This Friday’s song is A Whiter Shade of Pale by Procol Harum. This was their debut single and it was released in May 1967.
There was lots of turmoil around the world in 1967. The war in Vietnam ranged as anti-war protests escalated in the United States. The Six Day War happened in the Middle East. Race riots broke out in American cities during the summer. Veteran astronaut Virgil Grissom, first American spacewalker Ed White and rookie Roger Chaffee died in a launch pad accident during preparations for the first Apollo launch. The Beatles released Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band. The Graduate, Bonnie and Clyde, and Cool Hand Luke were in the theaters.
I picked two versions of A Whiter Shade of Pale to share. The first is one of the original promo tapes from 1967. The second a live performance in 2006.