out for another drink
And so it was that later
As the Miller told his tale
That her face, at first just ghostly
Turned a whiter shade of paleShe said there is no reason
And the truth is plain to see
But I wandered through my playing cards
And I would not let her be
One of the sixteen vestal virgins
Who were leaving for the coast
And although my eyes were open
They might just as well´ve been closedAnd so it was that later
As the Miller told his tale
That her face, at first just ghostly
Turned a whiter shade of pale
"Whiter Shade of Pale" is a song by British singer Sarah Brightman, which is a cover of the classic 1967 hit song by Procol Harum. The song is a haunting and enigmatic tale that takes place in a surreal atmosphere, with the singer recounting events that occur during a party. The first stanza describes the partygoers doing a traditional English folk dance known as the Fandango. As the party reaches its climax, the singer becomes disorientated and starts to feel sick. However, the crowd is demanding more music, and the party continues.
In the second stanza, the singer recounts that the room seemed to become more chaotic, and the ceiling even disappears. The waiters continue to serve drinks, and the situation becomes even more surreal. Later in the evening, the Miller tells a ghostly story, and the singer sees a sudden change in the expression of a woman watching the scene. Her face turns a "whiter shade of pale," indicating that she has seen something disturbing or even supernatural.
The last stanza puts focus on the singer himself. Rather than being an observer still, the singer is now involved. He is reminiscing on the fleeting love he had for a girl he once had a fling with, but has lost. The final phrase, "And so it was," alludes to Time's fleeting nature and how those past events will remain only as memories from this point on.
Line by Line Meaning
We skipped the light Fandango
We danced energetically and joyfully
Turned cartwheels ´cross the floor
We spun around, feeling free and uninhibited
I was feeling kind of seasick
I was getting dizzy and disoriented from all the spinning and dancing
But the crowd called out for more
Despite my discomfort, the audience was enjoying our performance and wanted us to continue
The room was humming harder
The atmosphere was becoming more intense and exciting
As the ceiling flew away
The experience was becoming surreal and euphoric
When we called out for another drink
We wanted to prolong the feeling of ecstasy
The waiter brought a tray
The waiter fulfilled our request, enabling us to keep going
And so it was that later
After some time had passed
As the Miller told his tale
While the storyteller shared their narrative
That her face, at first just ghostly
Initially, she appeared pale and ethereal
Turned a whiter shade of pale
She became even more pale, almost lifeless
She said there is no reason
The woman expressed that there was no explanation or justification for her appearance
And the truth is plain to see
The truth of the situation is apparent and obvious
But I wandered through my playing cards
The singer was lost in thought or contemplation
And I would not let her be
The artist was preoccupied, ignoring the woman's distress
One of the sixteen vestal virgins
A reference to ancient Roman priestesses who were sworn to chastity
Who were leaving for the coast
The priestesses were departing, possibly to fulfill a religious ritual or duty
And although my eyes were open
The singer was physically present but mentally absent
They might just as well´ve been closed
The artist was emotionally disconnected and unresponsive
And so it was that later
After some time had passed
As the Miller told his tale
While the storyteller shared their narrative
That her face, at first just ghostly
Again, the woman looked pale and ghostly
Turned a whiter shade of pale
Her complexion became even more ashen and waxy
Lyrics © Onward Music Limited
Written by: Gary Brooker, Keith Reid, Matthew Fisher
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind