Keith Stuart Brian Reid (19 October 1946 – 23 March 2023) was an English lyricist and songwriter. He was best known for being the songwriter who wrote the lyrics of every original song released by

Procol Harum Procol Harum () were an English rock music, rock band formed in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, in 1967. Their best-known recording is the 1967 hit single "A Whiter Shade of Pale", one of the few singles to have sold more than List of best-selling si ...

, with the exception of the songs on their 2017 album, ''

Novum Novum (Latin for ''new thing'') is a term used by science fiction scholar Darko Suvin and others to describe the scientifically plausible innovations used by science fiction narratives. Frequently used science fictional nova include aliens, ...

''. He co-founded the band with

Gary Brooker Gary Brooker (29 May 1945 – 19 February 2022) was an English singer and pianist, and the founder and lead singer of the rock band Procol Harum. Early life Born in Hackney Hospital, East London, on 29 May 1945, Brooker grew up in Hackney ...

. Reid was a non-performing member; he did not play any instrument or record with Procol Harum. After the band's break-up in 1977, he began composing songs. Most notably, he co-wrote "

You're the Voice "You're the Voice" is a song recorded by Australian singer John Farnham released in 1986. It became an immediate hit in Australia as well as several European countries including the United Kingdom and Ireland. It was released as a single in Sept ...

", a UK top-10 hit for Australian singer

John Farnham John Peter Farnham (born 1 July 1949) is a British-born Australian singer. Farnham was a teen pop idol from 1967 until the mid-1970s, billed as Johnny Farnham. He has since forged a career as an adult contemporary singer.McFarlane (1999). Enc ...

Biography

Early life

Reid was born on 19 October 1946. He grew up in London and was

Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

, the son of a

Holocaust survivor Holocaust survivors are people who survived the Holocaust, defined as the persecution and attempted annihilation of the Jews by Nazi Germany and Collaboration with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy, its collaborators before and during World War II ...

. He left school at an early age to pursue a songwriting career.

Procol Harum

He met Gary Brooker, lead singer with Procol Harum, with whom he co-wrote most of the band's songs (some music was written by organist Matthew Fisher and by guitarist

Robin Trower Robin Leonard Trower (born 9 March 1945) is an English rock guitarist who achieved success with Procol Harum throughout 1967–1971 and then again as the bandleader of his own power trio known as the Robin Trower Band. Biography Robin Trower ...

), in 1966. They began collaborating, and their composition "

A Whiter Shade of Pale "A Whiter Shade of Pale" is a song by the English rock band Procol Harum that was issued as their debut record on 12 May 1967. The single reached number 1 in the UK Singles Chart on 8 June and stayed there for six weeks. Without much promotion, ...

", Procol Harum's first single, was released in 1967. It reached the top of the UK Singles Chart and sold over six million copies worldwide. Keith Reid was an official member of Procol Harum and attended all their recording sessions and most of their concert performances, despite having no performance role in the band. Reid continued to write lyrics for the band until they disbanded in 1977. Reid has said that the dark tone of his lyric writing derives from his familial experience of the Holocaust. He reunited with Brooker and Procol Harum for the albums '' The Prodigal Stranger'' (1991) and '' The Well's on Fire'' (2003).

Other works

Reid also wrote the lyrics for two songs by the French singer

Michel Polnareff Michel Polnareff (born 3 July 1944) is a French singer-songwriter who rose to prominence in the 1960s. He is noted for integrating rock and pop elements into his early work. He wrote pop hits such as "La Poupée qui fait non" and "Love Me, Ple ...

in 1966 ("You'll Be On My Mind" and "Time Will Tell"), and was co-writer for the John Farnham hit "You're the Voice" (1986). Reid moved to New York and founded a management company in 1986. In August 2008, a new album, ''The Common Thread'', was issued under The Keith Reid Project banner. Reid wrote the lyrics for the songs, which were performed by a variety of musicians, including

Southside Johnny John Lyon (born December 4, 1948), known professionally as Southside Johnny, is an American retired singer-songwriter who fronted the band Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes. Southside Johnny has long been considered the Grandfather of "t ...

, Chris Thompson,

John Waite John Charles Waite (born 4 July 1952) is an English rock singer and musician. As a solo artist, he has released ten studio albums and is best known for the 1984 hit single "Missing You (John Waite song), Missing You", which reached No. 1 on th ...

and

Michael Saxell Michael Saxell (born 1 October 1956) is a Swedish singer-songwriter, composer, lyricist, multi-instrumentalist and producer. He was born in Helsingborg, Sweden but has spent many years on the Canadian west coast. He composed music for the Col ...

. The album was produced by Keith Reid and Matt Noble. A new album from the Keith Reid Project, ''In My Head'', was released in December 2018.

Death

Reid died from

colon cancer Colorectal cancer (CRC), also known as bowel cancer, colon cancer, or rectal cancer, is the development of cancer from the colon or rectum (parts of the large intestine). Signs and symptoms may include blood in the stool, a change in bowel ...

on 23 March 2023, at the age of 76.

Songwriting credits

Procol Harum

Michel Polnareff

* ''You'll Be On My Mind'' (1966) * ''Time Will Tell'' (1966)

John Farnham

* ''

'' (1986)

References

External links

Procol Harum.com biography of Keith Reid
*Seth Rogovoy
The Secret Jewish History Of Procol Harum
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Reid, Keith 1946 births 2023 deaths Deaths from colorectal cancer in England People from Welwyn Garden City Procol Harum members English lyricists English male songwriters Musicians from Hertfordshire Jewish English musicians 20th-century English male musicians 21st-century English male musicians