Homburg (song)

"Homburg" was the rock band Procol Harum's follow-up single to their initial 1967 hit "A Whiter Shade of Pale". Written by pianist Gary Brooker and lyricist Keith Reid, "Homburg" reached number 6 in the UK Singles Chart,[1] number 15 in Canada, and number 34 in the United States. It went to number one in several countries, including Australia, South Africa, and the Netherlands. An Italian cover (L'ora dell'amore by I Camaleonti) reached number 1 in the Italian Hit Parade Singles Chart on December 16, 1967 and remained there for 10 weeks.

"Homburg"
Single by Procol Harum
B-side"Good Captain Clack"
Released22 September 1967
Format7", 45rpm
RecordedSummer 1967
GenreBaroque rock
LabelRegal Zonophone
Songwriter(s)Gary Brooker, Keith Reid (lyrics)
Procol Harum singles chronology
"A Whiter Shade of Pale"
(1967)		 "Homburg"
(1967)		 "Quite Rightly So"
(1968)

Reid's "Homburg" lyrics contains the same surreal, dream-like imagery and feelings of resignation and futility as in the debut single. The music also features Matthew Fisher's rich and deep Hammond organ, but the piano and guitar have bigger places in the overall sound. The theme is not as clearly Bach-like as in "A Whiter Shade of Pale"; nevertheless, the single was, on its release, criticised for being too similar to its predecessor.[2]

The word Homburg refers to the famous Homburg hat, manufactured in Bad Homburg in Germany.[3]

The B-side of the single was "Good Captain Clack", which was taken from the album Procol Harum.

References
  1. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 440. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  2. Johansen, Claes. Procol Harum. Beyond the Pale. SAF Publishing, London 2000
  3. "Als der Homburg die Charts stürmte - Bad Homburg: Procol Harum landete mit heimischem Filzhut einen Hit". Taunus-Zeitung: 15. January 4, 2018.


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