What is "Whiter Shade of Pale" about?*

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Criminy pete, Sep 1, 2015.

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  1. Davido

    Davido ...assign someone to butter your muffin?

    Location:
    Austin
    Willie Nelson made some minor yet interesting changes when he and Waylon recorded the song in 1982. I could swear that the "miller" becomes a "mirror" in his country version. Would love to know for sure.
     
  2. ajsmith

    ajsmith Senior Member

    Location:
    Glasgow
    Well, even if so, that's still a more sexual theme than the shorter version!
     
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  3. triple

    triple Senior Member

    Location:
    Zagreb, Croatia
    I am obviously not a native speaker, so finer detail escapes me, however both WSOP and Hotel California have the same vibe that I can only see being induced by illegal substances.
     
  4. Raunchnroll

    Raunchnroll Senior Member

    Location:
    Seattle
    It obliquely addresses the development of writing paper, imported from the east, by sea.
     
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  5. Arnold Grove

    Arnold Grove Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC
    Is that true? Any source?
     
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  6. Glenn Christense

    Glenn Christense Foremost Beatles expert... on my block

    I'd be interested in a source for this story also. I've read pretty much everything written about the Beatles and never read about this, but I haven't read all that much about Procol Harum,so...
     
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  7. Grant

    Grant Life is a rock, but the radio rolled me!

    Or, maybe it really is just random lyrics.

    Some songwriters really hate it when people dissect their lyrics, and some listeners aren't comfortable unless they know what a song is about, as they don't want to listen to something that goes against their beliefs.
     
  8. Thomas Casagranda

    Thomas Casagranda Forum Resident

    It's a great song, but Brooker / Reid trump it with Salty Dog
     
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  9. Grant

    Grant Life is a rock, but the radio rolled me!

    I don't see it as sexual.
     
  10. Arnold Grove

    Arnold Grove Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC
    Yes, it seems to be a cool story, but it might or might not be true. There are so many tall-tales related to the Fabs that I tend to be suspicious of stories that are "too good to be true".

    If you are you reading this thread, Mark, please let us know --- (Mr. Lewisohn, that is). ;)
     
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  11. Marvin

    Marvin Senior Member

    It's included in this page (interview with Gary Brooker):

    http://www.procolharum.com/gb_beatle-2003.htm

    I think I originally read this (and other of Brooker's Beatles-related memories) in a fan club (Shine On) newsletter that used to be published. It was early '99 right before he went on tour with Ringo's All Starrs so that was the reason for the question.

    They reprinted, apparently, some of the newsletters at procolharum.com but so far I haven't found that one.

    There actually is a pretty good book on Procol: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Procol-Harum-Ghosts-Whiter-Shade/dp/1780382332/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
    though I don't recall offhand if this story is in that book.
    (Just checked: it's there, probably taken from the above interview.)
     
    Last edited: Sep 1, 2015
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  12. John B Good

    John B Good Forum Hall Of Fame

    Location:
    NS, Canada
    Plays nicely with White Room and White Rabbit :)
     
  13. Glenn Christense

    Glenn Christense Foremost Beatles expert... on my block

    Thanks for digging up your source. It seems pretty odd that the Beatles were in the store and just happened to be playing and singing the song on a harmonium at the exact time the Procol guys walked in , but hey...it was the 6o's. :D
     
  14. Glenn Christense

    Glenn Christense Foremost Beatles expert... on my block

    and White Bird. :p
     
  15. krisjay

    krisjay Psychedelic Wave Rider

    Location:
    Maine
    Some have said it is about a couple on the night of the Titanic sinking. Hey, why not, songs can mean whatever they mean to you.
     
  16. Marvin

    Marvin Senior Member

    In that Procol book I listed, it says that Keith Reid approached Jack Bruce to be Cream's lyricist, before hooking up with Gary Brooker. Pete Brown said that as a result of Cream turning Reid down, Cream got a White Room instead of a Whiter Shade of Pale.
     
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  17. madpanic

    madpanic Forum Resident

    It's about... four minutes and ten seconds :D
     
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  18. Holy Diver

    Holy Diver Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    I love the song, but I love the live Conquistador even more.
     
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  19. Millington

    Millington Forum Resident

    It is a song about selling paint by ICI/Dulux
     
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  20. buzzzx

    buzzzx Forum Resident

    Location:
    Cal.
    I came here to say that. A real Dad joke!
     
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  21. Marvin

    Marvin Senior Member

    Similar quote in a different interview:

    http://www.procolharum.com/gb_so_int.htm
     
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  22. Arnold Grove

    Arnold Grove Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC
  23. Arnold Grove

    Arnold Grove Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC
    Yes, that is a funny "coincidence". Unless someone told the Fabs that the guys from Procol were coming into the shop in 5 minutes, and so they worked up a quick version.
     
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  24. Marvin

    Marvin Senior Member

    I guess we'll have to trust Gary Brooker's memory for this.

    Though as they say: if you remember the '60s, you weren't there...
     
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  25. Arnold Grove

    Arnold Grove Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC
    I believe Gary. He was overly honest in not being able to recall many of the other things in that interview related to the Beatles.
     
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