Homburg (song)

"Homburg"
"Homburg"
Single by Procol Harum
B-side	"Good Captain Clack"
Released	22 September 1967
Recorded	Summer 1967
Genre	Baroque pop
Label	Regal Zonophone
Songwriter(s)	Gary Brooker, Keith Reid (lyrics)
Procol Harum singles chronology

"Homburg" is a song by the English rock band Procol Harum, released as the 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 on 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 the Netherlands. An Italian cover ("L'ora dell'amore" by I Camaleonti) reached number one in the Italian Hit Parade Singles Chart on December 16, 1967, and remained there for 10 weeks.

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.^{[citation needed]} 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] Cash Box said that it is "a solid, slow-paced ballad with the same haunting quality in the melody and lyrics which made 'A Whiter Shade Of Pale' such a big hit."^[3]

The title refers to the famous Homburg hat, manufactured in Bad Homburg in Germany.^[4]

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

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1967–68)	Peak position
Australia (Go-Set)^[5]	5
Australia (Kent Music Report)^[6]	5
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)^[7]	8
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)^[8]	6
Canada Top Singles (RPM)^[9]	15
Denmark (Danmarks Radio)^[10]	6
Germany (GfK)^[11]	15
Ireland (IRMA)^[12]	4
Italy (Musica e dischi)^[13]	2
Japan (Oricon)^[14]	86
Malaysia (Radio Malaysia)^[15]	2
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[16]	1
Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[17]	1
New Zealand (Listener)^[18]	4
Spain (Promusicae)^[19]	17
Sweden (Kvällstoppen)^[20]	15
Switzerland^[21]	5
UK (Record Retailer)^[22]	6
US Billboard Hot 100^[23]	34
US Cash Box Top 100^[24]	35

Year-end charts

Chart (1967)	Position
Australia (Kent Music Report)^[25]	51
Belgium (Ultratop Flanders)^[26]	55
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[27]	28

References

^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 440. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
^ Johansen, Claes. Procol Harum. Beyond the Pale. SAF Publishing, London 2000
^ "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. October 14, 1967. p. 20. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
^ "Als der Homburg die Charts stürmte - Bad Homburg: Procol Harum landete mit heimischem Filzhut einen Hit". Taunus-Zeitung: 15. January 4, 2018.
^ "Go-Set Australian charts - 22 November 1967". Gosetcharts. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
^ Kent, David (2005). Australian Chart Book 1940–1969. Australian Chart Book Pty Ltd, Turramurra, N.S.W. ISBN 0-646-44439-5.
^ "Procol Harum – Homburg" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
^ "Procol Harum – Homburg" (in French). Ultratop 50.
^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 100123." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
^ "danskehitlister.dk". Archived from the original on 2016-04-09. Retrieved 2022-10-07.
^ "Procol Harum – Homburg" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Homburg". Irish Singles Chart.
^ "Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Procol Harum".
^ Okamoto, Satoshi (2011). Single Chart Book: Complete Edition 1968-2010 (in Japanese). Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. ISBN 4-87131-088-4
^ "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. 27 January 1968. p. 43. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Procol Harum" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
^ "Procol Harum – Homburg" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
^ "Flavour of New Zealand, 11 August 1967". Flavourofnz.co.nz. Retrieved 2019-07-17.
^ Salaverri, Fernando (2015). Sólo éxitos 1959–2012 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 978-84-8048-866-2.
^ "Procol Harum - Se alla låtar och listplaceringar". NostalgiListan (in Swedish). Retrieved 2022-10-13.
^ Hufschmid, Gusty (2001). 33 Jahre Schweizer Hitparade – Single Charts. Keller. ISBN 3-7808-0182-5.
^ "PROCOL HARUM | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2022-10-13.
^ "Procol Harum Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
^ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending November 18, 1967". Cash Box magazine. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
^ "AMR Top Singles of 1967". www.top100singles.net.
^ "Jaaroverzichten 1967". Ultratop. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
^ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1967". www.top40.nl. Retrieved 13 October 2022.

[British_Hit_Singles_&_Albums-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

[cb-3] "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. October 14, 1967. p. 20. Retrieved 2022-01-12.

[4] "Als der Homburg die Charts stürmte - Bad Homburg: Procol Harum landete mit heimischem Filzhut einen Hit". Taunus-Zeitung: 15. January 4, 2018.

[5] "Go-Set Australian charts - 22 November 1967". Gosetcharts. Retrieved 13 October 2022.

[6] Kent, David (2005). Australian Chart Book 1940–1969. Australian Chart Book Pty Ltd, Turramurra, N.S.W. ISBN 0-646-44439-5.

[sc_Belgium_(Flanders)_Procol_Harum-7] "Procol Harum – Homburg" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.

[sc_Belgium_(Wallonia)_Procol_Harum-8] "Procol Harum – Homburg" (in French). Ultratop 50.

[sc_Canadatopsingles_-9] "Top RPM Singles: Issue 100123." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.

[10] "danskehitlister.dk". Archived from the original on 2016-04-09. Retrieved 2022-10-07.

[sc_Germany_Procol_Harum-11] "Procol Harum – Homburg" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.

[IRE1-12] "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Homburg". Irish Singles Chart.

[13] "Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Procol Harum".

[14] Okamoto, Satoshi (2011). Single Chart Book: Complete Edition 1968-2010 (in Japanese). Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. ISBN 4-87131-088-4

[15] "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. 27 January 1968. p. 43. Retrieved 13 October 2022.

[sc_Dutch40_Procol_Harum-16] "Nederlandse Top 40 – Procol Harum" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.

[sc_Dutch100_Procol_Harum-17] "Procol Harum – Homburg" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.

[18] "Flavour of New Zealand, 11 August 1967". Flavourofnz.co.nz. Retrieved 2019-07-17.

[Spain-19] Salaverri, Fernando (2015). Sólo éxitos 1959–2012 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 978-84-8048-866-2.

[20] "Procol Harum - Se alla låtar och listplaceringar". NostalgiListan (in Swedish). Retrieved 2022-10-13.

[21] Hufschmid, Gusty (2001). 33 Jahre Schweizer Hitparade – Single Charts. Keller. ISBN 3-7808-0182-5.

[ukrr-22] "PROCOL HARUM | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2022-10-13.

[sc_Billboardhot100_Procol_Harum-23] "Procol Harum Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.

[24] "Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending November 18, 1967". Cash Box magazine. Retrieved 13 October 2022.

[25] "AMR Top Singles of 1967". www.top100singles.net.

[26] "Jaaroverzichten 1967". Ultratop. Retrieved 13 October 2022.

[27] "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1967". www.top40.nl. Retrieved 13 October 2022.

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v t e Procol Harum
Gary Brooker Geoff Dunn Matt Pegg Josh Phillips Geoff Whitehorn Dave Ball Graham Broad Dave Bronze Pete Brown Mark Brzezicki Alan Cartwright Chris Copping Laurence Cottle Matthew Fisher Mick Grabham Bobby Harrison David Knights Dee Murray Keith Reid Tim Renwick Ray Royer Don Snow Peter Solley Henry Spinetti Jerry Stevenson Robin Trower Ian Wallace B. J. Wilson
Studio albums	Procol Harum Shine On Brightly A Salty Dog Home Broken Barricades Grand Hotel Exotic Birds and Fruit Procol's Ninth Something Magic The Prodigal Stranger The Well's on Fire Novum
Live albums	Procol Harum Live: In Concert with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra Live at the Union Chapel Procol Harum – In Concert with the Danish National Concert Orchestra and Choir Some Long Road
As Liquorice John Death	Ain't Nothin' to Get Excited About
Songs	"A Whiter Shade of Pale" "Homburg" "A Salty Dog" "Conquistador"
Related articles	Discography Members The Paramounts The Long Goodbye