Song profile
With its haunting tone and Bach flavouring (both provided by Hammond organist Matthew Fisher), vocals by Gary Brooker, and unusual lyrics by Keith Reid, "A Whiter Shade of Pale" reached #1 in several countries when released in 1967.
In the years since, it has become an enduring classic. Even in 2009, it was the most played song in public places in the UK. In fact, the United Kingdom performing rights group Phonographic Performance Limited in 2004 recognized it as the most-played record by British broadcasting of the past 70 years..
More than 900 recorded cover versions by other artists are known. The song has been included in many music compilations over the decades and has also been used in the soundtracks of numerous films, including The Big Chill, Purple Haze, Breaking the Waves, The Boat That Rocked and notably in Martin Scorsese's segment of New York Stories. Cover versions of the song have also been featured in many films, for example by King Curtis in Withnail and I and by Annie Lennox in The Net.
The original writing credits were for Brooker and Reid only. On 30 July 2009, Matthew Fisher won co-writing credit for the music in an unanimous ruling from the Law Lords of the House of Lords.
Recording and personnel
The song was performed and recorded at Olympic Studios, with Gary Brooker providing the vocals and piano, Matthew Fisher on a Hammond M-102 organ, David Knights on bass, and Ray Royer on guitar. Drums were provided by session drummer Bill Eyden. A few days later, the song was re-recorded with the band's then newly-recruited drummer Bobby Harrison. That version, though, was considered inferior, and one of the original mono recordings was chosen for release.
Producer for the record was Denny Cordell and Keith Grant was the sound engineer.
The song was included on the original U.S. release of the Procol Harum album, but not on the UK version.
Chart performance and acclaim
The single was released on 12 May 1967 (UK, Deram Records). It entered the UK charts on 25 May 1967. In two weeks, it had reached number one, where it stayed for six weeks. All in all, it stayed 15 weeks on the UK chart. A May 1972 re-release on Fly Records stayed in the UK charts for a total of 12 weeks, and reached number 13 as highest. In the US, it reached #5 and sold over one million copies.
Chart positions: # 1 (UK), # 1 (Germany) , # 1 (Ireland), # 1 (Australia), # 1 (World), # 3 (Norway VG-lista), # 5 (USA Hot 100)
Over time, "A Whiter Shade of Pale" has earned extensive critical acclaim.
It was named joint winner (along with Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody") of the Best British Pop Single 1952-1977 at the BRIT Awards, part of Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee.
Rolling Stone magazine placed "A Whiter Shade of Pale" as #57 on its 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list in 2004.
British TV station Channel 4 placed the song at #19 in its chart of the 100 greatest number one singles.
Lyrics
Reid told Songfacts that he got the idea for the title when it came to him at a party, which gave him a starting point for the song. The original lyrics had four verses, of which only two are heard on the original recording. The third verse has been heard in live performances by Procol Harum, and more seldom also the fourth.
The phrase a whiter shade of pale by Keith Reid has since gained widespread use in the English language, noticed by several dictionaries.. As such, the phrase is today often used in contexts independent of any consideration of the song. for many annotated examples complete with links to original sources.) It has also been heavily paraphrased, in forms like an Xer shade of Y - this to the extent that it has been officially recognized as a snowclone - a type of cliché and phrasal template.
Resemblance to the work of J.S. Bach
The Hammond organ line of "A Whiter Shade of Pale" was inspired by Johann Sebastian Bach's "Sleepers Awake" and "Air on a G String", but contrary to popular belief, the song is not a direct copy or paraphrase of any music by Bach[15], although it makes clear references to both pieces. This similarity is referenced in the 1982 play The Real Thing by Tom Stoppard and the 1991 film The Commitments.
Authorship lawsuit
In 2005, former Procol Harum organist Matthew Fisher filed suit in the Royal Courts of Justice against Gary Brooker and his publisher, claiming that he co-wrote the music for the song.
Fisher won the case on 20 December 2006 but was awarded 40% of the composers' share of the music copyright, rather than the 50% he was seeking and was not granted royalties prior to 2005.
Gary Brooker and publisher Onward Music were granted leave to appeal, and a hearing on the matter was had before a panel of three judges during the week of 1 October 2007. The decision, on 4 April 2008, by Lord Justice Mummery, in The Court of Appeal upheld Fisher's co-authorship but ruled that he should receive no royalties as he had taken too long (38 years) to bring his claim to litigation. Full royalty rights were returned to Brooker.
On 5 November 2008, Matthew Fisher was granted permission to appeal this decision in the House of Lords.. Lawyers say it is the first time the Law Lords have been asked to rule on a copyright dispute involving a song. The appeal was heard in the House of Lords on 22nd - 23rd April 2009 .
On 30 July 2009 the Law Lords unanimously ruled in Fisher's favour. They noted that the delay in bringing the case had not caused any harm to the other party; on the contrary they had benefited financially from it. They also pointed out that there were no time limits to copyright claims under English law. The right to future royalties was therefore returned to Fisher. The musicological basis of the judgment, and its effect on the rights of musicians who contribute composition to future works, have drawn wide attention in the music world.
A Whiter Shade Of Pale
Sarah Brightman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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