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Thread: Three Procol Harum songs...

  1. #1
    Member StevegSr's Avatar
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    Three Procol Harum songs...

    ...that are stuck in my head at the moment. Salty Dog, Fires (That Burnt Brightly) and Strong As Sampson. Which one do you prefer?
    To be or not to be? That is the point. - Harry Nilsson.

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    'A Salty Dog' is stunning. Gary Brooker's vocal is magnificent and the arrangement is pure perfection. I think it might even be their finest song. To think that some people have dubbed them a 'one hit wonder'!

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    Member BarryLI's Avatar
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    Gary's vocals on Strong as Sampson knock me out every time.

  4. #4
    Member StevegSr's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JJ88 View Post
    'A Salty Dog' is stunning. Gary Brooker's vocal is magnificent and the arrangement is pure perfection. I think it might even be their finest song. To think that some people have dubbed them a 'one hit wonder'!
    Yes, they were actually a two hit wonder! (Whiter Shade and Conquistador.)
    Last edited by StevegSr; 02-16-2016 at 05:13 PM. Reason: spelling
    To be or not to be? That is the point. - Harry Nilsson.

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    Nothing wrong with any of those three songs. If I had to pick just one, it would probably be "Fires".

  6. #6
    Staying on topic, I would go with Salty Dog as well. I haven't really listened to PH for quite a few years, I used to listen a lot in the late 60's.

    Jim

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    Quote Originally Posted by StevegSr View Post
    Yes, they were actually a two hit wonder! (Whiter Shade and Conquistador.)
    Exactly.

    A "hit" is song that sells a lot of copies. Not necessarily a good song or a bad song.

  8. #8
    Samson reminds me of one of The Band epics, I would choose Idol over it while A Salty Dog and Fires would have to be in the top 10

  9. #9
    Is it OK if I decline to state? I adore all those songs and don’t want to choose just one!
    Confirmed Bachelors: the dramedy hit of 1883...

  10. #10
    This is one modern band that hits a few areas that not many others do. It at once
    give me the feel of growing up around the water, and also it reminds me of an older
    time, like old Hollywood in the 20s' or old UK. Not many prog bands have that vibe.
    Last edited by regenerativemusic; 02-16-2016 at 10:46 PM. Reason: typos

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    Quote Originally Posted by regenerativemusic View Post
    This is one modern band that hits a few areas that not many others day. It at once
    makes me feel of growing up around the water, and also it reminds me of an older
    time, like old Hollywood in the 20s' or old UK. Not many prog bands have that vibe.
    I agree. Brooker has an ability to sound truly timeless, as you say some of his songs could go back to the 1920s or even earlier. Complements Mr. bulldozer's comment above about being similar to the Band. I had never thought of that comparison, but Brooker and Robertson are the two main modern (er, last 50 years...) songwriters that have that ability.

  12. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by arturs View Post
    I agree. Brooker has an ability to sound truly timeless, as you say some of his songs could go back to the 1920s or even earlier. Complements Mr. bulldozer's comment above about being similar to the Band. I had never thought of that comparison, but Brooker and Robertson are the two main modern (er, last 50 years...) songwriters that have that ability.
    Randy Newman maybe?

  13. #13
    A Salty Dog, definitely an epic.
    "And your little sister's immaculate virginity wings away on the bony shoulders of a young horse named George who stole surreptitiously into her geography revision."

    Occasional musical musings on https://darkelffile.blogspot.com/

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by StevegSr View Post
    they were actually a two hit wonder! (Whiter Shade and Conquistador.)
    "Homburg" was a huge schlager in several European countries.

    "A Salty Dog" was not only their greatest songwriting achievement, but one of the most sincerely beautiful and emotionally multi-facceted pop/rock songs I know. "Pilgrim's Progress" was almost as good.
    "Improvisation is not an excuse for musical laziness" - Fred Frith
    "[...] things that we never dreamed of doing in Crimson or in any band that I've been in," - Tony Levin speaking of SGM

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    'Homburg' was a bona fide hit in the UK as well. My point was that they are often reduced to 'A Whiter Shade Of Pale', despite the fact they, like many an act at the time, moved towards albums rather than singles by the late 60s.

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    That's Mr. to you, Sir!! Trane's Avatar
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    From Steve's List, Salty Dog is my preferred one

    But outside In I Held Twas (or whatever), Skip Softly (Moonbeams) is the one I like best , tied with Gates of Cerdes
    my music collection increased tenfolds when I switched from drug-addicts to complete nutcases.

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    Member StevegSr's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Trane View Post
    From Steve's List, Salty Dog is my preferred one

    But outside In I Held Twas (or whatever), Skip Softly (Moonbeams) is the one I like best , tied with Gates of Cerdes
    I said that I had some Procol songs stuck in my head, Sean, not epics!
    To be or not to be? That is the point. - Harry Nilsson.

  18. #18
    I remember back in the days of those crackly endings, New Lamps for Old would invariably make me want to repeat the whole album again.

  19. #19
    "Salty Dog". A masterpiece!
    Macht das ohr auf!

    COSMIC EYE RECORDS

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    Quote Originally Posted by spacefreak View Post
    "Salty Dog". A masterpiece!
    I love this song so much. I actually learned it on piano and that was very hard because I didn't use anything but my ear. Then I decided to make a cover of it on you tube playing Gary's melody on my guitar with my left hand while playing the chords using a mellotron type patch I made back in 1992 with my right. This is the most difficult thing I have ever done.




    My other 2 would be In Held T'was In I and Whaling Stories.
    Last edited by Rand Kelly; 02-18-2016 at 07:11 AM.

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  22. #22
    Quote Originally Posted by JJ88 View Post
    'Homburg' was a bona fide hit in the UK as well. .
    As was "Pandora's Box" which I believe went top 20.

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    Strong As Sampson.........love the lyrics.

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    A Salty Dog, definitely. Though other two I love dearly.

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