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
She said, 'I'm home on shore leave,'
though in truth we were at sea
so I took her by the looking glass
and forced her to agree
saying, 'You must be the mermaid
who took Neptune for a ride.'
But she smiled at me so sadly
that my anger straightway died

If music be the food of love
then laughter is its queen
and likewise if behind is in front
then dirt in truth is clean
My mouth by then like cardboard
seemed to slip straight through my head
So we crash-dived straightway quickly
and attacked the ocean bed


one of the best songs of whole time

Beautiful song! Annie Lennox did a terrible cover of it.

RipHer2Shreds said:

I like her version better, it`s my favorite song on the medusa album. I never cared much for the original
[Edited 11/12/05 3:51am]

I was just listening to this yesterday.


Love it.

this song, although I never understood what the song was about. Does anybody know, since the lyrics are cryptic indeed.

beautiful music that evokes the nostalgia of the 1980s 4 me.
first heard that song from the soundtrack of "the big chill" with jeff goldblum etc.any one else love that soundtrack?

Icicle said:

tragic

raveon2tnek said:

Which is semi ironic as the Big Chill was a movie made about the nostalgia of the 60's whence White Shade was a big part of.

DiamondGirl said:

Great tune.

I'd be curious to see what someone like Steve Winwood would do with it.


tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431

DiamondGirl said:

Ouch. That hurt

psychodelicide said:

I don't think there is any literal meaning to be found. Even from Procol Harum lyricist Keith Reid...

It's been now nearly 35 years since the release of Whiter Shade of Pale and its music and words remain haunting, it 's been performed by thousands of musicians, and recent covers by people like Annie Lennox. Why has this song remained such an absolute phenomenon?

Uhm ... I think it's the words ... . I'm only joking (laughter). The words are so great ... No!

The words are great.

Well, I think in a funny way it's because it's, it's kind of loose enough to ... How can I put it? It kind of defies categorizing. You can't really put your finger on what it is and therefore ... it's kind of elusive quality to it, which kind of makes it timeless.

Well it is timeless and I think people spend a lot of time trying to analyze the exact meaning and this sort of thing and I think that's actually what makes it kind of interesting ... that there are so many ways you could read it or interpret it.

Yeah, which I think gives it a depth that sustains it as a piece of work.

...There, that certainly cleared it up.


tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431

Great song. Have always dug it. I thought Annie's version was bearable. I love to hear her do stuff that fits her. That one didn't. (David Stewart, were art thou?)

Was the songwriting process for this hit a drug-influenced one? You be the judge.

Great song. It's one of those 50 random songs by artists or in genres you don't care so much about that you say "oh that's one of my top 10"

Late at night in the 80's I saw an infomercial for a video where original artists had gone back and made music videos for hit songs, it included a very well done one for this song (also a well done American Pie video), that was my first exposure to the song and I have loved it ever since.


(anyone else ever heard of this tape?)

psychodelicide said:

i love it too, i'm not 100% on what its about but when i first started trynna figure what it was about i thought it was about a drunk dude, but now i think it might be about fame and how people love to see u fuck up

The beginning riff just kills me ----->

Moonwalkbjrain said:

Could very well be.

thebanishedone said:

Absolutely. I liked Annie's cover as well, but I wouldn't compare the two tracks, because the original is such a classic.