‘A Whiter Shade of Pale’ is a song by the English rock band Procol Harum that was issued as their debut record on 12 May 1967. The single reached number 1 in the UK Singles Chart on 8 June and stayed there for six weeks. Without much promotion, it reached number 5 on the US Billboard Hot 100. One of the anthems of the 1967 Summer of Love, it is one of the most commercially successful singles in history, having sold more than 10 million copies worldwide. In the years since, ‘A Whiter Shade of Pale’ has become an enduring classic, with more than 1,000 known cover versions by other artists. In December 1967, New Musical Express readers voted the song "Best British Disc This Year", ahead of "All You Need Is Love" and "Massachusetts"
With its Bach-derived instrumental melody, soulful vocals, melancholic tone, and unusual lyrics, the music of ‘A Whiter Shade of Pale’ was composed by Gary Brooker and Matthew Fisher, while the lyrics were written by Keith Reid. Keith Reid got the title and starting point for the song at a party. He overheard someone at the party saying to a woman, "You've turned a whiter shade of pale", and the phrase stuck in his mind. Originally, the writing credits only listed Brooker and Reid. In 2009, Fisher won co-writing credit for the music in a unanimous ruling from the Law Lords.
In 1977, the song was named joint winner (along with Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody") of "The Best British Pop Single 1952–1977" at the Brit Awards. In 1998, the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. In 2004, the performing rights group Phonographic Performance Limited recognised it as the most-played record by British broadcasting of the past 70 years and Rolling Stone placed it 57th on its list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". In 2009, it was reported as the most played song in the last 75 years in public places in the UK.
Songwriters – Keith Reid, Gary Brooker, Matthew Fisher
Producer – Denny Cordell
SONG LYRICS
[Intro][Verse 1]
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
[Chorus]
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
[Bridge 1]
[Verse 2]
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
[Chorus]
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
[Bridge 2]
[Additional Verse]
She said, 'I'm home on shore leave,'
Though in truth we were at sea
So I took her by the looking glass
And forced her to agree
Saying, 'You must be the mermaid
Who took Neptune for a ride.'
But she smiled at me so sadly
That my anger straightway died
[Chorus]
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
[Verse 4]
If music be the food of love
Then laughter is its queen
And likewise if behind is in front
Then dirt in truth is clean
My mouth by then like cardboard
Seemed to slip straight through my head
So we crash-dived straightway quickly
And attacked the ocean bed
[Chorus]
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