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Procol Harum

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Procol Harum was an English rock band from Southend-on-Sea in Essex, formed in 1967. The singer and pianist Gary Brooker had earlier been in The Paramounts and wanted to concentrate on writing. Through a friend he met the lyricist Keith Reid. When nobody wanted to record their songs, they started a band themselves, with Matthew Fisher on organ, among others. The name came from a Burmese cat belonging to an acquaintance. Because of a mistake on the telephone, the pedigree name Procul Harun was written down wrongly.

Music and breakthrough

In April 1967 the group recorded its first single in London: A Whiter Shade of Pale. The song is built like baroque music. On the Hammond organ Fisher plays a countermelody loosely based on the third orchestral suite by Johann Sebastian Bach. Underneath runs a slowly descending bass line, and Brooker sings Reid's enigmatic lyrics. Listeners of the pirate station Radio London responded so enthusiastically that the record company rushed the single out. It spent six weeks at number 1 in England and became a worldwide success. More than ten million copies have been sold.

Influence

Homburg, among others, followed, but nothing again as big as the debut single. The music of Procol Harum is counted as psychedelic rock and early prog rock, with influences of blues, soul and classical music. With A Whiter Shade of Pale the band showed that the Hammond organ and Bach could have a place in pop music. In 2018 the song was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to A Whiter Shade of Pale and follow the melody of the Hammond organ, which sounds right at the start and keeps returning. Notice also the bass line, which moves downwards step by step as in baroque music.

Discography

Studio albums

In School of Rock

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See also

Categories: ArtistsSymphonic rock