(221) MUSIC AND ME (June 28) A Whiter Shade Of Pale

THE GREATEST LEAD GUITARIST PALAU EVER KNEW
Lemuel Bacor, right, was the greatest lead guitarist/showman that PALAU ever knew, passed away a few years ago. He sleeps with his guitar beside him. Sometimes his wife is jealous of his guitar. REST IN PEACE, MY BROTHER!
                                                                                                              (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)



           A WHITER SHADE OF PALE
    (A song that has 2 chords in every bar)

IF “Moon River” is a song that changes its chord in every bar (in ¾ beat), the song “A Whiter Shade Of Pale”by Procol Harum is changing 2 chords in every bar (this time in 4/4 beat).

Although the last 3 chords are G, they are still different as the second to the last is G sustain (or Gsus).

When playing it on guitar or piano, ALWAYS REMEMBER – 2 CHORDS IN EVERY BAR AND YOU’LL NEVER GO WRONG! HERE ARE THE LYRICS AND CHORDS:

A WHITER SHADE OF PALE (1967)

(Words and music by K. Reid and G. Brooker)

(Sung by Procol Harum)

Intro: C-Em-Am-C-F-Am-Dm- F-G-Dm-Em-G-C-F-G-Gsus-G

C Em Am C F Am Dm-F

We skipped the light fandango Turned cartwheels ‘cross the floor

G Dm Em G C Em Am C

I was feeling kind of seasick The crowd called out for more.

F Am Dm F G Dm Em - G

The room was humming harder As the ceiling flew away,

C Em Am C F Am Dm

When we called out for another drink, The waiter brought a tray.

G C-Em Am-C F Am Dm F

REFRAIN: And so it was a lady As the miller told his tale

G Dm Em G C F C Gsus-G

That her face at first just ghostly Turned a whiter shade of pale.

(REPEAT INTRO)

C Em Am C F Am Dm-F

He said there is no reason And the truth is plain to see

G Dm Em G C Em Am-C

That I wandered through my playing cards Could not let her be.

F Am Dm F G Dm Em-G

One of sixteen vestal virgins Who were leaving for the coast

C Em Am C F Am Dm

And although my eyes were open, They might just as well been closed.

(REPEAT REFRAIN AND INTRO)

(Repeat REFRAIN WHILE FADING)

Some songs are having an apostrophe to cancel a letter and to make it rhyme to the song. Like “pr’yer”, which is prayer. It has 2 syllables and to make it one, the “a” is replaced by an apostrophe.

In this song, the 8^th word of the song is “across”, by putting an apostrophe to the “a” , it becomes ‘cross.

The last line “When we called out for another drink, The waiter brought a tray.” Many karaoke bars have been mistaken in this part which they are written as “When we called out for another DREAM, the WAVES ABOARD THE TRAIN”, which is simply wrong grammatically. How can you “call out for another dream and how can waves board the train? The right lyrics is --"When we called out for another drink, the waiter brought a tray."

I trusted the Jingle Song Hits in Philippines for their accurate lyrics and chords of the songs being published in their song magazines. Others are trying to surpass the quality of their publication but didn’t come close to overtake their high quality of publishing.


Source: Music and Me by Roberto Hernandez
             Tia Belau Newspaper
             Pages 8-9
             Volume 21
             Issue 42
             June 28, 2012