AWSoP in the 'Q' poll

The February 1999 issue of the UK's Q Magazine features the Hundred Greatest Singles of all time, as voted by readers of the magazine. AWSoP came in Number 92. Here's the text of the article: if you want to mail Q about it, here's the address: q@ecm.emap.com

92 A Whiter Shade of Pale - Procol Harum

Deram, 1967: Highest: 1 (UK); 5 (US)

Had Johann Sebastian Bach been of a litigious nature and, more pertinently, not exceedingly dead, he would have found much to intrigue him in this beguiling ditty.

A funereal organ establishes the haunting, almost sacred tone before Gary Brooker weighs in with some heavy stuff about humming rooms, flying ceilings and those 16 vestal virgins destined for the coast.

The world stood back, scratched its chin, and nodded sagely in agreement. It was 1967, after all.

Best bit: (0.01) Matthew Fisher's sepulchral organ does wonders for progressive rock.

Where to get it now: Halcyon Daze - the Best of Procol Harum, Music Club

You said: It was a toss-up between this and Albatross (Sean D Brown, Edinburgh)

Position 92 may seem less disappointing when one notes that Michael Jackson, Simple Minds, Rod Stewart, T Rex, Fleetwood Mac, The Who, Aretha Franklin and Elton John fail to chart at all.

The Q readers' selection was culled from rive decades of songs: it featured 32 percent from the 90s, 20 from the 80s, 19 from the 70s, 21 from the 60s and 8 percent from the 50s. The Top ten were ...

Buy the magazine to find out the rest!

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