🎵 AotW AOTW: Procol Harum A WHITER SHADE OF PALE (A&M SP 4373)

[LPJim]

Procol Harum
A WHITER SHADE OF PALE
A&M SP-4373

When "Conquistador" from PROCOL HARUM LIVE had chart success in 1972 as a single, A&M reissued this the first Procol Harum album, originally released as Deram #18008 in 1967.

Gary Brooker - voice and piano; Matthew Fisher - Hammond organ; Robin Trower - lead guitar; David Knights - bass guitar; B.J. Wilson - percussion.


SIDE ONE
A Whiter Shade of Pale 4:08/ Conquistador 2:37/ She Wandered Through the Garden Fence 3:24/ Something Following Me 3:37/ Mabel 1:58/ Cerdes (Outside the Gates of) 5:05.

SIDE TWO
A Christmas Camel 4:50/ Kaleidoscope 2:54/ Salad Days are Here Again (From the film "Separation") 3:41/ Good Captain Clack* 1:30/ Repent Walpurgis 5:08.

*Bonus Track for Jan. 1973 A&M reissue, not on the Deram LP

All selections written by Keith Reid and Gary Brooker, published by TRO-Essex Music Inc. (ASCAP) except "Repent Walpurgis," written by Matthew Fisher, published by TRO-Essex Music Inc. (ASCAP).

Produced by Denny Cordell.

JB

 

[W.B.]

In addition, A&M, prior thereto, had reissued the "A Whiter Shade of Pale" / "Lime Street Blues" 45, originally issued as Deram 45 DEM 7507, as AM-1389 in late 1972 (which, like the Deram single, was mono.) The "Whiter Shade" side, on the A&M re-release, gave the time as 4:10 (vs. 4:08 on the LP, and 4:00 on promo copies of the Deram 45, stock copies of which gave no time whatsoever). I did notice that the fade-out came slightly sooner on the A&M 45 re-release as vs. the U.S. Deram, where in turn "Whiter Shade" faded a bit sooner than the U.K. Deram. (And I have all three variants, so I know.)

As far as the original Deram LP was concerned -- wasn't the mono catalogue equivalent #16008?

 

[LPJim]

The original Deram version had a huge fold-old black & white poster (identical to the front cover art) inside. I sure wish I had still had it.
JB
PS: I have the Deram stereo version as well as a white label promo of the A&M reissue, plus a French import CD version (in mono!)

 

[jfiedler17]

I've never heard the entirety of this album myself [the only Procul Harum album I own is their best-of collection from '72], but I looooove that title track! Easily one of the greatest rock 45s of the '60s, IMO; if I ever get a jukebox, that 45 is definitely going in there!

Jeff F.