Keith Reid, a co-author of the mysterious lyrics to “A Whiter Shade of Pale” and “You’re The Voice” by John Farnham, has died. In the same vein as Lennon/McCartney and Elton John/Bernie Taupin, Brooker and Reid were one of Rock’s greatest songwriting duos, with Gary Brooker putting Reid’s lyrics to music.
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How did Keith Reid Die?
Keith Reid, a co-writer for Procol Harum who wrote the song “You’re The Voice,” died at 76. Reid’s best-known song is Procol Harum’s classic “A Whiter Shade of Pale”. Gary Brooker and Matthew Fisher used a Bach tune for the song’s music, and Keith wrote all the lyrics. He died a year after Gary Brooker, his friend and the musician who wrote the song’s melody. It is unknown what caused Keith Reid’s death. The second single by Procol Harum, “Homburg,” which once more featured lyrics by Reid, peaked at number six in the UK, number five in Australia, and number 34 in the US. In Australia in 1972, Procol Harum and the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra had a big hit with “Conquistador.”. Keith Reid contributed to writing the John Farnham masterpiece “You’re The Voice” along with Chris Thompson, Andy Qunta, and Maggie Ryder. Keith’s most recent album, “In My Mind, was released in 2018.
Keith Reid: Who was he?
On October 19, 1946, Keith Reid was born in London. At age 15, he gave up attending school and started writing lyrics, many featuring Bob Dylan. Reid, a Jew, was raised in London. His father survived the Holocaust. He stopped attending school when he was young to focus on becoming a songwriter. He collaborated on most of Procol Harum’s songs after meeting the band’s lead singer Gary Brooker in 1966. “A Whiter Shade of Pale,” Procol Harum’s debut single, was made accessible in 1967.
The UK Singles Chart peaked at number one, reaching a sales total of nearly six million copies worldwide. Keith Reid, a non-musician who was an official member of Procol Harum, was present for all of the band’s recording sessions and most of their live performances. Until the band’s dissolution in 1977, Reid continued to write lyrics for them. Reid argues that his ancestor’s involvement in the Holocaust gave his songs their depressing undertone.
Keith Reid’s life story is as follows:
Despite not singing or playing an instrument, Keith Reid, a lyricist who worked with vocalist/composer Gary Brooker to write the band’s songs, was a significant factor in Procol Harum’s long-term success. He was conceived on October 19, 1946, in London. He stopped attending school when he was 15 and began writing lyrics, many featuring Bob Dylan.
Chris Blackwell, the head of Island Records, introduced Reid in 1966 to Guy Stevens, the king of RandB, and Stevens, in turn, introduced Reid to Brooker, a young composer. When “A Whiter Shade of Pale” was first released, Procol Harum’s line-up was in place, and Reid’s bizarre lyrics were paired with a Brooker melody adapted from Suite No. 3, in D major. After collaborating on several songs, the two began assembling a band to record their material.
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