Ringo Starr - Live in Michigan - 11. A Salty Dog (Gary Brooker solo)

Pine Knob Theatre. May 30th 1997.
A Salty Dog, is an album by the Rock band Procol Harum, released in June 1969. Having an ostensibly nautical theme, as indicated by its cover, (a pastiche of the famous Player's Navy Cut cigarette pack) interspersed with straight rock, blues and pop items A Salty Dog showed a slight change of direction from its predecessors, being thematically less obscure. The title track itself was the first Procol track to use sound effects and an orchestra, as would be referred to in the live album performance some three years later. The musical tensions between the group and Robin Trower were beginning to show in this album, and although his guitar sound remains integral to most of the tracks, Crucifiction Lane (featuring a rare Trower vocal), in retrospect, shows that Trower was already moving in a different direction from the rest of the band.
The title track, backed with "Long Gone Geek", reached number 44 in the UK singles chart in 1969 and the album itself number 27 in the album chart.[1] When Gary Brooker first played Salty Dog at the piano for B.J. Wilson a sunbeam illumined Wilson's face and he told Brooker he thought it was the most beautiful song he had ever heard.
The album was the first record produced by Matthew Fisher, who quit the band soon after its release.
The song "Salty Dog" was featured in the 1983 film Purple Haze

[@robmcdonnell]

RIP Gary Brooker. Saw him do this and nearly wept. Remarkable.

[@lyntalley5338]

Sad. Woke to the news. Wonderful man.

[@susanwilliams5505]

Gary Brooker is such a gifted singer, pianist and composer. truly amazing!

[@dwaynewladyka577]

Susan Williams I agree! I saw Procol Harum 4 times live in concert with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. Twice in 1992 and twice in 2010. I even met the various members of the band and got autographs.

[@r.fernandes9526]

Im a navy veteran and Im in a pool of tears every time I hear this song. A simply breathtaking masterpiece

[@TheSongFactoryMi]

Procol Harum is, in my opinion, one of the four or five best bands EVER. Too bad Trower was 'going in a different direction', for the different directions within the band--soft/hard, razor-edge/smooth--were one huge reason they were so prolific and so astounding. For all their imperfect history, "Proke" is beyond amazing, beyond awesome. And Brooker---easily one of the VERY best vocalists ever!

[@Di.Bo69]

RIP Gary

[@r.w.4743]

A masterpiece!

[@jduff59]

I love this! But in my head I'm hearing B.J Wilson's fantastic drumming on this song - an orchestra in itself.

[@aquamarine99911]

I actually think Ringo would have had the taste to take that on. Not sure why he didn't.

[@michaelwaxmann8989]

Yes ! B,J. Wilson the magic, fantastic drummer was very important for PH songs.

[@sylvainsimard4384]

A mastrpiece - RIP Mr Brooker

[@petermay5488]

I love that song. God help me I do love it so.

[@haroldchernofsky]

so do I

[@patricklemeur6360]

GARY BROOKER ,est un phénomène ,complètement génial...!

[@lorenasilvanapasquetti4741]

Gary Brooker 🙋 Forever😚💥🌹💞♥️❣️💕

[@ВладимирМышанов]

А Salty Dog, несомненно, один из шедевров Procol Harum ! Когда я впервые услышал в 15 лет эту композицию был просто очарован и "легко контужен", прошло много десятилетий, однако Procol Harum остаётся для меня одной из лучших британских групп. Дорогие Gary Brooker и Keith Reid останутся в благодарной памяти forever !

[@greghenderson4582]

This takes on a whole new meaning ....a class act !!! Truly a legend .....what a voice ...when I saw him perform this in Atlanta ...on this tour ...you could have heard a pin drop ....when this started ....total respect ...a true artist !!! that piano part at the end always make me think of the Titanic for some reason ...

[@greghenderson4582]

Rest in Peace Mr. Brooker ...you have earned your rest !!

[@mikele5756]

To you 3 individuals that gave this a thumbs down, tell us why. Yes you have an opinion. I'd like to hear it.

[@suzannewheat4687]

One of my faves

[@michaelspastorius8177]

How many moons? How many Junes? Goosebumps every time I hear that lyric. Such a beautiful piece. Brooker is just the best, if not unrecognized, rock vocalist IMO. Plus, doesn't he seen like the kind of guy you could just talk with for hours?

[@ericvanhavelte1611]

Sooooo great.

[@haroldchernofsky]

i am speechless

[@samuelthompson9274]

You are still Number One.

[@SuperHundetrainer]

Ein Kunstwerk für die Ewigkeit.

[@Avrillo-gf7tx]

RIP Gary Brooker, BJ Wilson and Keith Reid.

[@bobratcliffe3599]

Bob Ettel if your out there...remember listening to this in your basement, rolling joints

[@eardrumbuzzer6477]

Such a beautiful and tragic song, perfectly suited for Gary Brooker's voice, but the band should have joined him at the 2nd Chorus, all the way til the end... What were they doing? If I know Ringo, everyone was smoking weed through Brooker's performance.

[@RichardAllStarrBand]

Most tours have solo spots where the band members perform individual songs with just keyboards or a guitar. I doubt they were smoking weed at the time. They were probably standing backstage or in their dressing rooms. If it helps, when Gary Brooker returned for the 1999 All Starr Band, he actually played A Salty Dog with the band during that tour.

[@eardrumbuzzer6477]

RichardAllStarrBand Thanks for the info. I would have liked to have seen and heard that. I know Ring has been sober for decades now, but I understand that he likes his weed now and then though probably not while performing. Ring seems to have turned out in the best shape of all his former band mates, attitude-wise.

[@RichardAllStarrBand]

James Woody I doubt he'd go back to weed these days. He'd probably worry it'd trigger his alcohol problems again. He's actually been known to avoid after-gig parties since the late 80s so that he won't be tempted

[@eardrumbuzzer6477]

RichardAllStarrBand Ok. I agree. I love Ring! He is one of two survivors of the best band in this world. No Arguments!!

[@lorenasilvanapasquetti4741]

eardrum buzzer guarda concerto in Danimarca del 2006!!!

[@benmeltzer]

song starts at 0:27

[@ДжоДжонсон-ш3п]

КЛАСС !

[@ambroseaz]

I just realized how much he sounds like Peter Gabriel.

[@mancuniancandidatem]

The more I listen to Procul Harum the more I realise how influential they were for the next generation of bands that emerged in the 1970s. You can definitely hear there influence in early Genesis and also Queen.

[@richardthompson3104]

You should listen to the Prodigal Stranger album. He sounds like Steve Winwood a bit here and there on that record (only my opinion).