Download    I never really liked playing an organ. It seems like if you hold a chord for just a hair too long the sound becomes dissonant and downright unpleasant. I never got the hang of it.  Besides, they’re too heavy to haul around.  But I do like songs that feature the instrument, and this is one of the best.

“A Whiter Shade of Pale” was recorded by the British group “Procol Harum” (yes, that’s how it’s spelled) in 1967.  It’s considered one of the best rock ballads ever put to vinyl and has sold over 10 million copies.  A chap named Keith Reid wrote the lyrics and claims he overheard the phrase “whiter shade of pale” at a party.  He thought it had potential to be a song, but ol’ Keith thought almost everything could be a song.  He was strictly a lyricist – couldn’t play an instrument or sing – so he scrambled around and put together a band to record the many compositions he had written.  Even though he was not a musician per se, he was considered an official member of “Procol Harum” – as well he should have been.  He was the brains behind the whole operation.

The words are a little convoluted and many insane interpretations of their meaning have been offered up over the years.  But, trust me, they don’t refer to drug use or UFO’s or even the Holocaust – they’re about getting drunk and trying to score.  It’s just that simple.  Besides, it’s not the lyrics that are the beauty of this masterpiece – it’s the music itself and how it flows.  Our Mr. Reid listened primarily to classical and jazz music, and this one has definite Bach overtones.  In fact, if you listen closely, you can pick out a few bars of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Air on the G String composition.  And, if memory serves, I believe Bach played the organ every now and then.  Pretty sure of it.

Some people can play an organ like nobody’s business – the intro to “Light My Fire” by The Doors comes to mind.  Then there’s Booker T and the MG’s with “Green Onions”.  I don’t play the organ very well, but maybe you do.  Put  “Whiter Shade of Pale” in your repertoire, if it’s not already there.  The lyrics are not relevant or even particularly poetic.  It’s the music, man… it’s almost always about the music.

Check out this YouTube video.  It’s the band playing live in Denmark in 2006 with a full orchestra.  Freakin’ beautiful!