A Whiter Shade of Pale - Procol Harum

A Whiter Shade of Pale
Music written by: Matthew Fisher, Gary Brooker
Lyrics written by: Keith Reid
Comments: According to some it is inspired on the aria from Bach's Orchestral Suite in D, BWV 1068, more commonly known as the "Air for the G String". An analysis of both pieces has been made by Bernard S. Greenberg in "Does "A Whiter Shade" quote Bach?". It took a lawsuit by Fisher to get his co-composition credit validated.


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Lyrics:
We skipped the 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
But 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 that later
As the mirror told its tale
That her face, at first just ghostly
Turned a whiter shade of pale

And so it was

Singers:
1. Procol Harum (billboard hot 100) 1967 2. Alton Ellis 1967 3. Jackie Mittoo 1967 4. King Curtis & The Kingpins 1967 5. Noel Harrison 1967 6. Trudy Pitts 1967 7. Charlie Chalmers 1967 8. Bobby Johnson and The Atoms 1967 9. Big Jim Sullivan 1967 10. Raymond Lefèvre et son grand orchestre 1967 11. Dave Antony's Moods June 1967 12. [Unknown Studio Artist(s)] August 1967 13. The Everly Brothers August 1967 14. The Box Tops November 1967 15. The Hesitations 1968 16. The Keith Mansfield Orchestra 1968 17. Louis Van Dyke 1968 18. Freddie McCoy 1968 19. Hugh Masekela 1968 20. The Golden Cups March 10, 1968 21. Johnny Rivers June 1968 22. Pat Williams 1969 23. The Dells 1969 24. Shorty Long August 1969 25. R.B. Greaves 1970 26. The Congregation 1972 27. Sinfonia '72 1972 28. Sylvester and The Hot Band 1973 29. Herbie Mann 1974 30. James Last 1974 31. Zulema 1975 32. Klaus Wunderlich 1976 33. Munich Machine Introducing Chris Bennett 1978 34. Joe Cocker 1978 35. Fausto Papetti 1978 36. Anthony Ventura and His Orchestra 1980 37. New Jordal wingers 1980 38. Bonnie Tyler 1981 39. Kai Bennett 1982 40. Willie Nelson February 1982 41. The Shadows 1983 42. Doug Sahm/Sir Douglas Quintet feat. Bob Dylan 1984 43. Hagar Schon Aaronson Shrieve 1984 44. Anthony Ventura 1984 45. Eugene Chadbourne 1985 46. Richard Clayderman 1988 47. Doro 1989 48. AMIGA Studio Orchester 1989 49. Puhdys 1989 50. Justin Hayward October 4, 1989 51. Lars Roos 1992 52. Tom Constanten 1992 53. Arlen Roth 1993 54. Riot 1993 55. Louis van Dijk & The London Studio Orchestra 1993 56. Homeboyz feat. Alan J. 1995 57. Stefan Nicolaï 1995 58. Annie Lennox March 1995 59. Kaare Norge 1997 60. John Farnham 1998 61. The Wailing Souls September 15, 1998 62. Flemming Bamse Jørgensen 1999 63. Helge & The Firefuckers 1999 64. Michael Bolton November 16, 1999 65. Micha Marah Band 2000 66. Sarah Brightman April 2000 67. Montgomery Smith 2001 68. Blues Evolution 2002 69. Sarah Brooks with Joe Beck 2002 70. Lana Lane 2003 71. Helmut Lotti 2003 72. Southside Johnny and The Asbury Jukes 2004 73. Elisabeth von Trapp 2004 74. Black Label Society 2004 75. Schenker-Pattison Summit 2004 76. Loona December 2004 77. Pentti Hietanen 2005 78. Soulbob 2005 79. Per Nielsen 2005 80. Melissa Ungar 2006 81. Jakie Lovebar 2007 82. Engelbert Humperdinck with Rene Froger September 25, 2007 83. Slowfeet October 26, 2007 84. Matt Belsante September 2, 2008 85. Halie Loren December 10, 2008 86. The Mystic Eyes [1] May 2009 87. Gregorian September 25, 2009 88. Over the Bridge 2010 89. Stephen Bennett 2010 90. The Twang 2010 91. Aurora Lunare featuring Alessandro Corvaglia December 30, 2014 92. Vanilla Fudge March 3, 2015 93. Dave Edmunds June 9, 2015

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