In 1967, the British group Procol Harum released one of the few singles that sold 10 million copies worldwide: “A Whiter Shade of Pale.” The members who recorded the song were Gary Brooker (voice and piano), Matthew Fisher (Hammond M-102 organ), bassist David Knights, Ray Royer on guitar, and session drummer Bill Eyden (later replaced by Bobby Harrison).
Even the group’s most dedicated fans may not know that Procol Harum had a major “sixth member” – lyricist Keith Reid, whose song title has confused fans. Reid says that “A Whiter Shade of Pale” was a comment he had heard at a party; that original idea inspired the mysterious lyrics that followed. The challenge for the musicians was to deliver a musical track with the same gravity.
Pianist Gary Brooker came up with the chord sequence that was a nod to Bach’s “Air on the G String.” Matthew Fisher’s brooding organ pattern followed, then morphed into “Sleepers, Wake!” From Bach. Like “Eleanor Rigby” by the Beatles and “Walk Away Renee” by Left Banke, “A Whiter Shade of Pale” was characterized as “baroque rock” due to its classical influences.
As complex as the track sounds, it was recorded live in two takes at London’s Olympic Studios. Brooker has called the result a happy accident, which is unlikely to be repeated. Producer Denny Cordell hoped to give “A Whiter Shade of Pale” the flavor of American soul music; Cordell says the searing voice and solemn organ in Percy Sledge’s “When a Man Loves a Woman” were the catalyst for Procol Harum’s sound.
There has long been confusion about the meaning of “A Whiter Shade of Pale”. The consensus is that, like most songs, it is about a man and a woman trying to get together. The nautical references in the song give the feeling that the couple is on board a ship. The confusion may be due to the fact that half of the original lyrics were discarded before the song was recorded.
When it was first written, the song had four verses. When it came time to record the track, the second and third verses were removed, leaving what were originally the first and last verses. The meaning of the song becomes clearer when the missing verses are included, which have been performed live by the group. The abandoned lyrics, as enigmatic as those of the final recording, confirm that the setting is, in reality, the sea; the singer tells his love: “You must be the mermaid / Who took Neptune for a walk.”
Those who find Keith Reid’s lyrics difficult to decipher are not alone. Matthew Fisher has said that even Hey I can’t understand Reid’s baffling lyrics, but he’s never been bothered by it because “they sound great … that’s all they have to do.”