Procol Harum [Deluxe Edition] [2 CD]

by Procol Harum

Overview

Procol Harum's self-titled debut album bombed in England, appearing six months after "A Whiter Shade of Pale" and "Homburg" with neither hit song on it. The LP was successful in America, where albums sold more easily, but especially since it did include "A Whiter Shade of Pale" and was reissued with a sticker emphasizing the presence of the original "Conquistador," a re-recording that became a hit in 1972. The music is an engaging meld of psychedelic rock, blues, and classical influences, filled with phantasmagorical lyrics, bold (but not flashy) organ by Matthew Fisher, and Robin Trower's most tasteful and restrained guitar. "Conquistador," "Kaleidoscope," "A Christmas Camel," and the Bach-influenced "Repent Walpurgis" are superb tracks, and "Good Captain Clack" is great, almost Kinks-like fun. Not everything here works, but it holds up better than most psychedelic or progressive rock. [A two-CD remastered Deluxe Edition of Procol Harum was released in 2015, featuring 27 bonus tracks including the singles "A Whiter Shade of Pale" and "Homburg," rare B-sides, alternate session takes and stereo mixes, and seven previously unreleased BBC Radio sessions from June and September 1967.] ~ Bruce Eder

Product Details

Release Date:	07/07/2015
Label:	Esoteric Antenna / Esoteric Recordings
UPC:	5013929459748
Rank:	6413

Tracks

Disc 1

1. Conquistador
2. She Wandered Through the Garden Fence
3. Something Following Me
4. Mabel
5. Cerdes (Outside the Gates Of)
6. A Christmas Camel
7. Kaleidoscope
8. Salad Days (Are Here Again)
9. Good Captain Clack
10. Repent Walpurgis
11. A Whiter Shade of Pale
12. Lime Street Blues
13. Homburg
14. Good Captain Clack
15. Alpha
16. Salad Days (Are Here Again) [Instrumental]
17. Understandably Blue
18. Pandora's Box [Instrumental]
19. Cerdes (Outside the Gates Of) [Alternate Mono Mix]
20. Something Following Me [Alternate Mono Mix]

Disc 2

21. A Whiter Shade of Pale [Extended Early Version]
22. Homburg [Extended Stereo Version]
23. Repent Walpurgis [Extended Stereo Version]
24. Conquistador [Stereo Mix]
25. She Wandered Through the Garden Fence [Stereo Mix]
26. Something Following Me [Stereo Mix]
27. Mabel [Undubbed Stereo Mix]
28. Kaleidoscope [Stereo Mix]
29. Cerdes (Outside the Gates Of) [Stereo Mix]
30. Homburg [Stereo Mix]
31. Morning Dew
32. A Whiter Shade of Pale
33. Mabel
34. Homburg
35. Good Captain Clark
36. She Wandered Through the Garden Fence
37. Kaleidoscope

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Procol Harum   Primary Artist
Keith Reid   Spoken Word
Tony Visconti   Conductor
David Knights   Guitar (Bass),Bass
Matthew Fisher   Organ (Hammond),Keyboards,Guitar
Robin Trower   Guitar
B.J. Wilson   Percussion,Drums
Gary Brooker   Keyboards,Harmonica,Vocals,Piano

Technical Credits

Tony Visconti   Orchestration
Bonnie Dobson   Composer
Keith Reid   Composer
Matthew Fisher   Composer
Gary Brooker   Composer
Tim Rose   Composer