A Whiter Shade of Pale

Keith Reid got the idea for the song when he overheard someone at a party tell a woman, “You’ve gone a whiter shade of pale.”

The track was also the only one recorded by the initial lineup of Procol Harum, which started as a British band, the Paramounts.

We skipped the light fandango
Turned cartwheels 'cross the floor
I was feeling kinda seasick
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
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

Copyright © Onward Music Limited
Written by: Gary Brooker / Keith Reid / Matthew Fisher

All lyrics and works displayed are intended for educational purposes only. We want to give credit where credit is due. Please contact us for any corrections.