Procol Harum – Conquistador (1967) 앨범
1967년 싱글 차트 6주간 1위를 한 곡으로 팝역사상 항상 최고의 흥행곡 중 하나로 선정되며,
1967년 발표된 이후에 300여 차례 리메이크된 명곡입니다.
프로콜 하럼의 보컬리스트겸 작사가인 Gary Brooker의 2006년 라이브 버전들은
유투브에서 6백만 뷰 이상을 기록할 정도로 이 곡의 인기가 50년이 지난 지금도 유지되고 있네요.
이곡의 가사는 해독 불가능한(?) 가사로 유명합니다.
주점에서 술에 취하고 대략 hype된 상태에서
뚝뚝 끊기며 이어지지 않는 대화가 있는 파티에서의 이런 저런 편린들인듯 합니다.
굳이 해석하자면 아마도...
우리는 노잼 판당고 춤을 쓸어버렸다. 바닥을 가로질러 재주넘기를 했고, 배멀미를 하는 듯한 느낌이었지만, 사람들은 더 하라고 아우성이다.
천장이 들썩거릴 정도로 방안은 정신없었고, 우리가 술을 더 달라고 외치자 웨어터가 큰 쟁반을 대령한다.
밤은 더욱 깊어지고 밀러가 작정하고 이야기를 떠벌이자. 그녀의 얼굴은 처음엔 창백했지만, 결국 새하얗게 질려버렸다.
Procol Harum의 오리지날 버전
Eric Elapton, Bonnie Tyler, Annie Lenox, Michael Bolton 리메이크 버전도 유명하지만
Joe Cocker의 "꼬챙이로 가슴 속의 가래를 긁어내버리고 싶은" 보컬의 라이브 버전을 추천합니다.
Joe Cocker의 라이브 중간 "When a men loves a woman"이 살짝.살짝 묻어나는 듯....
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
[Chorus]
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
[Chorus]
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, 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
[Chorus]
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
If music be the food of love
Then laughter is it's 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
[Chorus]
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
Songwriters: KEITH REID, GARY BROOKER
A Whiter Shade Of Pale lyrics © T.R.O. INC.