A Whiter Shade Of Pale
Surama K. Lyrics

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We skipped the light fandango
Turned cartwheels ′cross the floor
I was feeling kinda 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
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 open
They might have just as well've been closed

What's That Line?

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

And so it was that later.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "A Whiter Shade of Pale" tell a surreal story of a night of debauchery and strange encounters. The first stanza describes a scene of frenzied dancing and drinking, where the singer and a crowd are enjoying themselves but the effects of the party are starting to take a toll on the singer. He feels "seasick" and disoriented, but the excitement of the crowd prompts him to keep going. As the party continues, the room seems to transform around them, until it feels like the ceiling has disappeared.

The second stanza shifts to a different narrative, as the miller tells a tale that seems to have a profound effect on a woman in the room. Her face turns "a whiter shade of pale," and she declares that "there is no reason" for her reaction. The singer, however, is preoccupied with his own thoughts and memories, as he thinks back on a group of vestal virgins who left for the coast. Even though his eyes were open, he felt like they might as well have been closed, lost in a haze of his own thoughts.

Line by Line Meaning

And so it was that later
At a time after the events that were just described

As the miller told his tale
While a storyteller recounted his story

That her face, at first just ghostly,
Her face, which initially appeared pale and eerie,

Turned a whiter shade of pale
Became even paler

She said, 'There is no reason
She claimed there was no explanation

And the truth is plain to see.?
The truth is evident and apparent

But I wandered through my playing cards
I was lost in my own thoughts and distractions

And would not let her be
I could not ignore her or forget about her

One of sixteen vestal virgins
Referring to a group of chaste and pure women

Who were leaving for the coast
They were departing for another place

And although my eyes were open
Despite me being fully aware