So Beautiful With a Full Orchestra – Procol Harum’s “A Whiter Shade of Pale” Live in Denmark

Procol Harum’s “A Whiter Shade of Pale” is among the most exquisite songs ever composed, but 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 Johann Sebastian Bach’s Suite No. 3 in D Major influenced the song, making it very appropriate that it received a full orchestral arrangement during the August 2006 performance.

The band played 15 tracks with the orchestra at the concert, which were subsequently released as a live album. The orchestra truly stands out on “A Whiter Shade of Pale,” featuring a stunning orchestral introduction that highlights the song’s melodic beauty. Brooker takes the lead after 90 seconds, and despite being 61, his voice remains just as strong 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 rich harmonies of the choir are truly delightful.

The performance was warmly received online, with fans leaving appreciative comments 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 intro.

“A Whiter Shade of Pale” is Procol Harum’s most successful 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 highest-selling singles in history, selling 10 million copies worldwide.

The song “A Whiter Shade of Pale” and its enigmatic lyrics are closely associated with the 1967 Summer of Love. It has frequently 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 track is also a favorite among fellow musicians, with over 1,000 cover versions performed by various artists.

The songwriting credits for “A Whiter Shade of Pale” initially included only Procol Harum members Gary Brooker and Keith Reid, who wrote the music and lyrics respectively. However, in 2009, their bandmate Matthew Fisher successfully won a court case to receive a co-writing credit for the music.

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.”