Procol Harum

The group took its name after a Burmese blue cat.

The first song recorded by Procol Harum was "A Whiter Shade of Pale." The song is based on Bach's Suite No. 3in D Major. BBC Radio 2 labeled the song as "Britain's first psychedelic number one!" The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted the song into its new singles category in 2018.

In Australia, Home peaked at #19.

In 1967, the single "A Whiter Shade of Pale" was a #1 hit single and was ranked as the #14 Top single of the year in Australia. The single "Homburg" peaked at #5.

The Live With the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra album was to be the first of several collaborations by Procol Harum with symphonies in Canada. The pairing of Procol Harum with the Edmonton Symphony was the first time classical and rock music were recorded in Canada.

in 1972, A&M Records Canada released "A Salty Dog" as a single. It did so based on the airplay the song received in the western Provinces. Although the song was recorded two years earlier, radio (both Canadian and U.S.) had a prevailing belief that no song should have a track time longer than three minutes for radio play. "A Salty Dog" was 4:36. Procol Harum refused to edit the song because they felt the song's meaning would be lost. Once the song received air play, the audience requested it. 

Sources
  1. Go-Set Charts
  2. The Most Important Single Ever???? E.K. Roy Richard. RPM, January 16, 1972.
  3. Edmonton's Symphony Procol Harum. RPM, February 8, 1972.
Recording Years / Label
1967-1972 -  A&M Records
Name Member Years Instruments
Alan Cartwright 1972 bass
Barry Wilson 1968-1972 drums, percussion
Chris Copping 1972 keyboards
Dave Ball 1972 guitar
David Knights 1968 bass
Gary Brooker 1968-1972 piano, celeste, recorder, woods, harmonica
Keith Reid 1972 words
Matthew Fisher 1968 keyboards, guitars, marimba, recorder, vocals
Robin Trower 1968 guitars, bells, tambourine, vocals
Name Birth Death
Alan Cartwright 1945-10-10 2021-03-04
Barry Wilson 1947-03-18 1990-10-08
Chris Copping 1945-08-29
Dave Ball 1950-03-30 2015-04-01
David Knights 1945-06-28
Gary Brooker 1949-05-29 2022-02-19
Keith Reid 1945-10-19 2023-03-23
Matthew Fisher 1946-03-07
Robin Trower 1945-03-09
Name See associated acts
Matthew Fisher Matthew Fisher

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