Terug

A Whiter Shade Of Pale [Maxi-Single]

Procol Harum

1967

jaar
Top 40

1

piekpositie
Top 40

25

weken
Top 40

760

punten
Top 40

youtube video placeholder

Songinfo

A Whiter Shade Of Pale is de eerst uitgebrachte single van Procol Harum; het bleek achteraf ook hun succesvolste in Nederland. De muziek, geschreven door Gary Brooker en Matthew Fisher, is een mengeling van popmuziek met klassieke muziek, met name de muziek van Johann Sebastian Bach. Het zou hierbij gaan om "Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme" (BWV 140). Ook zou When A Man Loves A Woman van Percy Sledge van invloed zijn geweest. De teksten van Keith Reid waren in die dagen voor velerlei uitleg vatbaar. Hij bleek de titel gehoord te hebben tijdens een feestje en bouwde daar een lied omheen, waarvan de interpretatie onduidelijk bleef. Pas bij het verschijnen van boeken over de begindagen van de band en over Reid zelf kwam er enig licht: het zou gaan om een gesprek dat uiteindelijk leidde tot de seksuele daad. Het was het eerste nummer dat tot tweemaal toe de eerste plaats in de Top 40 bereikte. De eerste keer 5 weken in 1967 en de tweede keer 3 weken in 1972.

A-kant Titel

A Whiter Shade Of Pale [Maxi-Single]

A-kant Lengte

4:10 [1972]

A-kant Componist(en)

Reed, Booker [1967] / G. Brooker, K. Reid [1972]

A-kant Producer(s)

Denny Cordell for New Breed Productions [1967]

B-kant titel

Lime Street Blues [1967] / Homburg ; Conquistador [1972]

B-kant lengte

3:52 ; 2:32 [1972]

B-kant componist(en)

Reed, Booker [1967] / G. Brooker, K. Reid [1972]

B-kant producer(s)

Denny Cordell for New Breed Productions [1967]

Platenlabel

Deram ((1967)) / Cube ((1972))

Catalogusnr

DM 126 [1967] / 2016 020 [1972]

Hoogste positie UK

1 & 6 & 22

Hoogste positie US

5 & 34 & 16

Album

Procol Harum

Luister de Top 40-hits Luister de Top 40 op Spotify

Songtekst

We skipped a light fandango,
Turned cartwheels 'cross the floor.
I was feeling kind of seasick,
But the crowd called out for more.
The room was humming harder,
As the ceiling flew away.
When we called out for another drink,
The waiter brought a tray.

And so it was that later,
As the miller told his tale,
That her face at first just ghostly,
Turned a whiter shade of pale.

She said there is no reason,
And the truth is plain to see
That I wandered through my playing cards,
And would not let her be
One of sixteen vestal virgins
Who were leaving for the coast.
And although my eyes were open,
They might just as well have been closed.

And so it was later,
As the miller told his tale,
That her face at first just ghostly,
Turned a whiter shade of pale.


SONGTEKST HOMBURG

Your multilingual business friend
has packed her bags and fled
Leaving only ash-filled ashtrays
and the lipsticked unmade bed
The mirror on reflection
has climbed back upon the wall
for the floor she found descended
and the ceiling was too tall

Your trouser cuffs are dirty
and your shoes are laced up wrong
you'd better take off your homburg
'cos your overcoat is too long

The town clock in the market square
stands waiting for the hour
when its hands they both turn backwards
and on meeting will devour
both themselves and also any fool
who dares to tell the time
And the sun and moon will shatter
and the signposts cease to sign


SONGTEKST CONQUISTADOR

Conquistador your stallion stands
in need of company
and like some angel's haloed brow
you reek of purity
I see your armour-plated breast
has long since lost its sheen
and in your death mask face
there are no signs which can be seen

And though I hoped for something to find
I could see no maze to unwind

Conquistador a vulture sits
upon your silver shield
and in your rusty scabbard now
the sand has taken seed
and though your jewel-encrusted blade
has not been plundered still
the sea has washed across your face
and taken of its fill

And though I hoped for something to find
I could see no maze to unwind

Conquistador there is no time
I must pay my respect
and though I came to jeer at you
I leave now with regret
and as the gloom begins to fall
I see there is no, only all
and though you came with sword held high
you did not conquer, only die

And though I hoped for something to find
I could see no maze to unwind

Alle Top 40-hits

Details Dua Lipa - Dance The Night
Details Anne-Marie feat. Shania Twain - Unhealthy
Details Cassö, Raye & D-Block Europe - Prada
Details Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike x David Guetta x Afro Bros (with Akon) - She Knows
Details Suzan & Freek & Claude - Vas-Y (Ga Maar)
Details Tate McRae - Greedy
Details Kenya Grace - Strangers
Details Post Malone - Chemical
Details Doja Cat - Paint The Town Red
Details Nathan Dawe, Joel Corry & Ella Henderson - 0800 Heaven
Details Nothing But Thieves - Overcome
Details Lost Frequencies - The Feeling
Details Calvin Harris & Sam Smith - Desire
Details Teddy Swims - Lose Control
Details Peggy Gou - It Goes Like Nanana
Details Rondé - Break My Heart
Details Alok & Ava Max - Car Keys (Ayla)
Details OneRepublic - Runaway
Details Luke Combs - Fast Car
Details Niklas Dee & Old Jim ft. Enny-Mae - Not Fair
Details Bebe Rexha & David Guetta - One In A Million
Details Marshmello & Farruko - Esta Vida
Details Miley Cyrus - Used To Be Young
Details Kris Kross Amsterdam, Sofia Reyes & Tinie Tempah - How You Samba
Details Tiësto - Drifting
Details Olivia Rodrigo - Vampire
Details Di-Rect - OMG It's Happening
Details P!nk - Runaway
Details Taylor Swift - Cruel Summer
Details Douwe Bob - This World Is Our Home
Details Kylie Minogue - Padam Padam
Details Nick Schilder - Shatterproof
Details Billie Eilish - What Was I Made For?
Details Troye Sivan - Rush
Details Chef'Special - Miracles
Details Sera - Best Friend
Details Olivia Rodrigo - Get Him Back!
Details Racoon - Nickel For Goodbye
Details Snelle - Radio
Details R3hab, Inna & Sash! - Rock My Body