Procol Harum, A Whiter Shade Of Pale - A Classical Musician’s First Listen and Reaction

#virginrock #procolharum
I’ve been curious about this piece for a long time, and now I finally got to experience it!
Here’s the link to the original song:
• PROCOL HARUM - A White...
/ @amyscut
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Amy Shafer, LRSM, FRSM, RYC, is a classical harpist, pianist, and music teacher, Director of Piano Studies and Assistant Director of Harp Studies for The Harp School, Inc., holds multiple degrees in harp and piano performance and teaching, and is active as a solo and collaborative performer. With nearly two decades of teaching experience, she teaches privately, presents masterclasses and coaching sessions, and has performed and taught in Europe and USA.
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Credits: Music written and performed by Procol Harum
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[@eugenehahn9355]

You must watch/listen to their live performance from 2006 in Denmark with orchestra and choir backing. More emotionally impactful and moving than the original studio version. Most people end up teary. Thank you .

[@ianbotha9912]

That is a good version.

[@VonBlade]

Totally disagree. Without the Hammond Organ it's entirely gutless.

[@diceau]

yes it is such a beautiful version

[@Sarvasaha]

Oh, that oboe...

[@ianbotha9912]

@@VonBlade They have the Hammond organ in the 2006 version. Watch the video.

[@JohnD-scaledecks]

In classic literature, "a miller's tale" is a story of adultery of a wife against her husband. I see this as the story of a confrontation. Things were going great in their marriage (first verse) then the bomb drops that he knows as he lays it out - "as the Miller told his tale." As a result, "her face, at first just ghostly, turned a whiter shade of pale." He asks, "Why?" And, "Is it true?" The second verse is her response. "She said there is no reason, and the truth is plain to see." He had his evidence all planned out. "So I wandered through my playing cards, and would not let her be." He loses his innocence (vestal virgins) and realizes he was blind to it all. "Although my eyes were open, they might just as well have been closed." To me, the descending walking bass is sadness, but the organ invokes comfort, acceptance, and hope for the future. I may be (and probably am) totally off, but that's what the lyrics speak to me. In that context it all makes sense. (The rare third and fourth verses fit well in this pattern, too.)

[@davidheiser2225]

I don't think you're off at all. This is the best explanation of this I've heard and it makes complete sense.

[@gordonbrooks3856]

Excellent interpretation. It doesn't diminish the song like most analysts do.

[@ericminch]

Well done. In the 50+ years since this song came out I haven’t heard a better explanation of the lyrics. Keith Reid is still alive, maybe he has said what the verses meant. And the lyricists for many prog or paraprog bands (Procol Harum, Yes, Moody Blues, King Crimson, Rush…..) have said more or less that they focus more on prosodics than semantics.

[@kilgoretrout3966]

You're only off a little. The Miller's Tale comes from Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. Each of the Characters tells their tale. The Miller's Tale is most remembered because it is bawdy. i'll reserve my analysis of the song. i'm pretty sure i have its meaning down, and it is highly metaphorical, but would take too long to type. Just pay attention to small things such as "when we called out for another drink, the waiter brought a tray." So they asked for A drink, but were brought a full tray. There are lots of little phrases that point in another direction than its pure grammar, and all are to excess. "We skipped the light fandango, turned cartwheels cross the floor." Not gonna do the light dance, were turning cartwheels....ill stop there, but i think it has a very definite picture that is obscured by Gary Brooker's amazing lyricism.

[@DerEchteBold]

Wow, this makes perfect sense, much more than any occult nonsense people come up with just because of that vestal virgins line.

[@jwelsje]

I first started to play this song by ear in 1977, as a fifteen year old. It earned me a place in a band as the youngest ever member. Until today, when, as a 62 old, when I jam this song in bars, it stops people from drinking and they start to listen.

[@falconquest2068]

Awesome story!

[@BR81-iv6lt]

🤨

[@Marnee4191]

Which instrument?

[@jwelsje]

@@Marnee4191 I played the organ. It was a time when everybody wanted to play lead guitar and keyboard players were hard to find.

[@peterolbrisch8970]

Probably because they want to kill you.

[@dmitrykazakov2829]

I cannot even imagine something this great and complex could make into the charts these days. How deep we had fallen... 😶

[@richdiddens4059]

In response to the origin of the title he has said it was overheard at a cocktail party. Over the years they have given varying meanings to the song but one was that it described an evening in a bar trying to pick up a certain woman. Most recordings and performances only include the first two verses but they occasionally include a third verse and very rarely the fourth.

[@richardgoddard37]

There's still some fantastic music around, you've just got to look harder, as it's never played on the radio or TV. It's one of the benefits of the internet.

[@vics8873]

Everyone's favorite while tripping (including John Lennon's).

[@ForCrynOutLoud]

@dmitrykazakov2829 More like how shallow we have fallen.

[@jontalbot1]

Interesting point. I remember when it came out it was such a bomb. I have heard it so many times l almost don’t hear it

[@gwengoodwin3992]

Let me be the first to mention the recording that Vlad no doubt already has queued up: the 2006 live performance that paired Procol Harum with the Danish National Concert Orchestra and choir at Ledreborg Castle. It is glorious. It is emotionally very satisfying to see Sir Harry Booker play piano and sing triumphantly with the orchestra and choir backing the original band.

[@oldairyheir]

Gary Brooker

[@richdiddens4059]

By playing the original first you can see how great is on its own. If you play Denmark 2006 first the original sounds like a cheap imitation.

[@gerilarryogle970]

Agree. I can't believe that you would not enjoy a richer orchestra performance with full percusion including kettle drums. This 2006 performance really emphases' what you are stating about the classical relationship of the melody.

[@johnpublicprofile6261]

And it has violins 😅

[@charlesmarkley220]

A young lady lost her life. A lament. Can't you see?

[@shiva1742]

I am 82 years old and I think I could listen to this every day. Thank you for finally getting around to it.

[@jwelsje]

I am 62 and when I play this song at parties, there is almost no roon left for people to dance.

[@peterolbrisch8970]

I fel sorry for you. Must be the age catching up. 🤘on.

[@cspringer333]

Procol Harum in Denmark 2006 has a full orchestra and choir. What's more amazing is his voice sounds the same decades later.

[@oopswrongplanet4964]

That is true, except his voice sounds even better, like aged brandy.

[@tehluhlah]

And the orchestra opens with the Air on a G string which makes it even more awesome to listen to!

[@kschulwitz]

Yes! The 2006 live version is way better, the best even. I wish Virgin Rock would listen and react to this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iaWZm6x7e8poja8&pp=ygUhd2hpdGVyIHNoYWRlIG9mIHBhbGUgMjAwNiBkZW5tYXJr

[@user-ro9jg8yc2q]

Yepp, I am surprised she didn't react to that instead.

[@alfonsioux]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/iaWZm6x7e8poja8

[@michaelengland8299]

I’m 73 years old and delighted that you shared your experience with Whiter Shade of Pale

[@OC35]

At my 88 year old mother's request, this was played at her funeral.

[@eh1702]

It was played as my sister walked up the aisle back around 1973-4 - it was “their song” the slow dance that he first asked her to dance to. They’re still married, the happiest couple I know.

[@AntonyBall-hm4jo]

Well done mum - she had class!

[@jwelsje]

That is a touching story, I love it.

[@scummins2922]

I also walked down the aisle to this song played on a large pipe organ in 1976.

[@jwelsje]

@@scummins2922 Waaw! Two years later I was sitting beside the church organist, playing the same song at my aunts wedding.

[@vsmicer]

The late Gary Brooker (the main songwriter and vocalist) was a good friend of mine, and I got to play this with him a few times (I'm a bassist). Gary was a lovely man...he started the music for this directly from Bach, but after 3 or 4 chords, forgot his way, and wrote what we now know. Under it all, is Gary's piano, which is often lost a bit in the mix, though there is an audiophile version that brings it into the heart of the piece, almost as well as the mastertapes. The amazing Hammond organ was played by Matthew Fisher, Gary's co-writer.

[@FABIO_MARTINSS]

in 2006 Matthew Fischer, the procol harum organist who created the recurring organ melody, won in court the right to receive royalties from the song as co-author, since until then only lyricist Reid and Gary Brooker who composed the song's melody voice received. When asked why he had not filed the case sooner, he said that he had been told that he would not win the case. In my opinion, the organ part is as important as the song itself. When we remember this song, it is this blessed organ that comes to mind. According to Peter Frampton, this is the most beautiful ballad ever written. I agree with him and it was released the year I was born, 1967

[@torbenanschau6641]

Right. The Song wouldn't be anything without the Hammond. Even played with violin it wouldn't have been that impactful. Don't forget, in 1967 the Hammond was still quite a new instrument, especially in England and in Rockmusic. Jon Lord and Deep Purple came a little bit later, the Beatles and most other english Rockbands didn't use the Hammond that much yet. Maybe Steve Winwood in the Spencer Davis Group already used it by then. It was more a thing of Jazz and Soul up to this time. And most other electrical instruments just were coming into the scene, like the Rhodes, Wurlitzer, Clavinet and Continental Vox/Farfisa. Out of these, the Hammond was the most expensive one and quite a legend. Now it sounds ancient and with its warmth, especially in this song.While easily playable, it's certainly one of the most remakable Hammond parts in any music.

[@g.e.5723]

The Organ is the ONLY reason one, ( certainly myself), is immediately drawn to "pay attention" to the lyrics/tune.

[@mojobag01]

Frampton is not alone. He has members of The Beatles and Black Sabbath in support.

[@rosewoodsteel6656]

I believe I heard that he lost on appeal. Anyone else hear that?

[@nyobunknown6983]

Fischer's organ part is what makes the song special.

[@johnwest7993]

The drums are essentially what makes this song a rock tune. They draw the song into present day music.

[@JJDSports2012]

Really perceptive point.

[@peterolbrisch8970]

Nothing makes this rock.

[@marasmusine]

@@peterolbrisch8970 If these drums don't rock, then they at least roll.

[@peterolbrisch8970]

@@marasmusine It's a dirge. It's funeral music. It's for dead people.

[@user-oj9oy7mi1j]

This is a song that you never get tired of, no mather how many times you´ve heard it.

[@andrewobrien6671]

Glad you noticed the drumming on this. Excellent from the drummer. It makes it so much more impactful.

[@arimakiaho2960]

Yes

[@paulw2996]

The drummer on this version is BJ Wilson. The original with Bill Eyden is far superior.

[@eh1702]

I never really noticed this before, but he must have worked on his voice massively over the decades. By the time of the live performance in Denmark, it’s more mature/ mellow/coloratura, more physically powerful - and the phrasing is so much more subtle and accomplished.

[@dirkjanriezebos2240]

Also close microphone techniques in the 60s resulted in a slightly harsher sound.

[@eh1702]

@@dirkjanriezebos2240 Yes. But just the same, we’re comparing a live performance with the earlier studio recording/mixing.

[@Bassman2353]

This song was released on Procol Harem's debut album May 12, 1967. The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper was released literally two weeks later, May 26. To have been alive at that time was to experience an absolute revolution in music. John Lennon couldn't stop playing it. Ringo, when complemented on the Beatles' accomplishment, made a point of saying "whiter Shade of Pale" was the best song released that year.

[@alansmith1989]

For me too it was `best of the year` Just a shame that it wasn`t quite top UK sales champion of 1967- but over 800.00 (In 67) was still pretty good going.

[@mainstreetphotos2653]

The song isn't on their UK debut album. It was included on the US debut album (replacing Good Captain Clack) which was released four months later.

1967 was the zenith of creative music. More great songs were released in that year than any other.

[@giabgr]

Later pressings included it, but it wasn't originally on the debut album.

[@hughjarrett4736]

P. Harum 😉

[@ulfnarverud1661]

This is the best reaction/analysis of this song that I have seen. Well done!

[@squ34ky]

The organ sound is also piped into a device called a "Leslie speaker" which has a rotating drum/baffle that adds a shimmering quality to it. You could particularly hear it during the "and so it was..." section, if you listen closely.

[@lynby6231]

Very evocative song, and yes the Leslie rotary cabinets add the right ambience

[@andreg751]

Please listen to the South African 60's rock bank doing "Tchaikovsky One" playing a Fender Strat through a "Leslie Speaker". Amazing classical piece converted to ROCK. kzbin.info/www/bejne/nmixiWanhsplr6M

[@vodkaman1970]

The original Leslies only had 2 speeds slow and fast and being mechanical didn't jump instantly. You can hear how he switches on the fast speed as he does the gliss running his hands along the keys to land on that big crescendo chord and then lets it slow down again for the low key "turned a whiter shade of pale" line. It works so well to give that effect of a shock that leaves you pale.

[@shiva1742]

@@squ34ky Eric Clapton also used a Leslie speaker.

[@otterspocket2826]

The Leslie switches in at that point (and so it was...), and out again for the second half of the chorus

[@stephensmith3111]

That Hammond organ line became hardwired into my synapses decades ago. It is also my go to when I have an annoying tune stuck in my head. The best way to kill an ear worm is with another superior ear worm. And this one is glorious.

[@cliffstone71]

Bach was the first rocker and has influenced many rock artists in the 20th century

[@Doo_Doo_Patrol]

bach was not a rocker. i took a whole college course on bach and can assure you that he was anything but.

[@stephensmith3111]

". . . compared to Bach, man, we all suck." -- Pat Metheny

[@Doo_Doo_Patrol]

@@stephensmith3111 Metheny is wrong. I love Bach, but there are many, many other things that don't suck: Dvorjak, Grieg, Albinoni, Pachelbel, Wagner, Schoenberg, Sibelius...I don't have all night.

[@stephensmith3111]

@@Doo_Doo_Patrol It's still an amusing quote. It's one man's opinion; but given Pat Metheny's formidable chops as both a composer and performer, I will not dismiss it. Besides once these levels of excellence are achieved, arguing who's better, who's best becomes kind of moot.

[@Doo_Doo_Patrol]

i agree to a point, but still, i don't consider either bach or metheny to be rock.

[@thomassharmer7127]

The drums are creating the energy and forward momentum with all those little traps and fills, almost like the singer catching his breath between all these complex images and lines of thought. They also bring variety and an element of improvisation as the rest of the instruments hold to a fairly stately and elegantly steady score (apart from the important organ swells).

[@paulw2996]

This isn't the commercial release, but the one with BJ Wilson on drums. The commercial release is the far superior one.

[@EdithAnnRandall]

I wish you would react to "Procol Harum - A Whiter Shade of Pale, live in Denmark 2006". It's very good.

[@djpj9174]

Not just very good. By far the best version of the song.

[@eh1702]

His voice, the tonal quality and his phrasing, had just absolutely matured and flourished since the original recording.

[@torbenanschau6641]

But it clearly lacks the drive and spirit of the original. As Amy clearly pointed, the drums, bass etc. also play an important part to make it rock. It's still there in that concert but lacking something in my eyes. Especially Rhythm.

[@allanwilson1103]

@@djpj9174 I don't think it is a question of one version being better than the other, but I am sure Amy would find it interesting to compare the 2006 version to the original, particularly with Gary Brooker's orchestration for the Danish National Concert Orchestra and the development of Gary's singing voice from 1967 to 2006.

[@kopynd1]

prefer the original

[@angelatheriault8855]

This song is just gorgeous. I still don’t understand what it is about it that makes me tear up every single time I listen to it.

[@EmmaPeelman]

Same here...

[@pamelahugh4]

Yup, every time. Kind of embarrassing if you're not alone!

[@babjikarri4432]

Angela dear, it's nostalgia for a time that has gone forever that makes you tear up, the music from that era engenders visceral feelings within us that we can't put into words, hence, the tears.

[@kencawley3121]

I don't think I've seen you as excited by a piece of music as this. Love seeing the joy you received from it.

[@user-ky6vw5up9m]

What a delight to see Amy do this .

[@JacobSprenger]

"Conquistador" and "Homburg" are great Procol Harum songs, too. I was born in '80, but I found a vinyl featuring these three songs in a heap once left to me by a neighbour. One of my most used vinyls in there. That one beige live album by Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, too. Procol Harum may have done their part in making the Hammond Organ my favourite instrument.

[@robertwilloughby8050]

There's the classic "Shine On Brightly" which should have been a MASSIVE hit.... but strangely wasn't.

[@anthonychapman5552]

Your joy when hearing various portions of the song is beautiful

[@chriseckert613]

Nights in White Satin released the same year might be a good one to check out soon. This song could be considered loosely related in time period and genre, although it is even more melodramatic. It has the sound of a movie soundtrack than a classical piece to me. When / if you get to this song, it's the album version or a live performance that will give you the full effect of the song. The single version was chopped in half. There is an interesting story about how the single version was not a major hit, but album version became a sensation 5 years after the release.

[@jamesredman1263]

I lived near Nashville TN in the early 70s, and a dj at the FM rock station absolutely adored the Moody Blues. So we got them quite often.

[@jeffreypowell1656]

You are so good at what you do!

[@michaelfrank2266]

I've watched many reviews of this song by others on YT and I still learned something today. Thank you Amy.

[@mpmlopes]

I've read the comments and I know a lot of people already mentioned the 2006 Denmark performance, but I really wanted to add my voice to the choir of people recommending it, it really is something else.

[@glennstach4439]

Late 60' s and 70's Music is the BEST simply because of the ORGAN !!! MUSIC since then always seems to be MISSING something !!! 🤔😩 ✌🖖🍁🌻💛💙🇺🇦

[@billbaker9623]

Thank you for your analysis relating this piece to Bach's Aire on a G String. It's given me a deeper appreciation of the song. The importance of the Hammond B3 organ with the Leslie speaker cannot be overstated. If you have not already seen it, I would strongly suggest that you watch the 2006 performance at Ledreborg Castle with the Danish National Concert Orchestra and Chorus. It will bring tears to your eyes.

[@JacoWium]

I wasn't even aware of the effect of the Leslie speaker until today, visiting this comment section. It's given my ears a new delight to focus on within such a familiar piece of music. Sometimes, the internet is useful for something!

[@shyshift]

A Salty Dog is their best song ever. It starts with a C#-5 and ends with the same chord. The progression in between is genius.

[@alanmatthews9945]

Completely agree. A Salty Dog is my favourite song from anyone. It's as an aural drama, taking me on a magical voyage......A masterpiece.

[@scottmoquin]

Amy, you're musical knowledge is awesome! I could listen to your explanations all day.

[@zredband]

Okay, this is the kind of commentary I came here for. Thank you for teaching me new ways to love and enjoy one of my favorite songs. Also, all of their music is wonderful, I'd love for you to hear "Salty Dog" as well .

[@Johnny_Socko]

I think this is my favorite video that she's ever done. This was the perfect song for her to analyze (and for us to listen to).

[@thumbygreen]

ah yes a salty dog great tune.

[@EmmaPeelman]

Oh yes!!!

[@Ki11erAce]

I did not see this coming today. What a great choice. Thanks for making my day, Amy.

[@falconquest2068]

"As the Miller told his tale..." This song brings a tear to my eye every single time I hear it. It doesn't matter what the lyrics mean. I believe lyrics should mean whatever you individually want them to mean. Music is very much an individual experience in that way.

[@philparmenter53]

The millers tale - part of Geoffrey Chaucers' Canterbury Tales

[@JacoWium]

Agreed. It is quite the same with poetry. The poet wrote the poem with a certain intent, but in terms of its meaning, the poem ultimately belongs to the reader as soon as it is delivered in print. I don't mean it in the sense of the poet not owning the copyright or anything, but rather that the reader may capture an essence of the words that are personal and perhaps unique - which the author cannot deny to the reader. Stating the obvious, but that is why music, poetry and other forms of art move different people in different ways (which oddly, the creator has no control over).

[@hollowslayed4979]

Glad you’ve done this one! Wuthering heights next please.

[@dianefiske-foy4717]

Yes!

[@nhmaze]

Peter Frampton says this is the greatest song ever written.

[@Doo_Doo_Patrol]

well, if peter frampton says so.

[@Carlshanks-p1d]

What do you or Peter Frampton know about music? I know for a fact you've spent your entire adult life farting endlessly into easy chairs and munching on stale nachos.

[@Doo_Doo_Patrol]

@@Carlshanks-p1d That is somewhat strange. Why stale nachos. I can afford fresh nachos.

[@user-oq4jx8mc6r]

As always, Amy. a perceptive review. I love the majestic quality that the organ and vocals bring to this song. If you found this piece interesting, I suggest that you seek out a song called “Nights In White Satin” by a group called The Moody Blues.

[@goosebump801]

Oh, yes please!

[@Johnny_Socko]

I thought the exact same thing when watching this video! I would love for her to do the full album version of Nights in White Satin.

[@davidrauh8118]

Originally it was recorded in mono. This is a re-recording in stereo for their first album. The piano is almost absent and the drumming is different by BJ Wilson.

[@albertwallace5060]

And the mono (as always, up to late 1968) sounds remarkably better. All music of this time was produced for mono pleasure first.

[@jonathan.palfrey]

Thank you. That explains why this performance doesn’t sound quite right to me.

[@MacXpert74]

Right, I was just thinking this is not the original recording. The organ part is a bit different in the original recording. I like the playing in the original more personally.

[@MacXpert74]

@@albertwallace5060 Yeah, I think this re-recording sounds a bit too 'clean' and lacks a little of the 'grit' in the organ sound that's in the original recording. The original just sounds more powerful to me.

[@jamesrowe3606]

I wish they wouldn't try to improve on classic original recordings. As with The Beatles, many hit songs in the 60s were recorded in mono because that was the tech available at the time. They were written and produced for that format and frankly, the many stereofied and remixed versions of those songs lose some of their original magic for me. This version of WSOP doesn't feel like an improvement and it left me slightly cold. Having said that, I very much enjoyed and appreciated Amy's deconstruction and analysis of it. She certainly knows her stuff.

[@69Mucci]

I have always loved this song. It has a very mysterious quality to it. Another song that was an influence on this one was When a Man Loves a Woman by Percy Sledge. It's almost like a combination of the Bach piece and that song, so you should check out that one too. A combination of baroque with a very soulful vocal laid on top. John Lennon was a big fan of the song when it came out.

[@T-bone1950]

Dear Amy, I just remembered something. If you want to hear this song with just the organ and voice, watch the movie "THE COMMITMENTS ". Around the middle of the film someone is practicing the song after hours on a church organ, although with wrong lyrics. I think you will enjoy this entire film about young people in Ireland trying to form an R&B band. The story is great and the music is fantastic, IMO.

[@jeanmarieboucherit7376]

One of the best songs ever.

[@davidrauh8118]

Just to reiterate that you must listen to the 2006 Live recording in Denmark with orchestra and choir. Gary Brooker's voice was like a fine wine that had aged for the better. Amazing.

[@davidshattock9522]

Went out like great boxer still full of power even in advanced.years .RIP

[@DavidSmith-wd4mx]

Gary's voice just got better and better over the years.

[@SeppoHiltunen]

Thank you for your review! If you continue digging in to Procol Harum, I suggest "Salty Dog"!

[@epiphanydrums5427]

The beginning of classical rock, as we began to call it. I saw them live at Loretta heights college field house in Denver, early 70’s. The drummer was the first hard hitter that I had ever seen. I grew up musically a little that night that I watched him ferociously and solidly attack the drums. I had a lot to learn.

[@41Forethought]

Another excellent review, Amy. The vocal and organ countermelodies blew this 16 year old's mind back in '67 and still impresses nearly 60 years on. However, I never realized how important a part the percussion played in linking the two melodies. I've been a fan of Procol Harum ever since A Whiter Shade of Pale was released. I saw them perform on a Friday night in 1967 at San Francisco's Winterland Ballroom during the band's first U.S. tour. (BTW, Pink Floyd was the opening act that night!) Thank you again, Amy, for showing me and others a whole new way of understanding an old favorite!

[@davidjones6389]

This was very special to watch. Thank you.

[@artistjoh]

Thank you so very much for your analysis/appreciation for the musical elements of this composition. As a psychedelic poet I have always focused on the words. It is a poetic exploration of seduction and making love in metaphors. It is in itself, a marvelous poem. I love how it has allusions to Chaucer and classical mythology without crushing the allegorical nature of the work. It is deft, and ever so accessible. Having discovered this masterpiece, it will never leave you. Welcome to decades of people who have become entwined in its magic. Now you know why it was placed alongside Queen's masterpiece.

[@EmmaPeelman]

What a superb and revealing, educational reaction to this wonderful composition. I loved the "digression" into Pachelbel and the original air from Bach's Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D. Oh, and the analysis of the organ line reproduced on that beautiful harp... The one little niggle was the comment about the voice being unremarkable but fitting (true!") for this piece. I think the late and great Gary Brooker had a wonderful voice, so I wholly support the suggestion that Amy would do well to listen to the 2006 live version with the choir in Denmark as well. Thank you very much, Amy!

[@edwardrutledge2765]

This song has aged so well; hopefully forever.

[@kimn9802]

Possibly the most melancholic tune in the history of popular music. Timeless.

[@silgen]

Have a listen to "Who Know Where The Time Goes?" by Fairport Convention. All a matter of opinion, of course, but that's where my money would be.

[@glennkonklin2926]

Nights in White Satin?

[@Xiroi87]

Time, The Alan Parsons Project

[@kimn9802]

@@silgen Know the song extremely well. Check out When I was on Horseback by Steeleye Span. Haunting and sad but brilliant.

[@blechtic]

It's not just the drums. Once again, it's the classic rock thing that the rhythm section, i.e. drums and bass, is the pumping heart, the driving force, the center of the song.

[@gibbonmountainchronicles6367]

First time I came across your channel. This was an amazing experience. I've listened to this song since I was a kid but only now did I "hear" more of it's beauty and complexity thru your analysis. Thank you.

[@antidote7]

Drums definitely add feel, a vibe that is flowing, not rigid.

[@SamZug-n5q]

I'm happy you recognize Wilson's contribution on drums. I'm a longtime Procol Harum fan, and I think Wilson is rock's most under-rated drummer. He never over does it, but frames the music perfectly.

[@peterglynn2128]

Procol Harum. Whiter shade of pale. Absolute Classic !!

[@jackscotto1780]

The live version in Denmark touches your heart

[@unfilthy]

Thanks to Amy, I find myself considering the role the drums play in this song, instead of taking it for granted, which is probably normal, considering this song was written before I was born and so was always part of my background music, so of course it was the way it was, but I'm enjoying this fresh perspective. To me, the drums have a marching/martial flavor to them, and somehow that works to both add to the forward momentum of the song (working with the rockiness without overwhelming the music), and at the same time, the type of "ornamentation" of this style of drumming echoes/complements the Baroque stylings from the organ. I think the drummer did a great job integrating a restrained (but not insignificant or dull) support to the other instruments (including voice). Thank you, Amy, for making me think about it.

[@ianbotha9912]

In the same vein you have the Moody Blues with Knights in White Satin and Forever Autumn.

[@berwynjones7073]

Nights. Justin Hayward wrote the song on the break-up with a girlfriend. He’d probably have been a little alarmed to encounter knights in white satin.

[@TimvanderLeeuw]

Seconding this recommendation - came here to suggest the same! The whole album Days of Future Past is a must-listen, I would say.

[@seajaytea9340]

My thoughts as well. This is a great reaction and analysis. Amy is now primed to listen to Days of Future Passed. Another step in the arranged Rock and Classical marriage. All leading to the Prog music of Yes, Pink Floyd, Genesis, ELP, and so much more.

[@garymaidman625]

It's actually Nights in White Satin, not Knights. Also, Forever Autumn isn't a Moody Blues song, he released it as a solo single after performing it on the War of the Worlds album.

[@paulqueripel3493]

@@garymaidman625 Jeff Wayne originally wrote it for a Lego commercial.

[@pablolara797]

It is interesting to check the hit charts. There was a so-called old european wave of German-speaking musicians Inspired by the success of the Whiter Shade, Johann tried his luck in 1972 and reached, with Joy, the number 6 in the USA. Two years before, and after 39 attempts, "Wolfie" Amadeus reached rank 10 in Europe and 67 in USA. In 1972, a certain Gustav Mahler surpassed Wolfie by conquering rank 6 in USA. Finally, in 1976, and with the help of 757 ml spirit, Ludwig B. got the desired number 1, and for a whole week.

[@altair8598]

Instant click on seeing your choice today! Was going to suggest Brooker's 2006 Denmark performance which was outstanding. I love every element of this song even more since your review - have previously paid little attention to the restrained percussion.Thanks!

[@kenrundle4225]

It's worth remembering that through the fifties and sixties there were no "wireless" programmes really aimed at the post war, newly emerging UK teenagers. BBC ruled , with no commercial competition apart from Stations aimed at US forces overseas and a very faint and hissy Radio Luxembourg. So many of the UK Rock/Pop "legends" in their seventies and eighties today only had "Children's Favourites" on a Saturday morning. A show presented by a very formal sounding "Uncle Mac" who played gramophone records the BBC regarded as suitable for young ears. By luck he happened to be a blues fan ( at that time Jazz based) so , as Eric Clapton and Keith Richards have said in interviews, managed to slip in the odd track by Sonny Boy Williamson etc. However a good deal of the material broadcast was classical ( eg Vienna Boys Choir, Handel's Water Music, Trumpet Voluntary etc) so the future founders of the rock industry all had a background of hearing classical music no matter how much it represented what they were rebelling against. So every now and then it does colour modern writing. As well as being forced to listen to it at school with music appreciation classes. So different now where whole generations grow up in UK and USA only hearing one kind of music via streamed delivery.

[@andyeunson270]

That consistent base line is a great foundation to this song. Base doesn’t get the respect it deserves. It’s like a house. People see the architecture, see the siding and paint, landscaping etc. no one ever says "Nice foundation" but you better have one. Base might be kind of background but so crucial.

[@markspooner1224]

Air on the G String was used in a famous TV advert 'Happiness is a cigar called Hamlet' in Britain from 1966 to 1991 so it was already in the publics consciousness.

[@philparmenter53]

I was going to type that, so you saved me the effort. Thanks

[@markspooner1224]

@@philparmenter53 I didn't go through the 200 odd comments to make sure it hadn't already been said so I'm relieved, thank you too.

[@digitig]

In the Jacques Loussier Trio jazz arrangement, of course.

[@jenniferwettervik4495]

Oh jeez... My grandpa ALWAYS played this song on his electric organ at home, and about 1,5 years ago I got to hear it played on the church organ at his funeral. Everyone cried. Makes me so emotional.

[@deryabak6266]

Fun fact: this was the „song“ of Paul McCartney and Linda Eastman as it was playing the night they started dating in a club in London 🙃

[@mauriziomoretti5392]

So refreshing. One of the best analysis and comment of this masterpiece. If I may add: JSB should be credited amongst the authors, wouldn't have to pay any royalties anyway, JSB died almost 300 years ago. Whiter Shade of Pale to me demonstrates how great music is immortal. The practical demonstration of how the JSB lessons on harmony, tonal centre, counterpoint, reverse canon, melody superposition, etc., is alive and kicking, so much so that rock music can borrow from it and revive those concepts in a modern masterpiece. This ain't plagiarism, Procol Harum just paid respect and a huge tribute to one of the funding fathers (if not THE founding Father) of Western Classical Music. PS: yes I know I know, I should have written Western WHITE Classical Music rooting into the late feudal Judaic-Christian culture, and blah blah... and, btw, for anyone interested on how the original JSB Air on the G string and Whiter Shade of Pale sound like, when juxtaposed, here is an interesting rendering: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oaG3hmOif5qDj7c and the Procol Harum 2006 concert in Denmark, quoted in other comments, where you can experience the first part of Whiter Shade of Pale WITHOUT drums (and the second, when the "60 vestal virgins are leaving for the coast" and the choir kicks in... goosebumps like there's no tomorrows): kzbin.info/www/bejne/iaWZm6x7e8poja8

[@netuno60]

Great song. Very well inspired. Thank you for your analysis, Amy.

[@KitPepper]

This is an outstanding video and I really enjoy and appreciate your attention to every detail in the piece. The triplet at 26:00 that you mentioned, I would describe as the moment in the song where the music almost steps out of it's set mode and becomes human in the emotional sense. Like a heaving of breath to let out the anguish in full force before getting back in step. It's a very "rock thing". Thanks for featuring this great tune. This is without a doubt one of my favorite pop songs of all time.

[@lesgrice4419]

Like all great songs the context is important, 1967, The Beatles, Zappa, Cream, Love, so many psychedelic leaning songs that wafted over the radio and landing in strange ears that had never heard music like this, it was a revolution of the head

[@janpeterbaark7540]

Beatles did take music to some new places as did Jimi Hendrix in this period. But not Zappa who played jazz inspired music or Cream that played blues inspired music.

[@lesgrice4419]

@@janpeterbaark7540 depends whether you'd ever heard music like that before, Radio 1 only started in 67, before that it was Pirate stations or you had to vae a record player, we didn't, people forget how limited were peoples listening opportunities back then, car radios were a luxury

[@bobbys4327]

@@lesgrice4419 KOMA Oklahoma City 50,000 watts of Rock n Roll! The Wolfman out of Mexico kicking out Rock n Roll at 250,000 watts!

[@VeggieGamer]

Absolutely love this song, and seeing you break it down while reacting to it was wonderful! :)

[@michaelsnelling2918]

the voice melody is more or less suspended in mid air … never noticed that until you pointed it out … masterefull example of simplicity embracing complexity

[@evilpenguinmas]

"Simplicity embracing complexity" is perhaps the best single phrase description of baroque music in general and Bach in particular I have ever heard.

[@mrmcphilsconfidential8562]

First started actively listening to rock music in 1967. This song has always been one of the most heart-rending, soft delivery of slow emotional gymnastics. It reached deep enough to touch my autistically distant heart.

[@garycameron8167]

None other than John Lennon said it was one of his favorite songs of the 60s

[@Doo_Doo_Patrol]

so what. that guy was a flake.

[@timrussell9869]

@@Doo_Doo_Patrol Not as big a flake as you though....

[@Doo_Doo_Patrol]

@@timrussell9869 I'm still alive though.

[@timrussell9869]

@@Doo_Doo_Patrol I'm not sure how. Surprised your brain has enough power to trigger a breathing response....

[@Doo_Doo_Patrol]

@@timrussell9869 Are you one of the peaceful loving hippies imagining no heaven? I wish you faith and hope, and you wish me dead. Turn in your Lennon card. The guy was a woman abuser lemon. I remember when he was plugged, and my US government teacher asked the class who this John Lemon fellow is.

[@kphedges1]

Thank you for such a beautiful and enthusiastic examination of this lovely piece of music, I hung on and agreed with every word you said, an absolutely amazing description.

[@t.e.1189]

YES! Can't wait to watch this later. Love the classic rock!

[@c128stuff]

It was such a joy seeing you listen to this, and hearing your comments on this. I have nothing to add to your comments, other than this song having moved me and with me lots of people for as long as I have known the song, which is essentially my entire life.

[@vodkaman1970]

When I think of Hammond organ, this and Deep Purple are what I think of first.

[@rosewoodsteel6656]

I'm glad you touched upon the lyrics. To me the imagery of the words are just as important as the music and they work so well together.

[@GJarr2]

You should give a listen to the live version where they performed with a orchestra and full choir, he was a lot older and his voice seemed to have only got better with maturity.

[@Gr3g3r9]

Gary Brooker had one of the most "natural" voices in rock. I love his contribution to "a concert for George". Old brown shoe is absolutely excellent. Wonderful man.

[@markwatson6579]

Literally a classic !

[@lamarbush2873]

Thanks! Adorable. Charming. Joyful.🎉

[@LeeKennison]

I always love it when you get excited over a piece of music, particularly when it is a classic like this. The Moody Blues have a similar vibe that you will want to check out. Whiter Shade has a bit of a psychedelic vibe that you noticed in the misty and foggy image projected in the lyrics and music. This period of time from the mid 60s to the mid 70s was when a lot of musicians, including the Beatles, were experimenting with psychedelic drugs, which coincidentally or not, was also the most creative period in rock music. Of course a handful of these musicians, such as Pink Floyd's Sid Barret, abused them in excess and destroyed their minds. The Bach "Air on the G String" influence on this really stands out to me. Great reaction!

[@Marnee4191]

Per Wikipedia, Syd's being mentally ill is in dispute. I don't know if there is any info that is more accurate. I don't always believe everything I read on Wikipedia, of course. Interestingly to me, his sister said he was autistic. Being autistic, he could easily have suffered bouts of "autistic burnout", which can mean days, weeks, months, or years of struggle, on top of the normal daily struggles. I'm autistic, and can't imagine the incredible stress it would be to be a touring musician while being autistic, especially if undiagnosed, because everyone misunderstands you and you misunderstand yourself and keep trying to "fix" yourself and "act normal". I recently came out of about an 8 year burnout session. Hopefully it will never happen for more than a couple of days for the rest of my life, now that I understand myself much better and can look out for myself. I am pretty sure there is no thorough research on the effects of psychedelics on an autistic person's mind. Autistic people are often taken advantage of and misunderstood, even these days when they are more likely to have a diagnosis. There are many cases of autistic people being thrown into mental institutions, even though it's not a mental illness.

[@LeeKennison]

@@Marnee4191 Thanks for all the great info Marnee and for sharing your experiences. I didn't know all of that about Syd. I often think that I may be on the spectrum since I match a lot of the characteristics of Asperger's. Yeah, I know you can't believe everything on Wikipedia, but it is better than my own faulty memory that is often based on old rock legends which aren't always accurate. I tend to use Wikipedia to confirm my old memories.

[@Marnee4191]

@LeeKennison Everything you said about Syd was what I had always heard over the years. I suspect we'll never know the true story in full, when his band mates and family are saying such disparate things. I only was diagnosed about six years ago, but after over 20 years of people saying I may be autistic (even before the recent trendiness of it). Aspergers is now lumped under Autism Spectrum Disorder, FYI. It was because there wasn’t a clear enough distinction and because they realized that people with Aspergers had a lot more struggles than previously thought. It was always considered a type of autism, FYI, unlike some myths would have it. If you're struggling and van manage it, you might want to get evaluated. It was life changing for me. I didn't really get any specific help, but knowing allowed me to start helping myself in effective ways, instead of fighting with myself.

[@LeeKennison]

@@Marnee4191 I almost joked that I only thought I had it since it was the trendy thing these days.😉 I did start suspecting it several years ago before it became trendy (at least in my awareness). I had a friend who was diagnosed who thought I fit a lot of the criteria. I have never had any inclination to get diagnosed since I am just fine with the traits I have, even if they are not considered normal by society. The main thing with me is that I get hyper-focused on one thing to the exclusion of everything else, until I eventually lose interest in that thing and then find something else that I get focused on. To the point of not socializing with others, even though I enjoy socializing. I just typically would rather be doing whatever has peaked my curiosity, so I naturally tend to be more of a loner type, but overall I'm content which is what matters to me.

[@Johro66]

Great reaction! And yes absolutely the drums are key in all of this

[@ForbiddTV]

You are going to love Conquistador as well.

[@davidcarter4247]

I very much enjoy your reactions. They are considered and detailed without being so deep as to lose a non-musician such as me. I like your open-minded approach , your experience and understanding unrestrained by preconceptions and classic musician elitism. Thank you Songs such of this came classic from a wonderful blooming of musical creativity in the 1960s and 1970s. That era was coming out of a time when songwriting and performing were so often seen as separate occupations. If Elvis ever wrote a song I am not aware of it. Performers were directed, sometimes tightly so, by managers and record companies. Those on stage were told what to perform and how to perform it. These shackles were steadily broken in the 1960s. The Beatles were prolific songwriter/performers but in the early days guided their management. By the other end of the 1960s bands such as Led Zeppelin emerged. Management's role was limited to financial and organisation matters. The band itself had total creative control and that included fulfilling the role of record producer. Without this freedom there would have been no Stairway to Heaven or Dark Side of the Moon.

[@dancurran8977]

They must have played this song when I saw them with Dr. John at the Anaheim Convention Center in 1973 but I only remember "Conquistador." It was a long time ago!

[@JacoWium]

I so wish I could have experienced 'Conquistador' live - it is the perfect song for a band to really crack their musical knuckles on stage. From what I've seen of their live shows (on the internet), Procol Harum was truly good at that. And then with the brilliant Dr. John too - what a memory it must be for you!

[@dancurran8977]

​@@JacoWium It was my first rock concert so I didn't know what to expect! I won the tickets by calling in to a radio station. I really enjoyed it

[@antonythurston299]

A great explanation, thank you! The phrasing that you refer to liking in the 28th minute comes from Bach’s “Sleepers, Wake!” You knew this already and I am sure it was on the tip of your tongue! Keep up the fantastic analysis.

[@jerryhelm7848]

Another piece featuring the massive sound pallet provided by the ubiquitous and incomparable Hammond B3. We've heard it from Tower of Power, Emmerson Lake and Palmer, Yes among many many others. It's unique variety of voice customization options make it widely used keyboards to this day, even though it hasn't been manufactured since 1975. Next to guitar it may be the most heard melodic voice in rock, jazz. R&B, blues, roller rink background music and gospel, among others. Rock music would be very different without it.

[@MacXpert74]

Yes the Hammond B3 is a legendary instrument. Today the sound is indeed still used, but often not played on a real Hammond B3 though, as there are a lot of different keyboards and VST plug-ins that can emulate its sound pretty good, and are much easier to use in live or studio environments.

[@xers999]

I bet this song will be played and appreciated by many 100 years from now.

[@CoolCoyote]

yeah well 67' was a special year for music, sort of a pinnacle moment where they were starting to get back to their roots a bit more, the 60's was about yeah 'this is the alternative man' where you lost your roots, but they found out that it wasn't what they wanted after all. 70's they got back into their roots more. this song is simply the greatest 60's anthem ever imo the words say it all. btw you actually got the wrong version. you wanted the remaster version with maximum clarity and cleaner

[@davidbutcher5295]

It's a stunning song/piece of music, overwhelming and uplifting at the same time and Keith Reid's lyrics cannot be easily dismissed in the same way that part of the fascination of Steely Dan is their enigmatic verse. I can see Gary Brooker up there sitting down with Bach and saying 'well this is a Hammond 3C and had you been born 300 years later.... My father, back in 1964, used to say yes but these songs have not stood the test of time and yet here we are some 60 years later discussing this one and Bach nodding with approval

[@rosmeeker1964]

What did the miller say to make her face turn that pale? (The miller's tale is part of the Canterbury tales by Chaucer. Not that this really helps.) I have a very worn old yellowed copy of this sheet music. It says 40c on the front. I still enjoy playing it.

[@eh1702]

The “Miller’s Tale” in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales is a farcical tale of a wife being caught in adultery - two different guys catching each other…but there’s very zero sympathy in it for the cuckolded man. I have no clue if this helps. Some say it relates in any way to the song-writer’s life at the time but me, I think the whole thing is less specific, I feel like Amy’s hunch is right on that. It’s the way you remember certain key drunken or otherwise intense episodes in life, where nothing visibly *happened*, necessarily, no big event, but looking back it is somehow really typical of that time, but also you can see things went on in a different direction after that, or were framed in a different way. One of the first phrases in it is “skipped the light fandango”, which echoes a British idiom “trip the light fantastic” (i.e. dance) which turns up a couple of times in the blind poet John Milton’s work. (Light is nimble, carefree - but in terms of personal character, to be “light” up to about the 19th C was to be frivolous hedonistic. And “fantastic” had the default meaning of fantastical, even grotesque.). So in the song it is a play on all of those, I think. The ambiguities are built in. To me, it’s a broad-brush impression of a pub night out, where there’s not a hard and fast division between performers and audience. (This kind of thing largely disappeared with the advent of corporate ownership and continuous piped music in pubs by the 1980s.) And a time of life. Something pivotal is in the air. In retrospect anyway.

[@rosmeeker1964]

@@eh1702 Thank you for threshing a bit more of it out for me!

[@eh1702]

@@rosmeeker1964 Well, please don’t take my word as gospel, it’s all very subjective - everyone has their own take on it, really. Which is a huge part of its lyrical magic.

[@Wuppie62]

The memories...Imagine the millions of teenagers (me being one of them) and people who were in love who slow-danced in a close embrace to this tune.. I can still remember the scent and the butterflies of those first romantic encounters. :)

[@peterzimmer9549]

Procol Harum: Conquistador with the Edmonton Symphony orchestra 1971