A Whiter Shade Of Pale

[donegal]

What is ''A Whiter Shade Of Pale'' by ''Procol Harum'' all about?

[jenstar]

Answer 1: Nothing much really, it's just a lot of words that sound good together.

Answer 2: Sex.

[gary baldy]

.....and drugs!

[raysparx]

who cares? great to listen to, they weren't very good live though, I saw them in the 60s yea sorry i'm an old fart!!!

[gary baldy]

I once got picked up by the drummer of Procol Harum when hitchhiking once. Really nice fella and confessed he had no idea what AWSOP is about. Think it was just a stream of consciousness thing.
Great drummer aswell i have now come to realise

[Markandshez]

I've always thought this was about an acid trip but looking again at the lyrics it really could be about anything at all - or nothing at all.

Peace man......

We skipped the light fandango
turned cartwheels 'cross the floor
I was feeling kinda 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 have just as well've been closed

She said, 'I'm home on shore leave,'
though in truth we were at sea
so I took her by the looking glass
and forced her to agree
saying, 'You must be the mermaid
who took Neptune for a ride.'
But she smiled at me so sadly
that my anger straightway died

If music be the food of love
then laughter is its queen
and likewise if behind is in front
then dirt in truth is clean
My mouth by then like cardboard
seemed to slip straight through my head
So we crash-dived straightway quickly
and attacked the ocean bed

[Markandshez]

...and I'm still none the wiser after reading this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Whiter_Shade_of_Pale

[andy-hughes]

Keith Reid, lyricist for procul harum was not a member of the band, but just supplied words. He would often drop by and leave a lyric sheet on the table, with no explanation about what his words meant, The band would record them, but would be at a loss to explain their meanings, when asked.

Possibly Mr Read simply used phrases and words he liked the sound of, and made unusual rhymes with them, and retained their air of mystery by refusing to discuss meanings.

After all, what debunks a myth quicker than "I made it up in ten minutes when i got back from the pub one night ...." No, best left alone, mysterious, and ever to remain so.