A Whiter Shade of Pale
Procol Harum
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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 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 And so it was that later
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Written by: Gary Brooker, Keith Reid, Matthew Fisher
Lyrics © T.R.O. INC., Onward Music Limited
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
12 facts about this song
Song Release"A Whiter Shade of Pale" was originally released by the British rock band "Procol Harum" in 1967.
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Annie Lennox's VersionAnnie Lennox, the former lead singer of the Eurythmics, covered the song in 1995 and released it in her album "Medusa".
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Song SuccessProcol Harum's version became an instant hit, reaching number one in the UK Singles Chart and stayed top for six weeks.
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Global RecognitionThe song is one of fewer than 30 singles that have sold 10 million (or more) copies worldwide.
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Procol Harum's Debut Single"A Whiter Shade of Pale" was debut single of Procol Harum.
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Songwriting CreditsThe song was written by Gary Brooker, Keith Reid, and Matthew Fisher.
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LawsuitIn 2006, former Procol Harum organist Matthew Fisher won a lawsuit in the U.K. for a share of royalties from the song, as he claimed he co-wrote the music.
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Notable Cover VersionsBesides Annie Lennox, the song has been covered by numerous other artists including Willie Nelson, Bonnie Tyler, and Sarah Brightman.
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Classic StatusIn 1998, the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, a special Grammy award established in 1973 to honor recordings that are at least twenty-five years old, with qualitative or historical significance.
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Annie Lennox's chart performanceLennox's version reached number two on the Italian singles chart, her version also charted in Canada, the U.K, and Belgium.
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Film and TVThe song has been used in numerous film and tv soundtracks, including "The Big Chill", "The Boat That Rocked", and "Withnail and I".
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InspirationThe song is often said to have been inspired by the works of Johann Sebastian Bach, specifically his Orchestral Suite Nº 3 in D Major.
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Citation
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"A Whiter Shade of Pale Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2025. Web. 5 Feb. 2025. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/19338126/Procol+Harum/A+Whiter+Shade+of+Pale>.
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