Ironworks Gaming Forum - View Single Post - Whiter Shade of Pale...what do the lyrics mean???

Lady Sedai · 08-13-2004, 10:15 AM

Here's a more complete song lyric from a 'rare song lyric' website:

We skipped the light fandango
turned cartwheels 'cross the floor
I was feeling kinda seasick
but the crowd called out for more
The room was humming harder
as the ceiling flew away
When we called out for another drink
the waiter brought a tray

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

She said, 'There is no reason
and the truth is plain to see.'
But I wandered through my playing cards
and would not let her be
one of sixteen vestal virgins
who were leaving for the coast
and although my eyes were open
they might have just as well've been closed

She said, 'I'm home on shore leave,'
though in truth we were at sea
so I took her by the looking glass
and forced her to agree
saying, 'You must be the mermaid
who took Neptune for a ride.'
But she smiled at me so sadly
that my anger straightway died

If music be the food of love
then laughter is its queen
and likewise if behind is in front
then dirt in truth is clean
My mouth by then like cardboard
seemed to slip straight through my head
So we crash-dived straightway quickly
and attacked the ocean bed
-----------------
As to what it means, I found this tidbit...

http://www.procolharum.com/99/groom-unreality.htm

"He couldn't unfortunately shed any clues on the song's lyrics which have baffled pop pickers for over 30 years.

'I have no idea at all. It never bothered me what the lyrics meant. It's a great record but not a great song. By that I mean, it hasn't really been improved on by a big artist in the same way that Aretha Franklin took Otis Redding's Respect and did a better version."

and

"Fisher also laughed off any higher meaning behind the song's lyrics. 'There are a lot of things you can get from the song. You could look at the mood of the piece while some people try to make sense of the words. Others try to look on it at an emotional level while some people think they can dance to it.'"

So it appears there *is* no meaning to the words, LOL.

[img]tongue.gif[/img] Darn those guys on mind altering drugs! [img]tongue.gif[/img]

08-13-2004, 10:15 AM	#3
Lady Sedai Banned User Join Date: May 21, 2004 Location: Hiram\'s lap Age: 55 Posts: 334	Here's a more complete song lyric from a 'rare song lyric' website: We skipped the light fandango turned cartwheels 'cross the floor I was feeling kinda seasick but the crowd called out for more The room was humming harder as the ceiling flew away When we called out for another drink the waiter brought a tray 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 She said, 'There is no reason and the truth is plain to see.' But I wandered through my playing cards and would not let her be one of sixteen vestal virgins who were leaving for the coast and although my eyes were open they might have just as well've been closed She said, 'I'm home on shore leave,' though in truth we were at sea so I took her by the looking glass and forced her to agree saying, 'You must be the mermaid who took Neptune for a ride.' But she smiled at me so sadly that my anger straightway died If music be the food of love then laughter is its queen and likewise if behind is in front then dirt in truth is clean My mouth by then like cardboard seemed to slip straight through my head So we crash-dived straightway quickly and attacked the ocean bed ----------------- As to what it means, I found this tidbit... http://www.procolharum.com/99/groom-unreality.htm "He couldn't unfortunately shed any clues on the song's lyrics which have baffled pop pickers for over 30 years. 'I have no idea at all. It never bothered me what the lyrics meant. It's a great record but not a great song. By that I mean, it hasn't really been improved on by a big artist in the same way that Aretha Franklin took Otis Redding's Respect and did a better version." and "Fisher also laughed off any higher meaning behind the song's lyrics. 'There are a lot of things you can get from the song. You could look at the mood of the piece while some people try to make sense of the words. Others try to look on it at an emotional level while some people think they can dance to it.'" So it appears there is no meaning to the words, LOL. [img]tongue.gif[/img] Darn those guys on mind altering drugs! [img]tongue.gif[/img]