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Procol Harum — Shine On Brightly
Album: Shine On Brightly
Avg rating:
6.4

Your rating:
Total ratings: 504









Released: 1968
Length: 3:25
Plays (last 30 days): 1
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My Prussian-blue electric clock's
Alarm bell rings, it will not stop
And I can see no end in sight
And search in vain by candlelight
For some long road that goes nowhere
For some signpost that is not there
And even my befuddled brain
Is shining brightly, quite insane

The chandelier is in full swing
As gifts for me the three kings bring
Of myrrh and frankincense, I'm told
And fat old Buddhas carved in gold
And though it seems they smile with glee
I know in truth they envy me
And watch as my befuddled brain
Shines on brightly quite insane

Above all else, confusion reigns
And though I ask, no one explains
My eunuch friend has been and gone
He said that I must soldier on
And though the ferris wheel spins 'round
My tongue it seems has run the ground
And croaks as my befuddled brain
Shines on brightly, quite insane

Shine on, hah, shine on, hah, shine on....
Comments (54)add comment
 Orodrigues wrote:

Oh, man, what a nice surprise... More Procol Harum in Paradise, please!



A Dream In  Every Home from A Prodigal Son would be a good one to add.
Posted 2 months ago by Greyfurgang    [ Reply ]
Oh, man, what a nice surprise... More Procol Harum in Paradise, please!
Posted 3 months ago by Orodrigues    [ Reply ]
Saw them in Orange, France, as substitute act for Eric Burdon in 75, right after Tangerine Dream in Arles. Both in these roman theatres.
Posted 3 months ago by Pitjes    [ Reply ]
I'm between an 8 and a 9 on this. Kinda surprising to see the ratings for this song hovering just above 6. I guess you had to be there...
Posted 2 years ago by bkrans9    [ Reply ]
 SkiIllinois wrote:
 
 
I have briefly heard this at RP once or twice before, but when I saw this comment and heard the song now I instantly agree. It's a 10!
Posted 2 years ago by Gjert    [ Reply ]
Thank you! 
Checked the date on seeing the album art. That alien pianist looks more modern than the late sixties. But then again, it's an alien :)
Posted 3 years ago by Egctheow    [ Reply ]
 trevc wrote:

Music really isn't your thing, is it?
 

Posted 4 years ago by MilesW    [ Reply ]
 lowelltr wrote:
Unbelievably bad and very annoying piece of shit - can't even call it a song
 
Music really isn't your thing, is it?
Posted 5 years ago by trevc    [ Reply ]
Sweet, dude!
Posted 5 years ago by ExploitingChaos    [ Reply ]
Precious lost gem from Back Then.
wow.
Only on RP!
Posted 10 years ago by gjeeg    [ Reply ]
Far superior to any EDM so popular now.
Posted 10 years ago by bstevens1951    [ Reply ]
Funny (peculiar) how I like a fair few of the old trippy or folk/rock bands like King Crimson, Jethro Tull, yet PH just don't grab my attention (beyond Whiter Shade of Pale)... life (and musical taste) is quite strange really .... ho hum
Posted 10 years ago by DavidS_UK    [ Reply ]
 vandal wrote:
Horrible. . . 

 
No. Far from it. Even if you really don't like it, how can it be horrible? It's a song!
Cheers. 
Posted 10 years ago by ccjemmett    [ Reply ]
Saw them in concert back in 72; they were the feature band, but they were clearly upstaged by the opening act which was an upstart new band called 'The Eagles'. 
Posted 10 years ago by pinem    [ Reply ]
It's not my favorite.  I think you have to like Procol in general to appreciate this one.  I really like the beat of "Simple Sister".  But I guess I always like performers that I've seen live.
Posted 10 years ago by markthecarp    [ Reply ]
Gary Brooker and Procol Harum have always added a refreshing corner to popular music in my opinion. Brooker's piano playing is wonderful, as his his composing, not to mention his crisp, distinctive voice.
Posted 11 years ago by soupfork    [ Reply ]
 laozilover wrote:
I don't like the way "Procto..." starts, so I'll stick with Procol Harum --- here's what the band says:

Gary Brooker explains (full interview here)

About the Latin name. How did you invent that?

We didn't invent it, our manager at the time 'phoned up and said he'd found a name. We said, 'What is it?' 'Procol Harum.' 'Oh, great.' And it sounds like us, in fact, sounds like what we sound like, so that was that. He didn't just pluck it out of the air, it was the name of a Pedigree name of a cat of a friend of his. And ... er ... of course everyone went, 'What does it mean? What does it mean?' We didn't know it, so we had to find out. We did find out that we actually had got the name wrong over the telephone, we spelt it wrong. But in Latin, the cat's name was 'Procul' with a 'u' and 'Harun' with an 'n' on the end, 'Beyond these things' in Latin. We got round to saying that Procol Harum in fact meant 'Beyond these things', which was a nice coincidence: at least it didn't mean, 'I'm going to town to buy a cow' or something.
 
There is so much random amateurishness and goofy one-off happenstances in rock n' roll that it makes you giggle. 

Gary Brooker is right about the name: Google Translate converted "I'll go buy a cow in town" into the Latin "Ego emere bos in oppido." Doesn't quite trip off the tongue. 
 
Didn't one of the Procol Harum guys dismiss "Whiter Shade of Pale" as an attempt to win a bet that someone couldn't dash off a trippy song? Even that's true and the band was just messin' 'round, they knocked it out of the park.  

 
Posted 11 years ago by kcar    [ Reply ]
An average rating of 6 is really surprising folks. This song is legendary.
Posted 11 years ago by SkiIllinois    [ Reply ]
i have recently discovered that i love all things procol harum.
Posted 11 years ago by lily34    [ Reply ]
This was some good stuff in its day. I liked Procul Harum, a band that really did record more than one song. Their albums were more than a collection of unrelated songs, which do sound of their period today. It's good to hear this again.
Posted 11 years ago by bam23    [ Reply ]
I don't recall this or at least hearing it very often back then.  Must be a sucker for period pieces, I like it.
Posted 11 years ago by westslope    [ Reply ]
great album cover, fits the mood in my mind, a moonlit dusty strip of sandy yard, a gilded trim torso composing at a cranky old set of keys
Posted 12 years ago by hayduke2    [ Reply ]
Something from PH besides Conquistador or Whiter Shade of Pale.  Thank you Bill!  I like the previous two, but it's nice to hear something else.
Posted 12 years ago by sweettone    [ Reply ]
oh yeah!!
Posted 12 years ago by allenrudd    [ Reply ]
 stubbsz wrote:

That's the guy singing here? What's so special? Seems rather mediocre to me.
 
Here..help yourself !


Posted 12 years ago by HazzeSwede    [ Reply ]
Damn Bill, yer really making me smile with this set.
Posted 12 years ago by kurtster    [ Reply ]
Nice to hear this after so many, what 30? years!!
Posted 12 years ago by kaybee    [ Reply ]
Rectal Protocol
Posted 19 years ago by mig7    [ Reply ]
laozilover wrote:
...at least it didn't mean, 'I'm going to town to buy a cow' or something.
Posted 19 years ago by n4ku    [ Reply ]
TheLoneIguana wrote:
Actually, I was thinking "Conquistador" slowed way down.
C o n q u i s t a d o r . . . . .
Posted 19 years ago by radiojunkie    [ Reply ]
HasseSwede wrote:
Procal Harum,Gary Brooker one of the Greatest vocies ever recorded!...
I agree. I have always loved this guy's singing. I can't make sense out of how some people here find it so hard to respect. I guess I just identify his voice with prog rock, and find it pleasantly nostalgic.
Posted 19 years ago by Gregorama    [ Reply ]
Not sure if I'm too crazy about this, but at least it's nice to here something other than Whiter Shade of Pale for once.
Posted 19 years ago by beelzebubba    [ Reply ]
sully3 wrote:
Turned a Whiter Shade of Pale...Does it not sound like that song?
Actually, I was thinking "Conquistador" slowed way down.
Posted 19 years ago by TheLoneIguana    [ Reply ]
radiojunkie wrote:
Haven't heard this in a dog's age...a salty dog's age. And watch as my befuddled brain Shines on brightly, quite insane Exactly the way I feel sometimes. How about following this with "Madman Across the Water"?
It wasn't Madman, but if you hung around long enough tonight we heard "Where To" from Tumbleweed. I just love this place.
Posted 19 years ago by GawgaBoy    [ Reply ]
Haven't heard this in a dog's age...a salty dog's age. And watch as my befuddled brain Shines on brightly, quite insane Exactly the way I feel sometimes. How about following this with "Madman Across the Water"?
Posted 19 years ago by radiojunkie    [ Reply ]
Friend wrote:
What does the name mean? Its awful close to Proctol Harem.
I don't like the way "Procto..." starts, so I'll stick with Procol Harum --- here's what the band says: Gary Brooker explains (full interview here) About the Latin name. How did you invent that? We didn't invent it, our manager at the time 'phoned up and said he'd found a name. We said, 'What is it?' 'Procol Harum.' 'Oh, great.' And it sounds like us, in fact, sounds like what we sound like, so that was that. He didn't just pluck it out of the air, it was the name of a Pedigree name of a cat of a friend of his. And ... er ... of course everyone went, 'What does it mean? What does it mean?' We didn't know it, so we had to find out. We did find out that we actually had got the name wrong over the telephone, we spelt it wrong. But in Latin, the cat's name was 'Procul' with a 'u' and 'Harun' with an 'n' on the end, 'Beyond these things' in Latin. We got round to saying that Procol Harum in fact meant 'Beyond these things', which was a nice coincidence: at least it didn't mean, 'I'm going to town to buy a cow' or something.
Posted 19 years ago by laozilover    [ Reply ]
Love this band, not familiar with this song.
Posted 19 years ago by Mudbog    [ Reply ]
Wow, that really blew. Burn the master!
Posted 19 years ago by redeyespy    [ Reply ]
lowelltr wrote:
Unbelievably bad and very annoying piece of shit - can't even call it a song
Harsh dude, harsh. Worse than the Beatles or the Doors?
Posted 19 years ago by aurora1957    [ Reply ]
Unbelievably bad and very annoying piece of shit - can't even call it a song
Posted 19 years ago by lowelltr    [ Reply ]
HasseSwede wrote:
Procal Harum,Gary Brooker one of the Greatest vocies ever recorded!
That's the guy singing here? What's so special? Seems rather mediocre to me.
Posted 20 years ago by stubbsz    [ Reply ]
Much like TTWS you remember them by their name , and sound.
Posted 20 years ago by trekhead    [ Reply ]
Typesbad wrote:
I never could warm up to these guys.
me neither. Harsh and flat to my ears.
Posted 20 years ago by Angloray    [ Reply ]
I never could warm up to these guys.
Posted 21 years ago by Typesbad    [ Reply ]
I think I'm going to have to start worshiping procul harum as god....
Posted 21 years ago by Eul0gy    [ Reply ]
Friend wrote:
What does the name mean? Its awful close to Proctol Harem.
But what in blazes does "Proctol Harem" mean??
Posted 21 years ago by littlebluedog    [ Reply ]
What does the name mean? Its awful close to Proctol Harem.
Posted 21 years ago by Friend    [ Reply ]
Shiny happy set.
Posted 21 years ago by Dave_Mack    [ Reply ]
Originally Posted by sully3: Turned a Whiter Shade of Pale...Does it not sound like that song?
cuz it's the SAME BAND!
Posted 21 years ago by bluedot    [ Reply ]
Cool! I love this song...I have their greatest hits...guess i\'ll have to dig that CD up.
Posted 21 years ago by Relayer    [ Reply ]
Ian Hunter would be much better on vocals.
Posted 21 years ago by Heathen954    [ Reply ]
Wow, forgot about this classic. Wow, thanks Bill!! Just another reason why it\'s so great to listen to RP. It must be more than 20 years since I last heard it on radio which just goes to show how screwed up FM has become. Shine on brightly, RP.
Posted 21 years ago by Valu_Able    [ Reply ]
Procal Harum,Gary Brooker one of the Greatest vocies ever recorded!One track that Bill should dedicate to himselv, \"Man with a mission\" from album,The prodigal stranger.Happy Xmas,HasseSwede
Posted 21 years ago by HasseSwede    [ Reply ]