A Whiter shade of Pale, English Rock Band Procol Harum recorded this 12 May, 1967 members Gary Brooker, Matthew Fisher, Keith Reid. In an interview with uncut magazine Keith Reid shed a little light on the song's origin and meaning. "I had the phrase 'a whiter shade of pale,' that was the start, and I knew it was a song," he said. "It's like a jigsaw where you've got one piece, then you make up all the others to fit in. I was trying to conjure a mood as much as tell a straightforward girl-leaves-boy story. With the ceiling flying away and room humming harder, I wanted to paint an image of a scene."
I tear up every time I hear John sing now.. Good news is that his family said hes recovering well and hosted a music trivia game on Christmas Day (recently in the Aussie news)
It's worth noting that this is Mike Batt's arrangement/production. I think Farnham came in only to sing on it. I bring it up only because I would have loved to hear Farnham's regular people take a crack at this one. For me, this song needs that organ. I wonder what Hirschfelder or Chong Lim would have done with it.
Procol Harum "A Whiter Shade of Pale" live in Denmark 2006 - the original band, original writer/singer Gary Brooker died recently but gives a powerhouse vocal with symphony orchestra.
I’ve never heard John sing this before. I’ve always loved the original 1967 Procol Harum version, but John always adds a touch of magic and makes a song his own. A lot of 60’s and 70’s music had really weird lyrics. I don’t know what they were on back then, but it seemed to work.😂😂😂
I have never heard John sing this. I grew up to Procal Harum singing it and I loved it but I love John too. It is hard not to. Thank you for the medical update.
Thank you for sharing this Nick and your great reaction again to our phenomenal Aussie treasure, John Farnham. It’s so good to hear he is recovering well. Sending all my love and best wishes to John. ❤🎶xoxo
This song came out during the Vietnam era. It depicts the struggle of service men dealing with life in a crazy situation during and after the war including the protesters. First released in 1967 during the original summer of love.
Agree with you Nick that it’s better to see John live. Tbh some of the songs he’s done are so-so, but the live versions with the band and his stage presence are usually really really good. You haven’t done his cover of ‘All in Love is Fair’ which is excellent from the Whispering Jack concert, that’d be wonderful to see reacted to
I laughed when you said you couldn't figure out what it means - I've been listening to this song, by Procul Harum since 1967 and still haven't worked that one out. No need really. Any The Voice didn't let us down - what a man, what a voice.
Hey Nick, I never used to appreciate Farnham in the 80’s even though a family friend did backing vocals on his ground breaking Whispering Jack album. He is though without a doubt one of the greatest vocalists. There are many covers of Whiter Shade of Pale. I’ve suggested before you listen to Glenn Hughes ( The Voice of Rock) - he covered this with a less traditional bent a few years ago in New York at a 9/11 memorial I believe. If you want to check out Glenn also good place to start is ‘Wriiten all over your face” Live in the City of Angels and then of course his classic work with Deep Purple such as Burn (recorded nearly 50 yrs ago).
The song is a poetic and strangely artistic narrative on the suffering and potential consequences of addiction to drugs, illicit substances and alcohol.
Hey Nick, you've covered this song 10 months ago, performed by Lachy Doley. If you want to see this done by Procol Harum, the live version by them in Denmark in 2006 is brilliant.
This is one of My favorite songs, i heard it when I was a kid all the time . But then i saw it was on House MD and remembered how good it is! Great show too. Elliot Yamin does a great cover of this as well. Thank you for introducing me to John Farnham!
Can't believe no one has requested "Heart's On Fire" live from the Last Time tour yet. Some of John's best vox! I think Nick would love it! ruclips.net/video/QZN06Hq-5wA/видео.html
It probably was one of our first ‘power ballads’. An enormous hit recorded by an English band, Procol Harum. One of the first recordings of the pop era to use an orchestra.
I could sing this live and did it very well so the audience Said BUT I AIN'T NO JOHN FARNHAM lol I Am 57 now and still belt out a note or two When friends drop by with guitars But I stopped singing live over 13 years ago when an idiot wiped out on booze and ICE came up from behind me punching me right in the middle of my chin shattering my Lower Jaw Mandible in 3 places and tore the jaw away from the socket points under my ears shattering 8 lower teeth and I also hit the back of my head so hard It Caused Bruising and a bleed at the back of my skull and it tore the nerves from out of the back of my retinas, Even with a great surgeon The damage was so bad it changed the way I sound and Can no longer even whistle which is part of many of the songs I sang Plus my Vision was permanently damaged giving me severe vertigo so at 44 I stopped Singing and retired from my Job as A Heavy Industrial Fitter Mainly working on Large Haulage and Coal Haulage Ships, So it took a year to learn to talk and eat again, took 1 year to walk again without crashing, 2 years before I could drive my Volvo S80 TT but I have to stop now and it took 3 years to ride my 2 Road bikes again, But I stopped riding them 2 years ago plus I'm missing 1.8 million in lost wages already.. BTW You have a brilliant voice 😉
This was such a beautiful song originally by Procol Harum, which was called a one hit wonder..Keith Reid, who wrote the lyrics "was attempting to conjure up a mood, as much as telling girl leaves boy story " he said...In some respects it really has become irrelevant, as this was such a huge hit being one of the best selling songs of all time.
This is a cover of a big 60s hit by Procol Harum. The original is a lot more 'hippie' and I prefer it to Farnham's version TBH. Always great to listen to his powerful vocals though 😍
If you want to see a great, really great live performance of this song, watch the original band Procol Harum perform this with the Danish symphony Orchestra, 30 or 40 years after they originally released the song in 1967, the year I was born... It's been covered by many great artists as well, Annie Lennox did a great one... About the lyrical content I'm not sure though, there have been many long essays written to decipher it... some say it's about a drug experience with LSD...
This is a really old classic from the late 60's which I grew up with. I prefer the original even though John is a better singer. John messes with the melody too much. The original had the hammond organ as the backing which I am a sucker for anything featuring the hammond organ. The orchestral version here brings out the beautiful backing melody very well though.
The Miller's Tale is one of the Tales of Chaucer fee rom the 14th century. I am wondering if the Miller ground the white powder than turned her face paler?
Can someone on the patreon pls suggest The Day You Went Away by Wendy Matthews? But only the music video as I want Nick to see how awesome the actor who plays the elderly man is.
G'day Mate I see you been diggin' on John Farnham The Whispering Jack, you need to check out The Age Of Reason that's a great Song where he belts it out.
It's interesting that this was off a Mike Batt album. Mike Batt and friends. John sings it so well, but it would have been good to hear him sing it live. There is no comparison between John's version and Procal Harum 's version because John is not Procal Harum's singer, and they are not John Farnham. It's an interpretation and a great one!
The principle of the song is a girl-leaves-boy scenario, as well, it is typically about a drunken sexual escapade; and the song builds like a jigsaw, where all the pieces are made to fit.
You need to watch the original for once it's better than John's version Even though John did a great job the original is much better in my opinion Look up Procol Harum A Whiter Shade of Pale live In Denmark 2006 I personally don't think you'll get a better version ever Not even John could make it better and that's rare and saying something Cheers mate 🦘🇦🇺👍
![Run Away - Tzuyu(TWICE) ツウィ 쯔위 [Music Bank] | KBS WORLD TV 240906](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/KnHNNyAYiu0/mqdefault.jpg)
A Whiter shade of Pale, English Rock Band Procol Harum recorded this 12 May, 1967 members Gary Brooker, Matthew Fisher, Keith Reid. In an interview with uncut magazine Keith Reid shed a little light on the song's origin and meaning. "I had the phrase 'a whiter shade of pale,' that was the start, and I knew it was a song," he said. "It's like a jigsaw where you've got one piece, then you make up all the others to fit in. I was trying to conjure a mood as much as tell a straightforward girl-leaves-boy story. With the ceiling flying away and room humming harder, I wanted to paint an image of a scene."
Keith Reid of procul harum is one of the quartet who wrote You're the Voice. Mch'24. UK. E❤
I’ve never heard John sing this song before. He does a great job on a classic song.
Yeah, it's my first time hearing John's version of this song too. I like to still discover something new by my all-time favourite singer. ❤
My first time too!
So happy that you love his voice, us Australians are SO PROUD of our beautiful man John Farnham, we love him!
I have never heard John sing this before but as per usual nailed it
New one for me too
I tear up every time I hear John sing now.. Good news is that his family said hes recovering well and hosted a music trivia game on Christmas Day (recently in the Aussie news)
Just a beautiful song sung to perfection by a beautiful person! ❤
Well said. Yes.
Oh my goodness our John is magnificent 💕💕
Thanks once again for reacting to John Farnham. We are have been so lucky here in Australia to have had him entertaining us for over 5 decades
It's worth noting that this is Mike Batt's arrangement/production. I think Farnham came in only to sing on it. I bring it up only because I would have loved to hear Farnham's regular people take a crack at this one. For me, this song needs that organ. I wonder what Hirschfelder or Chong Lim would have done with it.
Surprised to hear a cover of this one. Surprised that John covered. But I realise now there’s enough room for him to show his voice.
Like others say, I hadn't heard John sing this before. I grew up with the original
Sometimes you forget how magical his voice is ❤️ Hope you are healing well John🤗...Big love from Australia to this amazing channel ❤️
This was a hit when I was a senior in high school, love this, John does it justice as John always manages to do. 🌸❤️
Procol Harum "A Whiter Shade of Pale" live in Denmark 2006 - the original band, original writer/singer Gary Brooker died recently but gives a powerhouse vocal with symphony orchestra.
and with Matthew Fisher on the Hammond Organ.
A classic Procul Harum song, John did a great job of it. Awesome to hear that John is doing well too!
I’ve never heard John sing this before. I’ve always loved the original 1967 Procol Harum version, but John always adds a touch of magic and makes a song his own. A lot of 60’s and 70’s music had really weird lyrics. I don’t know what they were on back then, but it seemed to work.😂😂😂
He can sing anything and make his own.
I have never heard John sing this. I grew up to Procal Harum singing it and I loved it but I love John too. It is hard not to. Thank you for the medical update.
See he really can do it all . I just heard an update ,apparently he is recovering well . Such wonderful news . Thanks for this
Thank you for sharing this Nick and your great reaction again to our phenomenal Aussie treasure, John Farnham. It’s so good to hear he is recovering well. Sending all my love and best wishes to John. ❤🎶xoxo
His voice is the best, Love this version from John, thanks.
I'd not heard John sing this before. I had only heard the Annie Lennox cover, which is awesome!
mentioned Annie's cover as well, gorgeous!
Whiter Shade of Pale is a Procol Harum song. First released in 1967. Written by Gary Brooker and Matthew Fisher.
Superb song covered beautifully by a superb human 👏 ❤️ 👌
Such a great artist with massive catalogue.
Great artist, iconic song
It’s a Procol Harum song from the late 60’s . Written by Keith Reid who was one of cowriters of You’re The Voice
This song came out during the Vietnam era. It depicts the struggle of service men dealing with life in a crazy situation during and after the war including the protesters. First released in 1967 during the original summer of love.
Fun fact. Keith Reid co-wrote this song, and You’re the voice
Thanks Mate
Ixdnot know that. I am a long-term fan of both.
Sorry about the typos.
RIP Keith Reid
Love John Farnham have seen him in concert I live in Christchurch New Zealand. Not far from Australia
Agree with you Nick that it’s better to see John live. Tbh some of the songs he’s done are so-so, but the live versions with the band and his stage presence are usually really really good. You haven’t done his cover of ‘All in Love is Fair’ which is excellent from the Whispering Jack concert, that’d be wonderful to see reacted to
I love this song ,specially when John sings it.get well soon John ,your Aussie fan.🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🌹
I laughed when you said you couldn't figure out what it means - I've been listening to this song, by Procul Harum since 1967 and still haven't worked that one out. No need really. Any The Voice didn't let us down - what a man, what a voice.
Hey Nick, I never used to appreciate Farnham in the 80’s even though a family friend did backing vocals on his ground breaking Whispering Jack album. He is though without a doubt one of the greatest vocalists.
There are many covers of Whiter Shade of Pale. I’ve suggested before you listen to Glenn Hughes ( The Voice of Rock) - he covered this with a less traditional bent a few years ago in New York at a 9/11 memorial I believe. If you want to check out Glenn also good place to start is ‘Wriiten all over your face” Live in the City of Angels and then of course his classic work with Deep Purple such as Burn (recorded nearly 50 yrs ago).
Such a lovely song! Thanks John!❤❤
I would have to say the original has so much more feeling and better than John's version
The song is a poetic and strangely artistic narrative on the suffering and potential consequences of addiction to drugs, illicit substances and alcohol.
Never heard him sing this. Cheers. Amazing as usual.
My sister and I learnt this on the Hammond organ. I remember the bass foot pedals. We’d turn it up so loud 🎉🎉
First time I heard JF sing this
Hey Nick, you've covered this song 10 months ago, performed by Lachy Doley.
If you want to see this done by Procol Harum, the live version by them in Denmark in 2006 is brilliant.
yes, I also suggested that one with the Danish symphony Orchestra...
The original version blows any imitation out the water. Procol Harum hands down, all day every day
If you listen to the words the singer is telling a story of love and loss. Yes it is a ballad
You definately need to react to this performance
Simply an amazing performance.
This is one of My favorite songs, i heard it when I was a kid all the time . But then i saw it was on House MD and remembered how good it is! Great show too. Elliot Yamin does a great cover of this as well. Thank you for introducing me to John Farnham!
Can't believe no one has requested "Heart's On Fire" live from the Last Time tour yet. Some of John's best vox! I think Nick would love it! ruclips.net/video/QZN06Hq-5wA/видео.html
It probably was one of our first ‘power ballads’. An enormous hit recorded by an English band, Procol Harum. One of the first recordings of the pop era to use an orchestra.
allymayful Hi! It was Procol Harum. I was surprised to find Gary Brooker on two Kate Bush albums.
@@warrenbridges1891 Oh deary me!!!! Age! Thanks 😊
@@allymayful Tell me about it. I'm on the old age pension. I was looking for my phone and found it in the fridge.
@@warrenbridges1891 Haha!!!
This was a huge hit for Procol Harum in the 60’s.
I like this version, this is a cover of a classic rock song from the late sixties early seventies
I could sing this live and did it very well so the audience Said BUT I AIN'T NO JOHN FARNHAM lol I Am 57 now and still belt out a note or two When friends drop by with guitars But I stopped singing live over 13 years ago when an idiot wiped out on booze and ICE came up from behind me punching me right in the middle of my chin shattering my Lower Jaw Mandible in 3 places and tore the jaw away from the socket points under my ears shattering 8 lower teeth and I also hit the back of my head so hard It Caused Bruising and a bleed at the back of my skull and it tore the nerves from out of the back of my retinas, Even with a great surgeon The damage was so bad it changed the way I sound and Can no longer even whistle which is part of many of the songs I sang Plus my Vision was permanently damaged giving me severe vertigo so at 44 I stopped Singing and retired from my Job as A Heavy Industrial Fitter Mainly working on Large Haulage and Coal Haulage Ships, So it took a year to learn to talk and eat again, took 1 year to walk again without crashing, 2 years before I could drive my Volvo S80 TT but I have to stop now and it took 3 years to ride my 2 Road bikes again, But I stopped riding them 2 years ago plus I'm missing 1.8 million in lost wages already.. BTW You have a brilliant voice 😉
This is one of my favourite songs. I remember hearing it on the radio when it first came out. Procal Harum were a great band.
This was such a beautiful song originally by Procol Harum, which was called a one hit wonder..Keith Reid, who wrote the lyrics "was attempting to conjure up a mood, as much as telling girl leaves boy story " he said...In some respects it really has become irrelevant, as this was such a huge hit being one of the best selling songs of all time.
This is a cover of a big 60s hit by Procol Harum. The original is a lot more 'hippie' and I prefer it to Farnham's version TBH. Always great to listen to his powerful vocals though 😍
Check out his vocal on 'Down on the border' by Little River Band, when John was singing with them.
If you want to see a great, really great live performance of this song, watch the original band Procol Harum perform this with the Danish symphony Orchestra, 30 or 40 years after they originally released the song in 1967, the year I was born... It's been covered by many great artists as well, Annie Lennox did a great one... About the lyrical content I'm not sure though, there have been many long essays written to decipher it... some say it's about a drug experience with LSD...
The original, by Procol Haram is one of my favourite songs. Kind of a definitive soundtrack to Vietnam in my mind.
This is a really old classic from the late 60's which I grew up with. I prefer the original even though John is a better singer. John messes with the melody too much. The original had the hammond organ as the backing which I am a sucker for anything featuring the hammond organ. The orchestral version here brings out the beautiful backing melody very well though.
john can sing anything, but i do like the original Procol Harum version with the organs and its his song too if you havnt heard it from him yet.
The Miller's Tale is one of the Tales of Chaucer fee rom the 14th century. I am wondering if the Miller ground the white powder than turned her face paler?
He never performed it live when I saw him.
There are another 2 verses added later.
A MUST for total education in the story line...
Oh ok. Learn something new every day. Thanks
Please listen to the original of this song Procol Harum do this live with a orchestra in Denmark, it is fire. Gary Broker can sing his face off.
This song is over 40 years old by purple harom
Can someone on the patreon pls suggest The Day You Went Away by Wendy Matthews? But only the music video as I want Nick to see how awesome the actor who plays the elderly man is.
If you haven't checked Steve Winwood of Traffic and Spencer Davis Group please do, my God that man can Sing.
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️LoveLoveLove John Farnham 😃🌏🪐🌕🙏🐦🇦🇺🌞⛱️🦋🌸🏡🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹
G'day Mate I see you been diggin' on John Farnham The Whispering Jack, you need to check out The Age Of Reason that's a great Song where he belts it out.
hadnt heard him sing this.
Listen to the Procol Harum version
Please listen to the 2006 live version by Procul Haram
Where's the epic Hammond organ?? Nothing beats the original AWSOP from Procol Harum.
It's interesting that this was off a Mike Batt album. Mike Batt and friends.
John sings it so well, but it would have been good to hear him sing it live.
There is no comparison between John's version and Procal Harum 's version because John is not Procal Harum's singer, and they are not John Farnham.
It's an interpretation and a great one!
Today I watched a new video of this, re-mastered and uploaded by @Dr._KAP.. E❤
Review some Southern Suns or Daryl Braithwait...two other epic voices from Australia! Enjoy
The principle of the song is a girl-leaves-boy scenario, as well, it is typically about a drunken sexual escapade; and the song builds like a jigsaw, where all the pieces are made to fit.
I prefer the Procol Harum version.
or joe cocker. Johns version was too plain vanilla.
@@davidbarrett8058 Yeah. I usually like John's covers, but this didn't do anything for me. Also didn't like the arrangement.
You need to watch the original for once it's better than John's version
Even though John did a great job the original is much better in my opinion
Look up Procol Harum
A Whiter Shade of Pale live In Denmark 2006
I personally don't think you'll get a better version ever
Not even John could make it better and that's rare and saying something
Cheers mate 🦘🇦🇺👍
SOOOO many better Farnham songs than this one. Never understood the fascination with this one.
The name of the band was Brokam Harem or something like that who sang whiter shade of pale
Erica Farrow British rock band Procol Harum.
The song means its writer was on drugs
Vietnam war. Originally an American song
Pro cal Harem were a British band and the song has nothing to do with Vietnam, any other war or anything much else really.
I'm gonna be THAT person. The original is way better.
Def not John's best. But, I won't hold it against him 🤣🤣