This subject may have been addressed before, but I was just wondering–what are the lyrics to “Whiter Shade of Pale” about? Thanks in advance.
Ooh, Ooh (best Horshak voice) my favorite song of all time. I even heard Procul Harem explain it once. It’s mind-boggling. It’s exactly the kind of thing you’d never expect from a rock band. I mean these lyrics make so much sense when you really listen to them and think about it. Ready?
It’s about a rock band…
get this, performing on stage (and here’s the weird part)…
while on drugs!
I would never have guessed this ever happened. Drugs and rock and roll music? Whoda thunkit?
I doubt anyone could have put that together, but that’s from the horse’s mouth, as the saying goes. If this song blew your mind, ask me to explain “Comfortably Numb” to you. It’ll really wow you. Oh and the Airplane’s “White Rabbit” another mystery I could solve for you too…
Jason R Remy
“No amount of legislation can solve America’s problems.”
– Jimmy Carter (1980)
I should apologize for my sarcasm in the previous post. I’m in a weird mood, and I hope you don’t hold it against me. In all seriousness, the band freely admits it’s about playing music on stage while tripping. ALl of the weird imagery (vessel virgins etc.) were halucinations.
Jason R Remy
“No amount of legislation can solve America’s problems.”
– Jimmy Carter (1980)
Ok, ok, I deserved the sarcasm. I just thought that with references to Vestal virgins and the Canterbury Tales that there would be more to it.
If you contact me by e-mail at montgomerydou55@hotmail.com I can provide you with the lyrics.
Sorry, I don’t ahave a clue to what they mean.
My Amway sponsor once told me, “It’s not the words, it’s the music!”
Why appologize Jayron? Your sarcasm was aimed at the Procul Harem, not Misha. The band is a fair target, I think.
Not the most original concept… I sometimes where such powerful inspiration comes from… but then I remember an interview with Michael McDonald from the Doobie Brothers where he explained where their name came from. “We were, like, playing our first gig and at the end of the set all these people were throwing doobies onto the stage. So we thought, hey we’re the Doobie Brothers heh, heh…, and that just stuck.” Then the interviewer asks, “What happened to all the joints on the stage?” And McDonald responds, “We took 'em back to the dressing room and smoked 'em, man. heh, heh…”
Well, it IS based loosely on the Canterbury Tales, but only in that sort of drug-trippy kinda way. Some of the lines (vestal virgins, miller’s tale) are vaguely based on Canterbury Tales. But the verses are an obvious allusion to playing on stage while useing mind-altering substances (I was feeling kind of seasick, while the crowd called out for more!) He’s comparing what he does on stage to what the pilgrims did during canterbury tales… But compare the above lyrics to “Comfortably Numb” by Pink Floyd. Very similar once you strip out the Chaucer references.
Jason R Remy
“No amount of legislation can solve America’s problems.”
– Jimmy Carter (1980)