Whiter Shade of Pale (Radio Edit)

Thanks to arcanecrowbar for the request and micayetoca for the challenge idea. This is my electro-freak-pop version of the Procal Harum masterpiece.

I had a client cancel last minute tonight so I spontaneously started recording this. Some of the most fun I've had playing in the studio in a long time. Vocals are spoken then manually tuned, something I've been wanting to try for a while. Lots of glitches.

(Get Flash to see the track player.)
posted by dagosto (13 comments total)

I can't believe I spelled it wrong. It's supposed to be Whiter Shade of Pale.

D'oh! At least I "sang" it right.
posted by dagosto at 1:50 AM on November 6, 2008

Awesome stuff! Though to be honest, I can't imagine a version of this tune I wouldn't enjoy, it has that sort of effect on me. Also, don't forget the 'cover' tag!
posted by potch at 2:24 AM on November 6, 2008

This is how it's done. Fantastic, it sounds close enough to the original that anyone would recognize it, but far enough that you can claim it as your own version, not just a rendition. Very cool, dagosto!

We should perhaps use a "requests" tag to compile these songs as they are added, what do you think?
posted by micayetoca at 4:14 AM on November 6, 2008

This was a triumph.
posted by Jofus at 5:21 AM on November 6, 2008

Man, that's fun.
posted by uncleozzy at 5:40 AM on November 6, 2008

Fixed the title.

Love this, dagosto. Just really, really love it. It's great how intentionally different and yet faithful it is.

I have a sort of slow-burn emotional connection to this song—here's a comment about it from a couple years ago, though that doesn't really get down to conveying the weird little ways and the odd chance moments of my childhood that have made this (corny though it may be) one of those instant emotional whiplash primes for me.
posted by cortex at 8:33 AM on November 6, 2008

micayetoca, "requests" tag is a great idea. Added it to this one, let me know if there are extant songs that need it and I'll add it those as well. Maybe throw a note into the big thread as to such.
posted by cortex at 8:35 AM on November 6, 2008

Man, this is fantastic. As has been said you beautifully captured the mood of the original while adding your own touches.
posted by ORthey at 10:35 AM on November 6, 2008

Thanks for the compliments and especially to cortex for fixing my typo and stuff. It is truly a great song and was a real learning experience to delve into.
posted by dagosto at 10:36 AM on November 6, 2008

Whoa. Woozy and seasick indeed. I'm listening in headphones and I think it's messing with my inner ear somehow.

Nice.
posted by umbú at 10:43 AM on November 6, 2008

This is so amazing, I'm psyched to see the challenges bearing fruit like this. Makes me want to go back and listen to the original and compare the instrumentation - I especially like the wild guitar near the end, and the vocoder is an inspired touch.
posted by arcanecrowbar at 1:27 PM on November 6, 2008

da-GOSTOSO! (I think that means cool or sweet or something complimentary in Portugese) I mean it too! This sounds like it must have taken some serious work, and what a payoff! Nice!
posted by snsranch at 5:24 PM on November 6, 2008

I looked it up and "gostoso" actually means something like "voluptuous" or perhaps more appropriately "havin' all that junk in the trunk"

apt in this case?
posted by dagosto at 12:23 PM on November 7, 2008