Magnificent Sound With Full Orchestra – Procol Harum Delivers “A Whiter Shade of Pale” Live in Denmark

Procol Harum’s “A Whiter Shade of Pale” is among the most stunning songs ever composed, and the band elevated it further by performing it with the Danish National Concert Orchestra and Choir at Ledreborg Castle, Denmark. Frontman Gary Brooker has acknowledged that the song was influenced by Johann Sebastian Bach’s Suite No. 3 in D Major, making it perfectly appropriate that the track received a full orchestral arrangement during the August 2006 performance.

The band presented 15 songs alongside the orchestra at the concert, which were subsequently released as a live album. The orchestra truly enhances “A Whiter Shade of Pale,” featuring a beautiful orchestral introduction that highlights the song’s melodic beauty. Brooker leads the band after 90 seconds, and despite being 61, his voice remains just as it was on the original 1967 recording. The breathtaking live collaboration was a success online, amassing 99 million views on YouTube.

Procol Harum’s choice to collaborate with the Danish National Concert Orchestra was highly inspired, as the classical elements in the band’s music create a perfect harmony. The orchestra adds significant depth to the performance, and the choir’s rich voices provide a delightful experience.

The performance was warmly received online, with fans leaving appreciative remarks such as “Without a doubt the best and most emotionally felt version of this masterpiece” and “One of the greatest songs ever written. No other singer captures the song like he does.” Another standout moment from the concert is “A Salty Dog,” featuring a moving choir performance over the iconic piano introduction.

“A Whiter Shade of Pale” is Procol Harum’s most significant hit, reaching number one in numerous countries including the UK, Canada, France, and Germany. Released as a non-album single on May 12, 1967, it became one of the best-selling singles in history, moving 10 million copies worldwide.

“A Whiter Shade of Pale” and its enigmatic lyrics are emblematic of the 1967 Summer of Love. It has often been ranked as one of the greatest songs of all time by critics, including Rolling Stone, which placed it at number 57 on their list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. The song is also a favorite among musicians, with over 1,000 cover versions performed by various artists.

The songwriting credits for “A Whiter Shade of Pale” initially only included Procol Harum members Gary Brooker and Keith Reid, who provided the music and lyrics respectively. However, in 2009, their bandmate Matthew Fisher successfully secured a co-writing credit for the music through legal action.

Reid discussed the origins of the lyrics in an interview with Uncut Magazine, stating, “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 wasn’t trying to be mysterious with those images, I was trying to be evocative.”

Regarding the inspiration for the song, he added, “I suppose it seems like a decadent scene I’m describing. But I was too young to have experienced any decadence then. I might have been smoking when I conceived it, but not when I wrote. It was influenced by books, not drugs.”