Hats off for the Danish National Symphonic Orchestra and Choir for putting on these free concerts in the park for the Danish people, they are a next level Otchestra
Sometimes we get better as we age. Also, after the initial piano, the next keyboard used is a Hammond B-3 organ. It is connected to a Leslie speaker, which is a speaker that rotates inside a cabinet. You'll notice that the artist occasionally has his left hand on a switch located just left of the lower keyboard. This switch changes the speed of the spinning speaker. The faster the speed, the more tremolo. When the speed is slower, it gives a very slow tremolo - more of a church type of sound. He's switching back and forth during the performance. He starts out with a very slow spinning speaker, but changes it to fast later in the song. BTW - excellent reaction.
Gary Brooker was 61 in 2006. I love the maturity & slight rasp his voice developed with age. A slow dance song during my high school years. Class of 1969. ❤ I love these reaction videos. Everyone’s eyes fly open when Gary starts to sing. The same happens when the Hammond organ begins. 🙌🏼
This is the original (I dont think anyone famous has ever covered it) "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.
Gary Brooker's voice only got better with age. Like a fine whiskey and tobacco sound. He was brilliant and greatly missed after his passing a couple of years ago. This particular performance has become iconic for Procol Harum devotees. It still gives me goosebumps, especially when the Hammond organ begins to play and the last big wind-up in the vocals. Brilliant!
This clip was worth listening to solely to appreciate your first-time reaction to it. I had the pleasure of interacting personally with Procol Harum when they first toured the USA in 1967-68 (Gary Brooker, Matthew Fisher, Robin Tower, David Knights, BJ Wilson, Keith Reid). I hope that you have since discovered more of their music.
Procol Harum was a supremely talented and underrated group that were pioneers of progressive rock. They could mesh well with orchestras, or rock hard with Robin Trower, who left the group because he wanted to focus on rock and less on the organ-based stuff. Compare this to hard rockers "Memorial Drive" off of their Broken Barricades album, or "Juicy John Pink", off their masterpiece album, "A Salty Dog", which is another awesome majestic piece of heavenly music as the title song. "Too Much Between Us" is a sad but beatiful ballad off that same album. They were a unique and gifted group, one of my absolute favoirites from the sixties!
This was John Lennon's favorite song, Wow, this performance is truly a modern masterpiece, reminiscent of the works of Johann Sebastian Bach. Every time I listen to it, I get goosebumps running up my arm and back. Such a powerful rendition of "Whiter Shade of Pale" by Procol Harum! 🎶✨
Gary Brooker was 61 in 2006. I love the maturity & slight rasp his wonderful voice developed with age. A great slow dance song during my high school years. Class of 1969. ❤ I love these reaction videos. Everyone’s eyes fly open when Gary starts to sing. The same happens when the Hammond organ begins. 🙌🏼
I discovered Procol Harum in the 1980s, long after they had originally split up. I now have all their albums and know most of the songs off by heart. They've been a huge part of my life. I still get quite emotional when I watch people discovering the power of Gary's voice for the first time!
This is The Danish National Symphony Orchestra supporting the band Procal Harum in there absolute best hit song from the 1960's. It is fenominal, as you said.
Gary Brooker is 60 years old at the time of this performance. He died in February 2022. I think his voice is stronger here than when he debuted this song at age 21 in 1967.
The special significance of this performance: Whiter Shade of Pale was the theme song of Copenhagen's 1967 summer, playing every night at the International Club and that city's other under-21 clubs. You can be sure, because of that, that this song has a special significance to dozens, maybe hundreds, of the Danes in the audience. I was there that summer, for nine days, and this song brings back such memories of the girl on the boat and the dazzling blonde in the white dress at the Lyons Tea stand, watching me for the last 20 yards of my walk toward her. Oh to be young in Copenhagen in that year, the famous "Summer of Love."
I had this album many decades ago as a young man, and singer Gary Booker is in fine form here, demonstrating a fantastic ability to simply "float" his voice overtop of all that beautiful rich background...and it all works like magic. This one never fails to do it for me. The only possible thing that could have made this performance more enchanting would have been at night under a blanket of twinkling lights.
Thank you for your kind words. I’m a 70 year old Granny that still gets tears streaming down my face every time I hear it. Another song you might enjoy from them is “Salty Dog”. ❤
I was maybe 12 years old when I heard this first. It made me dance and feel in my dark childs room I went on to Peter Gabriel and this defined my future, made me who I am as a man!
If you enjoyed "Whiter Shade of Pale," I am sure you will also love "Nights in White Satin" performed by the Moody Blues Live at Royal Albert Hall in London. Same recipe that made this video loved around the world - powerful singer, top notch musicians in the band, a killer song, and a full orchestra to boot! Appreciate it if you could add it to your playlist!
I loved watching your reaction to this one, you are so passionate about music but this one got you even more fired up than usual! I suspect this will be on your playlist from here on out!
@@theneverenderreacts His voice and the the music too, are mesmerizing! So I understand! I've watched every reactor I can find, this song just doesn't get old! Thank you for your reply!
Welcome to the finest band ever in my opinion so well accompanied by Orchestra and choir in this wonderful performance. This was easily their biggest hit but they have so many more great songs believe me. Maybe you could try A Salty Dog or Grand Hotel for starters, will watch out to see if you react to more Procol Harum songs.
You are right this is better than the original version, the Danish National orchestra are brilliant and are my favourite orchestra, the way this song is layered is brilliant and one of my favourite of all time live performances, thank you.
This 2006 concert was filmed at 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, co-written by Keith Reid & Matthew Fisher. Gary was founder of the band began in '67; he passed away in February of 2022, Keith passed in March of this yr. 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'd 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 noddess of the hearth and home to keen the home fires burning. It was their duty to not only remain a virgin for 30 years but they were to keep Vesta's sacred fire burning. Amazing song, amazing Gary. (The flute can look similar to the clarinet but the flute is a side blown instrument -- i.e., see the flutist on Elvis Presley's "American Trilogy" song from Hawaii.) Gary was 61 here -- proves natural talent is rarely if ever lost, sometimes improves with age as the voice can become richer & with no mechanical help such as auto-tune. Thank you.
@@georgelynch6139 the DN Symphony Orchestra is the principal orchestra of DR (Danish Broadcasting Corporation) based at the Concert Hall in Copenhagen.
Bro, I have listened to many responses to this song, but I loved your response the best, because you are 100% genuine & honest!!!! Thank you! I LIked & subed! Please check out GREEN EYED LADY (long version) by SUGARLOAF.
Great reaction video! First time viewer here (🤔 just might have to subscribe if you do more of this quality) 👍 I have some comments, interpreting the lyrics of this song which gives it even a deeper dimension - I will share that at the end of this - (and sorry for this detailed commentary, but I think you will find it helpful if you listen to the song again and/or share it with others). (By the way, at the orchestral intro, the lady was playing an oboe). Gary Brooker’s incredible singing in this live performance matched - or perhaps even exceeded - the quality of the original 1967 recording that took place 40 years earlier. The band’s name comes from a couple of possible sources. One of the band members in ‘67 had a cat named Procol Harum. This is Latin for “Far beyond these things”…. Personally, I think they named the band after the cat. 😁 This song and about 3 or 4 others defined the sound and the scene that was the “Summer of Love”. Unfortunately, that beautiful era only lasted about three years…. Innocence lost - marked by another outdoor concert in December ‘69 at Altamont - The Rolling Stones - they hired the Hells Angels motorcycle gang to be their “security” force - 4 people died that night. However, great music continued to come out from the late 60s all through to the mid 90s. But 1967 through Woodstock 1969 was magic. There has been much debate/misunderstanding regarding the lyrics. I believe I can unlock the mystery for you. The lyrics are mostly metaphorical. The song is about a young couple who are attending a party perhaps at a ballroom - maybe even on a ship. They were either entertainers for the crowd, or they were just part of the crowd dancing….”We skipped the Light Fandango” but instead did “cartwheels across the floor”, implying that they were having a great time, perhaps even on their way to getting drunk. The room seem to be shaking apart as they “ordered another drink”, but the waiter brought a tray of many drinks. As the night wore on, the young man was fast becoming interested in having a more private intimate time with this young girl…. But yet even through her near drunkenness, she sensed it, and became frightened. As the young man shuffled through his “playing cards” - a metaphor for looking for that winning hand to convince her to go with him - she again was unable or unwilling to give into him. Even as he told her stories, and lies about himself to impress and take advantage of her she knew she was potentially headed for trouble as “The truth was plain to see”. The vestal virgin metaphor clearly implied that she was young, inexperienced, and not ready for what she feared was his ultimate intent. But he kept on with his tales and lies, and he “would not let her be”…..ramping up the pressure on her to give in. This frightened her tremendously. I know that Gary Brooker and his cowriter actually wrote two more verses, that were never studio recorded (except that there are a few other live performances by Procol Harum that include the 3rd & 4th verse - which makes an otherwise spectacular pop song from the late ‘60’s way too long and it becomes tedious to listen to). The 3rd & 4th verses are also full of images and metaphors which keep the listener always a bit unsure how that story ends. Again, I want to say your reaction video was excellent. Well done
you forgot to mention "as a miller told his tale", referring to Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales (written around 1380s): The tale of the Miller (2nd chapter if I remember well) focuses on the tendencies of its characters to make mistakes over and over again, rather than their noble actions and Chaucer, through the voice of the miller, creates comic tension by including a rival lover to the conventional fabliau.
@@mickeycz - Thanks for mentioning this 👍 The singer/songwriter, Gary Brooker, was asked quite a few years ago specifically about that line in the song, but he said that he never read Chaucer’s CANTERBURY TALES. That is hard for me to believe (and I’m guessing you would agree with me….in doubting that Brooker wasn’t familiar with Chaucer’s work) - but that is a documented quote from Brooker. Regardless, I actually did refer to it (without specifically mentioning the possible connection with Chaucer’s ‘Miller told his tale’ line). If you reread my comment, you will see that I mentioned twice in my interpretation of the lyrics that the young man, putting pressure on the young lady, was telling her lies and tales to try to impress her. Thanks again, Mickeycz, for bringing this up. Songs like these from that (temporarily) magical “hippie” era of the late 60s, were iconic in their styles & melodies -.and also full of lyrics open to vast interpretation.
A phenomenal vocalist, aside from the fact that everything here plays, resonates and intermingles. But without Brooker's slightly husky, pained voice, it wouldn't even be perfect. It is he - in addition to the lyrics - who accounts for a certain mysteriousness that Procol Harum served us.
Amo essa canção parabéns pela sua emoção.nao entendo sua língua mais pela sua reação parece que é a minha, maravilha de música . vocal ,solo , instrumentos que intérprete maravilhoso😢
Please, it's an organist not a Pianist. Called a Hammond Organ. Typical for the late 60's early 70's and one of my favorite instruments. Grew up with that shi* ad a child. Still love it...
Procol Harum were contemporaries of the Beatles, early Bee Gees, Rolling Stones, the Who and other great late 60's groups. edit: just noticed the guitarist kind of looks like Brian May of Queen but i'm sure it's not him.
Oh i had to click. Knew you would love this. Come on now, by now, you know the original is just as beautuful. The video has a tinge of sadness with it. Changing inside yet with this music? No? You will, it's all ready happening. We probably should suggest REO, " roll with the changes." Blackfoot, " Highway Song, Train Train." Ram Jam, " Black Betty." Pat Benatar, Whitney Houston, Stevie Nicks, " gyspsy, edge of 17, stand back, rhianna." B52, " the groove is in the house."
