Procol Harum are icons. This song is iconic. Gray Brooker never lost his voice over the years. Check out the original video and you will see what I mean. Gary passed away 2 years ago. RIP Gary. You will be so very missed!
Thx De King!! - The amount of musical talent on that stage is staggering. IMO one of the greatest LIVE musical performances in history. Gary Brooker in his 60's here - may he rest in peace - never sounded better. His vocals were insanely good. This was 39 years after they dropped the original, when they were kids. Lucy's version is totally beautiful & the best cover of this song I have heard. But a full hat tip to Gary, Procol Harum, the Choir and the Danish National Orchestra - this is an absolute Musical Masterpiece for the ages!!!!!
Watch the colour official video of the original group singing this in the 60s. This will give you a taste of that incredible period. It was one of the greatest songs from England in that period.
This song and "Unchained Melody" by the Righteous Brothers are the two best live performances of all time (imho). Number three would be Elvis "If I Can Dream". Great reaction brother. 🙏
This concert was filmed at the Ledreborg Castle in Denmark w-the Royal Danish Concert Orchestra. It has been "the most-played song in public places of the last 75 years." There have been some misconceptions surrounding the meaning of the song - see ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Pf73XwiZIFQ.html for the interview w-composer/lead singer Gary Brooker & writer Keith Reid. Gary was founder of the band begun in '67; he passed away in February of 2022, Keith passed in March of 2023. It is also said that Reid was "going to reveal the true meaning before he died" but he died before he explained anything. Many people believe it was about a drunken one-night stand. Contrary to popular belief, the song is not a direct copy or paraphrase of any music by Bach but was inspired by & does reference Bach's "Sleepers, Wake!" and "Air on the G String!" As per Reid, the line "as the miller told his tale" is definitely not a reference to Chaucer's Miller's Tale. Reid has repeatedly explained he had never read The Canterbury Tales when he wrote A Whiter Shade of Pale. Procol Harum is said to be the name of a friend's cat. The name is a mis-spelling of the Latin phrase Procul Harun (roughly meaning "far beyond these things"), or that it was a corruption of Procellarm, a vast ocean on the Moon. In Roman Times Vestal Virgins were priestesses and acquired their name after Vesta, the goddess of the hearth and home. It was their duty to not only keep the home fires burning but to also remain a virgin for 30 years. AMAZING SONG - AMAZING GARY! COURT CASE: Matthew Fisher, a founding member and the organist of Procol Harum, won a High Court battle over who wrote “A Whiter Shade of Pale.” He played organ on the 1967 recording of the hit, which was long credited to lead singer Gary Brooker and lyricist Keith Reid, and Fisher argued that he wrote the distinctive organ melody. And on December 20, 2006, Justice William Blackburne ruled that Fisher was entitled to 40 percent of the copyright. Fisher had wanted half (50%) but the court decided that lead singer Gary Brooker’s input was more substantial.
I love this performance! For a another great singer please try this guy who is a cross between Bob Marley and Otis Reading…. PAOLO NUTINI “Iron Sky” live Abbey Road Studios ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ELKbtFljucQ.htmlsi=lKVGMWmeIw2KW5tk This song is his original and is definitely a cry to humanity! 💯🔥🔥🔥🔥
