Song of the Day: 'A Whiter Shade of Pale' by Procol Harum

 

Sorry to hear about the passing of Procol Harum frontman Gary Brooker, whose “Whiter Shade of Pale” launched the Summer of Love in 1967, aka the Summer I Was Born. Brooker was 76 and had been battling cancer.

The Daily News writes:

The singer-songwriter led Procol Harem throughout its 55-year history, and the song, which he co-wrote, eventually sold more than 10 million copies worldwide and was honored in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018. The song’s psychedelic lyrics and melancholy tone captivated listeners of the Baby Boom generation. Though Brooker had his roots in the blues, he derived inspiration for that first hit from Johann Sebastian Bach.

“Gary’s voice and piano were the single defining constant of Procol’s 50-year international concert career,” the band said.

He also dabbled in acting, appearing in the 1996 film version of “Evita” alongside Madonna, playing Argentine foreign minister Juan Atilio Bramuglia. In 2003, the London-born singer received one of Britain’s highest honors as he was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire.

RIP.

Annie Lennox's cover from 1995's "Medusa" was also a masterpiece.