Procol Harum - Conquistador

Sunday, time for a classic!

Today’s tune "Conquistador" is a song by the British psychedelic rock band PROCOL HARUM. Written by Gary Brooker and Keith Reid, it originally appeared on the band's 1967 self-titled debut album. It was later released as a single from the band's 1972 live album Procol Harum Live In Concert with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. It is one of the band's most famous and popular songs and their third Top 40 hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 (after 1967's "A Whiter Shade of Pale" and "Homburg"), peaking at number 16.

The song is unusual in that the music was written before the lyrics; according to Reid, "99 out of 100 of those PROCOL HARUM songs were written the words first, and then were set to music." He explained that Brooker had written a piece of Spanish-flavored music before the band had officially formed, and Reid decided to write lyrics about a conquistador. In August 1971, PROCOL HARUM was invited to perform with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra in Edmonton, Alberta. "Conquistador" was added to the set with little time to spare, and the orchestra had no time to rehearse. Nonetheless, they began the concert with the song, and the concert was captured on the album Procol Harum Live In Concert with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, of which "Conquistador" was the lead single.

PROCOL HARUMs lyricist Keith Reid told us the story behind this song: "Gary Brooker and I, before we formed PROCOL HARUM, when we were just working together as songwriters and getting into it, we had this regular deal where he lived about 40 miles from London near the ocean, and I'd jump on a train once a week and go visit him. He'd have a bunch of my lyrics and he'd play me whatever he had been working on. This particular time, though, I'd got down there and he'd been working on a tune. He said, 'What does this sound like to you?' And I said, 'Oh, conquistador.' It had a little bit of a Spanish flavor to it. I went into another room and started writing the words there and then. 99 out of 100 of those Procol Harum songs were written the words first, and then were set to music. But that particular one, the words hadn't existed before he had the musical idea.”

The band

1967

Gary Brooker - piano and vocals
Robin Trower - guitar
Matthew Fisher - organ
Dave Knights - bass guitar
B.J. Wilson – drums
Keith Reid - lyrics

1972

Gary Brooker - piano and vocals
Dave Ball - guitar
Chris Copping - organ
Alan Cartwright - bass guitar
B.J. Wilson - drums
Keith Reid - lyrics

Today’s clip is PROCOL HARUM playing ”Conquistador" Live at The German TV.. 1976, enjoy!



More info @

Official Procol Harum Web

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