Meaning to the lyrics of A Whiter Shade of Pale?

Answer 1

It is a sort of Occult song that is popularily believed to be about the (Titanic) disaster. The narrator and his female companion are in a Dining room- more or less oblivious to any damage- and the story unfolds. it was a somewhat controversial song- like, in a different vein- Instant Karma- also with Occult rumblings/ Somewhat oddly we never learn the name of the female character.

Answer 2

There is no well-known song called 'Of Whiter Pale'- you must be thinking of 'Whiter Shade of Pale' by Procul Harem, released in 1967.

It's meaning is difficult to decipher and the guy who wrote it denied that it had any meaning at all. However, it seems to focus at least partly on the concerns of a rock singer as to the faithfulness of his girlfriend. He has to sing to earn his living, turning up to do gigs and concerts every night, whilst she has much more freedom, and he may be worried that she'll get tired of him and start looking for somebody else.

The lines "I could not let her be

One of sixteen vestal virgins

Who were heading for the coast"

may refer to her participating in a girlie outing to the seaside, during which he may fear that she's really going on the trip to look for a new boyfriend.

The line "As the miller told his tale" may refer to some disillusionment with the music industry and it's endless preoccupation with love songs- the line "a whiter shade of pale" may be similar, or it may refer to the effects of taking drugs to relieve the monotany.

But some of the lyrics would challenge anyone to decipher- it's an enigmatic song, but nonetheless very poetic, which I think is why it was such a big hit.

Answer 3

It's simply stream of consciousness. Gary Brooker reports that he (and possibly Keith Reed) wrote the lyrics while stoned on acid.

Answer 4

The obvious and popular answer is the Titanic Disaster- 2340 Hrs April l4, l9l2 AD. Tonight"s the Night, as I type this- 99 years.