I usually hate the expression "It ruined my childhood." It's usually used by homophobes who discover that someone they admired in childhood is gay. But a little piece of my childhood died when I discovered the true meaning of "A Whiter Shade of Pale," the iconic 1960s song by Procul Harum.
The band, formed in 1967, has nothing to do with "protocols" or "harems"; it was named after a member's cat. "A Whiter Shade of Pale," their first recorded song, was written by 20-year old Keith Reid. In high school, heavy laden with existential angst, I found the mysterious, symbolic lyrics and melancholy organ music resonated with the human condition. It was about the meaninglessness of life.
But I recently read an interview with Keith Reid He says it was about a man trying to convince a woman to have sex with him.
Huh? This evocative, iconic, symbolic, deep song is not about the magic and mystery of life? It's really just about a stupid hetero hookup?
Next you'll be claiming that there is no Santa Claus.
Ok, how on Earth are these lyrics about sex:
We skipped the light fandango, turning cartwheels around the floor.
I was feeling kind of seasick, but the crowd called out for more.
A fandango is some sort of dance. Obviously a performance going on.
The room was humming harder
As the ceiling flew away
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
Her face is turning pale. She is a sybil, preparing to prophesy.
Keith: Her face is turning pale because the Miller's tale is about sex, and she's embarrassed.
She said, 'There is no reason'
And the truth is plain to see
There is no reason. There is no greater purpose. We live, and then we die, and that's the end.
Keith: She denies that she is embarrased by the depiction of sex. Her face didn't turn pale for any particular reason.
One of sixteen vestal virgins
Leaving for the coast.
A vestal virgin is dedicated to the service of a god. "Leaving for the coast" means that you are giving up. There are no gods to serve, so there can be no vestal virgins.
Keith: She's part of a tour group.
Although my eyes were open, they might just as well been closed.
He refuses to acknowledge the meaninglessness of life.
Keith: He refuses to acknowledge that she's not interested, and keeps trying.
That's as far as it usually goes on the radio, but the album contain an additional verse;
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.
She's been lying the whole time. The looking glass, from Alice Through the Looking Glass, is a gateway to another world. By holding the glass up to her face, he plans to force her to acknowledge that there is a spiritual reality after all.
Keith: He forces her to agree that she is interested in sex.
"You must be the mermaid who took Neptune for a ride."
You are a goddess. Therefore spiritual reality exists.
Keith: You are a tease.
The rarely played fourth verse seals the deal, and they go crashing down into the ocean bed to have sex.
Existential angst or se.
But I wandered through my playing cards
And would not let her be
He uses Tarot cards to try to demonstrate the existence of a spiritual realm.
Keith: They're playing a card game, and he's trying to get with her.
Way to ruin my childhood, guys.