Procol Harum - Exotic Birds and Fruit
by Dan MacIntosh
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Chris Thomas expertly produced this 1974 Procol Harum album. As usual, Keith Reid wrote the lyrics while Gary Brooker sang the songs.
Although it has no specific political aim, it appears as though Reid had more than just silly love songs on his mind while he was writing these words. The album opens with "Nothing but the Truth", which softly echoes John Lennon's "Gimme Some Truth". The soulful "As Strong as Samson" also asks some big questions. Even though the title refers to a Biblical character, Brooker sings about how it seems as though even preachers don't know what they're talking about.
The strangest song on the album, by far, is "Fresh Fruit". It's a praise song, if you will, to the love of fruit. The lyric even tells of how stuff of the tree and of the vine is good for man's best friend, the dog. "Drunk Again" is confessional. It tells about a lifestyle filled with drinking. It's neither pro nor con, but just is what it is; this guy likes to drink, and he knows it.
If you love Procol Harum's "A Whiter Shade of Pale", you'll likely gravitate to "New Lamps for Old". This song features that same sort of overwhelming organ part that marks "A Whiter Shade of Pale" as a classic rock standout.
There are many delightful songs on this Procol Harum album. It may not include 'the big hit' on it, but that shouldn't keep you away from it. This was such a classy band. The writers gave us timeless songs, too. These don't at all sound like period pieces, either. Instead, they're just straight up solid songs about what was on Brooker and Reid's minds at the time. Therefore, go and buy some fresh fruit while playing hooky from church on a Sunday as it plays. Moreover, if there's any alcohol in the house, you may well end up drunk at the end of the day.
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