文／夏禮章
▲圖／翻攝自網路http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=1105
來自南非開普敦的消息： Procol Harum合唱團的主唱 Gary Brooker 5月29日在旅館因跌倒而受到重傷，他被送到當地醫院，雖然頭蓋骨破裂，但經過治療後病情已穩定。
這場意外發生於67歲的Gary Brooker生日當天，這個跌倒也不得不延緩「英國搖滾入侵美國之旅」，因為Procol Harum與10cc 及 the Moody Blues三個1960年代在英、美及世界各地走紅的經典搖滾樂團原已排定檔期做全美巡迴演唱會，但是這個原訂七月開始的巡迴演唱是否取消還不確定。
Procol Harum合唱團是一個在英國組成的Classical Rock「古典搖滾」樂團，團員們除了主唱和各司吉它、鼓、鍵琴等不同樂器外，還有一位叫Keith Reid的團員負責寫歌詞，讓他們的歌詞內容不限於一般流行歌曲的情與愛…等的層次而已。
Procol Harum 1967年第5名的暢銷曲A Whiter Shade Of Pale是歌迷們耳熟能詳的搖滾樂經典歌曲，後來在滾石雜誌歷年500首最受歡迎歌曲排行獲得第57名，也被收進Grammy獎搖滾樂名人堂。
A WHITER SHADE OF PALE
Procol Harum
(Keith Reid/Gary Brooker)
as recorded by Procol Harum
We skipped the light Fandango
Turned cartwheels 'cross the floor
I was feeling kind of 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
------ organ solo ------
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 just as well've been closed
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
And so it was.... (fade)
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