1967 Rock Classic Gets Named the 'Greatest One-Hit Wonder From the 1960s'

While there's a handful of '60s hits that are still getting plenty of radio play, not every song from the era kept making waves despite having initial popularity.

For instance, the publication Far Out highlighted some once-beloved '60s songs that gave music groups a brief moment in the sun by sharing a list of the "10 greatest one-hit wonders from the 1960s." According to Far Out, some of the best one-hit wonders in the era were "Green Tambourine" by The Lemon Pipers, "Monster Mash" by Bobby "Boris" Pickett, and "Wild Thing" by The Troggs.

Procol Harum's 1967 song "A Whiter Shade of Pale" was named the best "one-hit wonder from the 1960s." The publication reported that the tune offers a pleasant listening experience, despite its eventual decline in relevance.

Procol Harum's Gary Brooker Discussed 'A Whiter Shade of Pale' in a 2018 Interview

In a 2018 interview with Cherry Red Records, the band's singer Gary Brooker shared his thoughts about the writing and recording process of "A Whiter Shade of Pale." Brooker, who died in 2022 at the age of 76, shared that while he didn't realize the tune would be such a successful single, he was always under the impression that it was a good song.

"I did not know that it would become that big of a hit. I mean I thought from the moment I wrote it that it was a good idea," said Brooker during the interview.

Brooker also said the song "was a culmination of a lot of influences," specifically the blues. He then explained that his vocals "had kind of a bluesy, soul" quality, giving the tune a unique sound and more depth than a typical '60s pop song.

"It's not really what you'd expect. And I don't think the combination of the vocal and the backing and the whole effect of it, people didn't expect that at all. They never even heard something like that," said Brooker.

The late musician also shared that he believed the song "never sounds dated."

"It's just there, some haunting thing that gets inside you," continued the British singer during the 2018 interview.

Copyright 2026 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved

This story was originally published May 22, 2026 at 12:20 PM.