Our £2m Procol Haven: Whiter Shade Of Pale writer sells house he bought for ...
The Procol Harum classic A Whiter Shade Of Pale was the iconic single of the Summer of Love and has since been broadcast more than any other record.
It has earned millions in royalties for Gary Brooker, who wrote the tune, and poet Keith Reid, who penned the lyrics - possibly loaded with literary references to Chaucer and Milton, or possibly just about a one-night stand. But back in 1967 when it was released, neither of them made much money from it.
Lead singer Gary, who formed Procol Harum - which means 'of these far-off things' in Latin but was possibly the misspelling of the name of a friend's cat - was inspired by Johann Sebastian Bach's Air On The G String when he came up with the tune.
Four years later, when Gary and his Swiss wife Franky decided to start househunting, they faced the same problems as all first-time buyers: they had to convince their bank manager to give them a mortgage.
'When the song was released, Radio One hadn't even started and there were only pirate stations, which didn't pay performing rights fees. It's not like today when bands get rich overnight,' says Gary, now 66.
'We had about £1,500 to put down on a house, but I had a stroke of luck because the bank manager had been to the same school as me in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, so we managed to get a mortgage.'
After scouring the Home Counties for a house with an outbuilding Gary could convert to a studio, the couple paid £27,000 for Wintershall, a 16th Century cottage set in 25 acres in Dunsfold, part of what has become a millionaires' enclave in the Surrey hills, near Godalming.
After 40 years in the same house, the couple are now selling up. 'We'd looked everywhere from Kent to Oxfordshire, but this was in such a beautiful location and the barn was perfect for a studio,' says Franky.
While the average UK house that sold for £27,000 in 1971 is now worth £433,000 (according to Nationwide), Gary and Franky are asking £2million for their five-bedroom, Grade II-listed house, which has four reception rooms, an indoor pool and magnificent gardens including a lake.
Over the years, the couple - who have just celebrated their 46th wedding anniversary - have added a two-storey extension, an indoor pool and converted the barn into a recording studio. But this is not a rock star's gaudy palace.
A Whiter Shade Of Pale Lyrics - News
The Procol Harum classic A Whiter Shade Of Pale was the iconic single of the Summer of Love and has since been broadcast more than any other record. It has earned millions in royalties for Gary Brooker, who wrote the tune,
There are also three well-performed traditional pieces: "Danny Boy" - beautifully arranged, especially the first track of it, a "Whiter Shade of Pale" and the very spiritually rousing "You Raise Me Up". "Walking in Memphis" has an obvious personal
Procol Harum - A whiter shade of pale
British rock legends Procol Harum are captured here at their finest, in concert at London's Union Chapel. It was the last night of a tour that had taken them from London through Europe, Japan and North America and back again to London and the band celebrated with a truly magical performance of the rarely heard full version of the immortal A Whiter Shade Of Pale. Copyrights of uploaded videos belong to their respective licensed owners,artists and labels, provided for entertainment purposes only. Due to licensing restrictions, some or all tracks may be unavailable for playback in your country. All lyrics are property and copyright of their owners. They are provided for educational purposes and strictly for viewing/reading only.
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Today's lyrics:"It was later as the miller told his tale, that her face at first just ghostly, turned a whiter shade of pale" - Procol HarumA Whiter Shade Of Pale Lyrics - Bookshelf
Blinded by the lyrics, behind the lines of rock and roll's most baffling songs
Keith Reid, who penned the lyrics to "A Whiter Shade of Pale," on the other hand , has always maintained the song's scrutability, calling We skipped the ...Classic rock, complete lyrics for 200 songs
Refrain: 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. ...Billboard
In the beat field there was an increasing preference for English lyrics, but, ... "A Whiter Shade of Pale" was written by Essex Music's Keith Reid, ...Pop Goes to Court: Rock 'N' Pop's Greatest Court Battles
Running just under four minutes, 'A Whiter Shade Of Pale' – the title came ... plus the bizarre and baffling lyrics, turned 'A Whiter Shade Of Pale' into ...Lyrics, Writing Better Words for Your Songs
... was of a slice of abstract lyricism Reid titled 'A Whiter Shade Of Pale', ... Do you have a set pattern for writing lyrics? I go through phases. ...Detect Guide Directory
The words of 'A Whiter Shade of Pale'
[Roland from BtP notes: inspection of the typescript in Gary Brooker's album ... that her face, at first just ghostly, turned a whiter shade of pale ...
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A Whiter Shade of Pale - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"A Whiter Shade of Pale" is the debut song by the British band Procol Harum, released 12 May 1967. ... The phrase a whiter shade of pale has since gained widespread use in ...
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Elliott Yamin Whiter Shade Of Pale lyrics : We skipped the light fandango Turned cartwheels 'cross the floor I was feeling kinda seasick But the crowd ca...