<P> In the United States, the single reached number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and sold over 1 million copies . It also peaked at number 22 on the soul charts there . In the Netherlands, the song entered the chart at number 1 in June 1967 and again reached number 1 in July 1972 . A May 1972 re-release on Fly Records stayed in the UK charts for a total of 12 weeks and peaked at number 13 . </P> <P> "A Whiter Shade of Pale" has continued to receive critical acclaim . Along with Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody", "A Whiter Shade of Pale" was jointly recognised as "The Best British Pop Single 1952--1977" at the BRIT Awards, part of Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee . In 1998 the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame . In 2004, it appeared at number 57 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time". British TV station Channel 4 placed the song at number 19 in its chart of "The 100 Greatest No. 1 Singles". In 2018, the song was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in a new category for singles . </P> <P> The first promotional clip for "A Whiter Shade of Pale" was shot in the ruins of Witley Court in Worcestershire, England . It features four of the five musicians who played on the hit single: Gary Brooker, Matthew Fisher, David Knights and Ray Royer, in performance and walking through the ruins . Only the drummer in the video isn't on the record: early band member Bobby Harrison is seen miming to session man Bill Eyden's drumming . The film was directed by Peter Clifton, whose insertion of Vietnam War newsreel footage caused it to be banned from airplay on the BBC's Top of the Pops TV show . </P> <P> Procol Harum subsequently made a second promotional clip, using "Scopitone" technology . By this time, Robin Trower and B.J. Wilson had replaced Royer and Harrison in the band, so only three of the five musicians on the recording are represented . No performance footage appears in this film--only scenes of the five musicians cavorting around London and running across fields . The same lineup, with Fisher wearing a monk's cowl, mimed to the song on Top of the Pops, although Brooker sang live . Black - and - white footage of the performance has been shown online . The song represents 1967 on the 2004 DVD release Top of the Pops 40th Anniversary 1964--2004 . </P>

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