A Salty Dog (song)

The song's lyrics were written by Keith Reid and its music was written by Gary Brooker when he was on tour in Switzerland; Brooker also sang. It was featured on the band's 1969 album, A Salty Dog. Reid's lyrics describe sailors crossing the unknown seas with the crew dying during their voyage.{{cite book |author1=Claes Johansen |title=Procol Harum: Beyond the Pale |date=2000 |publisher=Saf Publishing Ltd |isbn=9780946719280 |page=118}} The string arrangement recalls Frédéric Chopin.{{cite web| last=Greenwald| first=Matthew| url=http://www.allmusic.com/song/a-salty-dog-mt0001595574| title=A Salty Dog review| work=AllMusic | accessdate=July 17, 2012}} The song is reportedly one of Reid's favourites.{{cite web| url=http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=21168| title=A Salty Dog by Procol Harum| website=Songfacts.com| accessdate=July 17, 2012}}

"A Salty Dog" peaked at #44 on the UK Singles Chart.Roberts 2006, p. 440 BBC Radio DJ John Peel explained the lack of chart success:

{{quotation|... and, er, that was 'A Salty Dog,' which was once released as a single, and should have done, er, a lot better in fact as a single than it did; unfortunately, um, seeing as it was longer than two-and-a-half minutes long and isn't exactly a bright tempo, a lot of my colleagues won't play it because they feel that, er, more than two-and-a-half minutes without some, er, feeble quip from them, er, is going to make the world a sadder place ...{{cite web|title=The 'Salty Dog' single: John Peel on why it didn't chart in the UK|url=http://www.procolharum.com/ASD-peel.htm|website=ProcolHarum.com|accessdate=July 17, 2012}}}}

The song was generally well received by music critics. Matthew Greenwald of Allmusic praised the narrative as "brilliant" and carried by "an expansive melody and epic performance from the entire band". The string arrangement was "fabulous" and "only adds grandeur to the song and recording, making this one of the group's most fully realized moments". Perhaps the greatest praise came from Melody Maker's Chris Welch, who called it "their finest hour" and "one of the greatest pop singles to emerge in recent years". He added, "The tune is beautiful, the arrangement brilliant, the performance perfect".{{cite news|last=Welch|first=Chris|title=Procol Harum: one of the greatest pop singles to emerge in recent years: A Salty Dog (Regal Zonophone)|url=http://www.procolharum.com/ASD-review.htm|accessdate=July 17, 2012|newspaper=Melody Maker|date=June 7, 1969}} Cash Box described it as a "stunning effort."{{cite news|title=CashBox Record Reviews|date=June 7, 1969|page=24|accessdate=2021-12-08|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/60s/1969/CB-1969-06-07.pdf|newspaper=Cash Box}} Record World said that "Procol Harum is as eerie and gothic as ever."{{cite magazine|title=Single Reviews|magazine=Record World|date=June 7, 1969|page=6|accessdate=2023-05-08|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/60s/69/RW-1969-06-07.pdf}}

"A Salty Dog" is notable for not including any contributions from guitarist Robin Trower who, when the band became a quartet in 1970–71, would play bass in live performances of the song.{{Citation needed|date=August 2023}}

The song was covered by Marc Almond on his 1986 album A Woman's Story, and by Transatlantic on the two-disc Special Edition of The Whirlwind, where it is sung by drummer Mike Portnoy. Sarah Brightman covered the song on her 1993 album Dive. Styx covered the song on their cover album Big Bang Theory (2005) with Lawrence Gowan on lead vocals.

{{reflist}}

• {{cite book

| first= David

| last= Roberts

| year= 2006

| title= British Hit Singles & Albums

| edition= 19th

| publisher= Guinness World Records Limited

| location= London

| isbn= 1-904994-10-5}}

{{Procol Harum}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Salty Dog}}

Category:Songs with lyrics by Keith Reid

Category:1969 singles

Category:Procol Harum songs

Category:Songs written by Gary Brooker

Category:1969 songs

Category:Regal Zonophone Records singles