Procol Harum Trivia

1. Gary Brooker and Robin Trower, founding members of Procol Harum, played together in another band in the early '60s. What was its name?

From Quiz A Whiter Shade of Procol Harum

Answer: The Paramounts

The Paramounts' only commercial success was a song called "Poison Ivy", a song which was a much greater hit for The Coasters in the US. The band was created by merging two bands from a "battle of the bands" contest held in Southend. Brooker was 14 at the time. Over the period of a few years they became one of the best R&B bands on the circuit, despite some personnel changes. They disbanded in 1966.

From Quiz Procol Harum Lyrics

Answer: "A Salty Dog"

From the album of the same name. (Release 1969)

From Quiz Song by Song: "A Whiter Shade of Pale"

Answer: Keith Reid

The son of a Holocaust survivor, Keith Reid wrote the lyrics to every original, non-instrumental song Procol Harum released prior to 2017. He also wrote the lyrics for "Time Will Tell" and "You'll Be On My Mind" by the French singer Michel Polnareff and co-wrote "You're the Voice" for John Farnham. According to Rolling Stone magazine, "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.'"

From Quiz A Whiter Shade of Procol Harum

Answer: song & the song

During the latter years of The Paramounts, Brooker began writing songs with Keith Reid. Not long after the band broke up, Brooker and Reid recorded a song they had written, "A Whiter Shade of Pale". It took off, and people started clamouring for tours and live shows - only, there was no band, just two individual people writing together. The producer had credited the song to "Procol Harum" but it was really only Brooker and Reid. They had to scramble to get some other people together and form the band itself in order to cut a full album and tour.

From Quiz Procol Harum Lyrics

Answer: "A Whiter Shade of Pale"

First hit. Considered a classic. When released, the band had not officially formed as a unit. (Release 1967)

From Quiz Song by Song: "A Whiter Shade of Pale"

Answer: Matthew Fisher

In addition to Keith Reid, songwriting credit initially went to band founder and lead singer Gary Brooker, who wrote the music for the song. In 2005, however, Matthew Fisher filed suit in the High Court claiming that he co-wrote the music with Brooker. In 2009, Fisher won a co-writing credit and the right to future royalties for the song after a unanimous ruling from the Lords of Appeal in Ordinary (more commonly known as Law Lords). On the song, Fisher played Hammond M-102 organ.

From Quiz A Whiter Shade of Procol Harum

Answer: it was named for Reid's cat

Meow. It was the band's manager Guy Stevens who chose the name, but it was Reid's cat which has been so memorialised. History does not seem to readily give the actual name of the cat (which was probably close but not quite the same as the band's name), only that it was probably a Burmese. The name is also a bad Latin translation of the phrase "beyond these things" or "far from these things".

From Quiz Procol Harum Lyrics

Answer: "Whaling Stories"

Another chosen to be performed with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and Da Camera Singers on the Procal Harum Live album. (Release 1969. Live 1972)

From Quiz Song by Song: "A Whiter Shade of Pale"

Answer: Bach

Rolling Stone magazine describes the song as "A somber hymn supported by an organ theme straight out of Bach ('Air on the G String,' from the 'Suite No. 3 in D Major')." The song is considered to belong to the genre of baroque pop (also called "baroque rock"), which originated in the U.S. and U.K. in the 1960s and typically employs baroque compositional styles which often feature organs, harpsichords, functional harmony patterns, melancholy sounds, and contrapuntal melodies. Other bands, including Rubber Soul, The Zombies, and even the Beatles employed the sound for some of their songs.

From Quiz A Whiter Shade of Procol Harum

Answer: Wonderful Radio London

"Wonderful Radio London", like "Radio Caroline" and "Swinging Radio England", was a pirate radio station. At the time, only the BBC could broadcast radio in the UK, and it was still in denial over rock music. Those of us who wanted to hear rock had to tune into the stations broadcast from ships anchored off the coast in international waters. "Wonderful Radio London" broadcast from the MV Galaxy, an old US minesweeper which was now sweeping listeners away from the BBC. Some of its DJs included names like Tony Blackburn, Dave Cash, Kenny Everett, John Peel, Tommy Vance and Alan West. A copy of the record was sent to them a month before it was released for sale, and by the time the record was released, it was a hit.

From Quiz Procol Harum Lyrics

Answer: "Power Failure"

Percolating cowbell percussion! ~Complete with a cheesy dubbed crowd applause on this studio track after the drum solo. A tongue-in-cheek tribute to their drummer B.J. Wilson just about the time when drum solo's in concert had peaked.. None the less, a British poll recently tied B.J. and John Bonham of Led Zeppelin as best (and most innovative) drummers of the era. I couldn't agree more. (Release 1971)

From Quiz Song by Song: "A Whiter Shade of Pale"

Answer: seasick

"We skipped the light fandango Turned cartwheels 'cross the floor I was feeling kinda seasick But the crowd called out for more." "A Whiter Shade of Pale" has sold over 10 million copies worldwide and has given rise to hundreds of cover versions. In 1998, it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

From Quiz A Whiter Shade of Procol Harum

Answer: Matthew Fisher

Fisher is the organist on "Whiter Shade of Pale". He produced the group's third album, "Salty Dog", then quit the band in 1969 to pursue solo interests, including producing two albums for Robin Trower. He sued the group in 2005, claiming co-authorship of "Whiter Shade of Pale" and won the case in 2006, although with a lesser percentage than he had claimed (the case is, as of this writing, under appeal). At that time he was working as a computer programmer in the UK. Knights was the bass guitarist on "Whiter Shade of Pale", and stayed with the band until 1969. Reid was the poet of the group, writing all of the group's lyrics. He was with the band throughout its history, including when the band reformed in 1991. Royer was the guitarist. He didn't stay long; after the song was recorded, he left the band to form Freedom with another ex-Procol Harum band member, Bobby Harrison.

From Quiz Procol Harum Lyrics

Answer: "Homburg"

Initially released as a single only in the U.S. (Release 1968)

From Quiz Song by Song: "A Whiter Shade of Pale"

Answer: the ceiling

"The room was humming harder As the ceiling flew away When we called out for another drink The waiter brought a tray." Gary Brooker sang vocals and played piano on "A Whiter Shade of Pale" while Ray Royer played guitar. David Knights was on bass, and drums were played by session musician Bill Eyden. The song peaked at number one on singles charts in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and the U.K.

From Quiz Procol Harum Lyrics

Answer: "Conquistador"

Another choice selection for the Live album which received heavy air play. (Release 1967. Live 1972)

From Quiz Song by Song: "A Whiter Shade of Pale"

Answer: the miller

"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." Many have argued that the reference to the "miller's tale" is an allusion to Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales." Tim de Lisle quotes songwriter Keith Reid in "Lives of the Great Songs" as saying, "'One thing people always get wrong is that line about the miller's tale. I've never read Chaucer in my life. They're right off the track there." When asked why he put it in those lines, then, Reid replied, "I can't remember now."

From Quiz A Whiter Shade of Procol Harum

Answer: A&M

A&M Records was founded in 1962 by Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss. It became the US's largest independent label until its 1979 merger with RCA Records. BMG Records is the Bertelsmann Music Group, which may surprise a lot of people who assumed that its name included "British". (I am one of those...) It was 'born' in 1987, is the world's largest independent music publisher and is half owner of Sony Music. Island Records, founded in 1959 on the island of Jamaica, is a subsidiary of the Universal Music Group. It was the world's largest "indie" label until its sale to PolyGram in 1989. Asylum Records began life in 1971, founded by David Geffen. Geffen also started Elektra Records in 1972, and merged the two to become Elektra/Asylum Records. Geffen retired from the company in 1975, and the two labels eventually split apart. They are now part of Warner Music Group.

From Quiz Procol Harum Lyrics

Answer: "Whisky Train"

Featuring the superb guitar work of Robin Trower who would eventually leave the band for a solo career. (Release 1970)

From Quiz Song by Song: "A Whiter Shade of Pale"

Answer: sixteen vestal virgins

"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." The Vestal Virgins were priestesses of Vesta, the Roman goddess of the hearth, and were chosen in their childhoods from among various prominent Roman families to serve for a period of thirty years. Considered brides of Rome, they took vows of chastity, much like nuns.

From Quiz A Whiter Shade of Procol Harum

Answer: Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody"

"Bohemian Rhapsody" was written by the late Freddie Mercury for the Queen album, "A Night at the Opera". It is in operatic style, with six sections: Introduction (a capella: "I'm just a poor boy, nobody loves me"), Ballad (harmony and solo, "Mama, just killed a man"), Guitar Solo, Opera (choral, "Scaramouche, will you do the fandango"), Hard Rock (just that, "So you think you can stone me and spit in my eye") and "Outro" (choral and solo, "nothing really mattered to me"). "Yesterday" is the most covered song (Guinness Book of Records confirms) and was performed over 7 million times by the end of 1999. It was recorded by The Beatles for their album, "Help". "Stairway to Heaven" was released on "Led Zeppelin IV" (by Led Zeppelin) - it will surprise many to learn that it was never released as a single. That did not stop it from allegedly being the most played song on American FM stations. "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" was ranked as the #2 all-time song by Rolling Stone Magazine, and was the song that catapulted The Rolling Stones into immortality. It also irritated the older generation with its blatant sexuality, cementing the label "bad boys" to the band.

From Quiz Procol Harum Lyrics

Answer: "Shine On Brightly"

From the album of the same name. (Release 1968)

From Quiz Song by Song: "A Whiter Shade of Pale"

Answer: Hagar Schon Aaronson Shrieve

Hagar Schon Aaronson Shrieve (HSAS) featured Sammy Hagar (a.k.a The Red Rocker) on lead vocals, Neal Schon of Journey and the Bad English on guitar, Kenny Aaronson on bass, and Santana's Michael Shrieve on drums. HSAS's cover of the song appeared on their 1984 album "Through the Fire."

From Quiz Procol Harum Lyrics

Answer: "Grand Hotel"

Again, from the album of the same name. (Release 1973)

From Quiz Song by Song: "A Whiter Shade of Pale"

Answer: Annie Lenox

The Lennox version peaked at number 38 on the Canada Top Singles (RPM) chart. This cover of the song was also played during the closing credits of the 1995 action-thriller movie "The Net."

From Quiz A Whiter Shade of Procol Harum

Answer: Johann Sebastian Bach

Johann Sebastian Bach is one of the greatest composers of all time, a genius who developed the Baroque style to perfection and whose counterpoint has both musical and mathematical beauty. Two of his best-known works, "Air on a G String" (get your mind out of the gutter, it was based on the G string on a violin) and "Sleepers Awake" are believed to have been the basis for "A Whiter Shade of Pale". Many people believe one or the other was directly 'quoted' in the work, but while the first five notes are very like "Air" and the end of each phrase is largely taken (according to Brooker) from "Sleepers", the tune is not a direct copy of either. Johann Christian Bach was JS Bach's youngest son, a composer and player of the viola da gamba. George Frideric Handel was a German composer who moved to the UK and is most famous for his magnum opus, "The Messiah", including the "Hallelujah" chorus. Other famous works include the "Music for the Royal Fireworks" and the "Water Music". Antonio Vivaldi was a priest, violinist and composer from Venice. He is particularly known for his four concerti known as "The Four Seasons"; in his lifetime he composed over 500 concertos, 46 operas, 73 sonatas and more.

From Quiz Procol Harum Lyrics

Answer: "Boredom"

This is not actually part of Keth Reid's lyrics but spoken before the instrumental ending. One of the few P.H songs not fronted vocally by Gary Brooker. He sings backup while Matthew Fisher (who penned the song) sings lead. (Release 1970)

From Quiz Procol Harum Lyrics

Answer: "Simple Sister"

Another featuring Robin Trower. More air play. (Release 1971)

From Quiz Procol Harum Lyrics

Answer: "Wreck of the Hesperus"

A Matthew Fisher composition on the album "A Salty Dog", his last performing with the band for many years. (Release 1969)

From Quiz Procol Harum Lyrics

Answer: "Bringing Home the Bacon"

One more tour de force for B.J. Wilson and the band. Looking back, he really liked to test that cowbell! (Released 1973...although I heard this one performed at least a year earlier at the Philadelphia Academy of Music and kept waiting to get the next album because I couldn't get it out of my head in all that time....)

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