Singles A's & B's [Import]

Procol Harum | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 20, 2003)
• Number of Discs: 3
• Format: Import
• Label: REPERTOIRE
• ASIN: B00006ALRT
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #421,617 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Whiter Shade of Pale [Mono Version]

2. Lime Street Blues [Mono Version]

3. Homburg [Mono Version]

4. Good Captain Clack [Mono Version]

5. Il Tuo Diamante [Shine on Brightly] [Mono Version]

6. Fortuna [Repent Walpurgis] [Mono Version]

See all 19 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Simple Sister [Stereo]

2. Song for a Dreamer [Stereo]

3. Homburg [Stereo]

4. Conquistador [Mono Version][Version]

5. Conquistador [Stereo][Live]

6. Luskus Delph [Stereo][Live]

See all 19 tracks on this disc

Disc: 3

1. Pandora's Box [Stereo]

2. The Piper's Tune [Stereo]

3. The Final Thrust [Edit][Version]

4. Taking the Time [Stereo]

5. As Strong as Samson [Remix][Version]

6. The Unquiet Zone [Stereo]

See all 19 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pleasure for the Procol Harum Completeist, June 23, 2004

By 

Kurt Harding "bon vivant" (Boerne TX) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Singles A's & B's (Audio CD)

Despite the fact that I already own most everything Procol Harum has done in every form, I bought this 3 CD set because there are a few songs and arrangements on this one that I didn't already have.
This is supposed to be a compilation of all the Procol Harum singles (45 rpm) ever issued, both in the US and abroad. The set comprises three CDs and a fine booklet that features an enjoyable short history of the band, numerous pictures of the group with the various line-ups, and reproductions of the picture sleeves of the issued singles. Then there is the music.
Fans of Procol Harum who followed the band from the beginning will know most of these tunes. Many of my favorites are here including A Whiter Shade of Pale, Repent Walpurgis, About To Die, Song For A Dreamer, Homburg, Conquistador, Fires (Which Burnt Brightly), Beyond The Pale, A Rum Tale, Nothing But The Truth, The Final Thrust and many others. Indeed, there are 57 songs in all.
What makes this different from the ordinary "greatest hits" or "best of" compilation is that many of the songs here are versions slightly different from those issued on the LPs. There are mono versions, edited versions, various alternate takes and a few that have never been on any album of which I am aware. Among the gems of this latter group are Il Tuo Diamante (Shine on Brightly) which is sung in Italian and two wonderful instrumentals, Adagio di Albononi followed by a live version of Strauss' famous Blue Danube waltz.
Most of the songs which follow Something Magic on disc three are unfamiliar to many but despite their obscurity, are largely still worth a listen.
Some might consider a CD of this scope to be overkill, but it is pure pleasure for the Procol Harum completeist. If you are in that group, then you must have this CD. If not, then you should become a completeist. The band has more than proven its appeal and staying power over three and a half decades of ups and downs and this CD is a nice compact way to chronicle those years

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Fine Repertoire Release!, November 25, 2004

By 

Morten Vindberg (Denmark) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Singles A's & B's (Audio CD)

As a big fan of Procol Harum since their first single "A Whiter Shade of Pale", any new Procol Harum release causes my interest.

This 3 CD release is an extensive collection af Procol Harum singles released all over the world. Quite a lot of these recordings were never included on the original album.

From the 1960's especially great songs like "In The Wee Small Hours of Sixpence" and "Long Gone Geek" are great additions to the catalogue. The single version of "Quite Rightly So" which I remember being played several times on Danish Radio in 1968, has always been my favourite version. ( I bought the single back then ).

Most of these rarities though, have been released on the CD-reissues of the original albums, so many fans will have the majority of these recordings already. For me personally, the alternate single mixes of "Whiskey Train", "Robert's Box", "Grand Hotel", "The Final Trust" and "Strong As Samson" were new to me.

The 1976 single "Adagio Di Albinoni" / "Blue Danube" as well as the 1977 B-side "Backgammon" were completely "new" for me.

The booklet contains photos of many of these rare single-covers, and a short Procol Harum biography.

So my conclusion can only be : This is another 5 star Procol Harum release!

4 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What A Pleasant Surprise!, November 19, 2004

By 

Bill Board (God's Wrath, Ohio) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Singles A's & B's (Audio CD)

Having purchased all the cd's from "Grand Hotel" thru the rather (BOR-ing!) "Stranger" and the essentially-different-but-nice-to-see-two-original-members-together-again "Well," I was all set to get into EARLY Procol Harum. Oh yes, A&M's "Best Of" was the third cd I purchased in 1988 when I first was turned on to compact discs ("Exile On Main St" and "Otis Redding's Greatest" were first two), and just recently I scopped up "Edmonton" from a cd purveyor in Russia. Yeah, I was PRIMED! So I purchased "Singles A&B." I figure, if you're reading this, you must be already familiar with Procol's early work, or you wouldn't've read this far. Oh, MAN! It was (oh yes, I've used this noun in a recent Mott The Hoople review, so let's not quibble) an epiphany! Early Procol was SO much deeper than what I experienced thru A&M's "Best OF!" But all that being said, my favorite tracks are (still) "Long Gone Geek," and the previously unreleased live version of "Luskus Delph" and "Blue Danube." But the one track that I just...cannot...QUITE...quit listening to, over and over, and to the consternation of my Wife, is the final track, "Into The Flood." Ever since I read the liner notes to "Stranger," where the late, great Bobby Mayo had had..."something" to do with that cd, I've been curious as to just exactly "what." PH's website kind of hemmed and hawed about it when I asked them (or maybe they were just being contrary because I was a very vocal/verbal admirer of President Bush), but then I read an interview with Geoff Whitehorn, Procol Harum's newest guitarist. And he named Bobby Mayo as the guitarist on that track. WOW! And here, everybody's getting loony because Robin ("Call Me 'Jimi'") Trower reconciled with Commander Brooker & Co for that cd. I sincerely wish Procol Harum HAD included "Into The Flood" on "Prodigal Stranger!" It was certainly boring otherwise...