Radio Reaction – prog rock’s finest hour
Procul Harum – A Whiter Shade of Pale, 1967
When Procul Harum burst on to the scene in 1967 with their debut single — an unholy concoction of Johann Sebastian Bach, Soul, and Geoffrey Chaucer — they surely didn’t expect it to sit atop the charts for six weeks. And yet the weird sound world and mysterious lyrics captured imaginations, and helped pave the way for prog rock for years to come.
The jazzy crematorium vibes of the opening solo, reminiscent of Bach’s famous Air on the G string, gives way to Gary Brooker’s soulful voice. Endless conjunctions in the lyrics muddle us along, while the repeating bass line strikes on with Bachian purpose, yet with no destination in sight. The original 1967 version comes to an end with the instrumental fading out, suggesting the bass line will cycle on in perpetuity…
The glissando (achieved by sliding down and then up the organ keys) that announces the chorus, a pitstop of sorts, is so striking and joyful, yet the lyrics remain cooly nebulous. Much has been made of a link with “The Miller’s Tale” from Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, a bawdy story of adolescent sex (although co-writer Keith Reid later claimed to have never read a line of Chaucer in his life). The titular phrase that concludes the chorus was apparently overheard at a party, and became the germ of the hit. Otherwise, clues and interpretations vary wildly.
The song made the headlines again in 2006 after a long legal battle with regards to the authorship of the iconic hammond organ solo. The case saw Matthew Fisher, who played with the band from 1967-1969, give a rendition of the organ solo in court, explaining the compositional process to a roomful of legal professionals. Lucky people; many diehard fans would kill for such an opportunity to get an insight to a song that remains shrouded in mystery.
Fisher said: ”I’d been listening to Bach for eight years, I was an expert when it came to Bach … he [Brooker] would have been playing something that he thought sounded like Bach, but I honestly don’t remember him playing anything that impressed me in the least.” Ouch.
Whoever wrote it, Procul Harum’s first song remains its most popular, having sold over 10 million copies. It was named 57th best song of all time, according to Rolling Stone magazine. Fifty-three years on, we’re not much closer to understanding what it all means, but it shines on, a puzzling work of alchemy.