Procol Harum's 60s singles had some insane lyrics - here are 3 of them

A Whiter Shade Of Pale:

 

We skipped a light fandango,

Turned cartwheels 'cross the floor.

I was feeling kind of 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

That 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 just as well have been closed.

 

And so it was later,

As the miller told his tale,

That her face at first just ghostly,

Turned a whiter shade of pale.

 

Homburg:

 

Your multilingual business friend

Has packed her bags and fled

Leaving only ash-filled ashtrays

And the lipsticked unmade bed

The mirror on reflection

Has climbed back upon the wall

For the floor she found descended

And the ceiling was too tall

 

Your trouser cuffs are dirty

And your shoes are laced up wrong

You’d better take off your homburg

’cos your overcoat is too long

The town clock in the market square

Stands waiting for the hour

When it’s hands they both turn backwards

And on meeting will devour

Both themselves and also any fool

Who dares to tell the time

And the sun and moon will shatter

And the signposts cease to sign

 

SORRY NO VIDEO

 

 

A Salty Dog:

 

'all hands on deck, we've run afloat!' I heard the captain cry

'explore the ship, replace the cook: let no one leave alive!'

Across the straits, around the horn: how far can sailors fly?

A twisted path, our tortured course, and no one left alive

 

We sailed for parts unknown to man, where ships come home to die

No lofty peak, nor fortress bold, could match our captain's eye

Upon the seventh seasick day we made our port of call

A sand so white, and sea so blue, no mortal place at all

 

We fired the gun, and burnt the mast, and rowed from ship to shore

The captain cried, we sailors wept: our tears were tears of joy

Now many moons and many junes have passed since we made land

A salty dog, this seaman's log: your witness my own hand

hmm... not sure about these tbh, they might make no sense (unless youre high) but its not quite 'silver lady' standards whereby the main character is a complete arsehole!

I prefer Annie Lennox version more... ^_^

the notion was to destry a song for its ridiculousness, not a group... we would be here all year if we did that!

Well I have to disagree for destroying A Whiter Shade of Pale.

 

If you criticise the lyrics to this song, then you have to criticise the lyrics of David Bowie; Syd Barrett; John Lennon (1966 onwards); Marc Bolan; Bryan Ferry; Lou Reed; David Byrne; etc.....

 

The lyrics to A Whiter Shade of Pale (as every non-cover Procul Harum original) were written by Keith Reid who used the "cut and paste" technique of writing a load of different one or two lines, then cutting up & re-assembling the lyrics together (as used by all the above songwriters) to come up with interesting (yet often nonsensical) imagery.

 

CRACKED ACTOR - A Film about David Bowie (PART 2) (from 5 minutes onwards)

Procol Harum's 60s singles had some insane lyrics - here are 3 of them

 

The lyrics to A Whiter Shade of Pale (as every non-cover Procul Harum original) were written by Keith Reid who used the "cut and paste" technique of writing a load of different one or two lines, then cutting up & re-assembling the lyrics together (as used by all the above songwriters) to come up with interesting (yet often nonsensical) imagery.

 

so the idea of these destroy a record things is destroying a record because of insane lyrics - well yeah that could be about 99% of all pop songs - so illl agree with tip on this one as well.

 

and anyway everyone was probs all bliss out or being groovy (yeahhh baaaby!!) at the time - so its like so far out, man!!!