♫ Scarborough Fair ♫ (Redux)

Posted on by under Bits 'n Pieces, music, music history

I really thought I’d be playing some Motown tonight after my week of Van Morrison, but sometime during the course of the evening, Simon and Garfunkel paid a visit to my mind and refused to leave!  I really wanted to play Homeward Bound, but I’ve played that pretty recently, so I settled on this one that I haven’t played in over two years, and that most everyone seemed to enjoy!

In the last week or so, daughter Chris who is a lover of all things British, discovered a new television show to love called “Rosemary & Thyme”.  It’s fairly interesting, actually, about two middle-aged British women playing detective and solving murders every week.  I jokingly refer to the title of the show as “Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme”, ala the song Scarborough Fair by Simon and Garfunkel.  And as payback for my humour, I have had this song looping through my head for two days now, so in a ritual of exorcism, I am sharing it here with you!

Scarborough is a small town on the coast of England. The “Scarborough Fair” was a popular gathering in Medieval times, attracting traders and entertainers from all over the country. The fair lasted 45 days and started every August 15th. In the 1600s, mineral waters were found in Scarborough and it became a resort town. Today, Scarborough is a quiet town with a rich history.

In Medieval England, this became a popular folk song as Bards would sing it when they traveled from town to town. The author of the song is unknown, and many different versions exist. The traditional version has many more lyrics.  Paul Simon learned about this song when he was on tour in England, where he heard a version by a popular folk singer named Martin Carthy. When Carthy heard Simon & Garfunkel’s rendition, he accused Simon of stealing his arrangement. Carthy and Simon did not speak until 2000, when Simon asked Carthy to perform this with him at a show in London. Carthy put his differences aside and did the show.

The lyrics are about a man trying to attain his true love. In Medieval times, the herbs mentioned in the song represented virtues that were important to the lyrics. Parsley was comfort, sage was strength, rosemary was love, and thyme was courage.

Scarborough Fair
Simon & Garfunkel

Are you going to Scarborough Fair?
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Remember me to one who lives there
For once she was a true love of mine

Have her make me a cambric shirt
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Without no seam nor fine needle work
And then she’ll be a true love of mine

Tell her to weave it in a sycamore wood lane
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
And gather it all with a basket of flowers
And then she’ll be a true love of mine

Have her wash it in yonder dry well
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
where water ne’er sprung nor drop of rain fell
And then she’ll be a true love of mine

Have her find me an acre of land
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Between the sea foam and over the sand
And then she’ll be a true love of mine

Plow the land with the horn of a lamb
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Then sow some seeds from north of the dam
And then she’ll be a true love of mine

Tell her to reap it with a sickle of leather
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
And gather it all in a bunch of heather
And then she’ll be a true love of mine

If she tells me she can’t, I’ll reply
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Let me know that at least she will try
And then she’ll be a true love of mine

Love imposes impossible tasks
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Though not more than any heart asks
And I must know she’s a true love of mine

Dear, when thou has finished thy task
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Come to me, my hand for to ask
For thou then art a true love of mine

Songwriters: Arthur Garfunkel / Paul Simon
Scarborough Fair lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc, Universal Music Publishing Group

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28 thoughts on “♫ Scarborough Fair ♫ (Redux)”

  1. Third time lucky, the video finally plays for me — and it is the song I know, with Garfunkel singing a different song or version behind Simon’s lead — those are the lyrics I would like to read along with.
    In my view, Simon and Garfunkel deserve a week of their own, and then another for Paul on his own. For some reason I lost track of Garfunkel after they split.

    Liked by 1 person

  4. I have a soft spot for Simon and Garfunkel, but this song, and this particular version of it is not one of my favourites. I Much prefer Sound of Silence, Bridge Over Troubled Water and I Am a Rock

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  5. I love Simon and Garfunkel. Anything they’ve done is great, for me. I also have a soft spot for this song, because my cousin did some singing/performing when she was in college. Little sis and I arrived one summer for our visit with Auntie and Uncle, our cousin was home from college, and upstairs belting out this song like Barbra Streisand, a capella. So thanks, and also thanks for a great memory!

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    • I’m glad to hear that and that means you’ll probably like today’s song, too! Oh what a fun memory that is! Glad you enjoyed the song and that it brought back a wonderful memory. Music is good at that, isn’t it?

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  8. Pingback: ♫ Scarborough Fair ♫ (Redux) | Filosofa’s Word | Ned Hamson's Second Line View of the News

  9. Awh, with this song you are bringing up beautiful memories. This song was one of the first ones, my daughter learned to play on the piano. For a long time, I heard it (almost) every evening. And I loved it. Those times, when the kids were small had so much quality in so many ways. Thank you for sharing this song today!

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  10. Love this version of the song, and have done ever since I was given the album one Christmas. It’s good that you played the extended version – it doesn’t often get an airing. To add to Keith’s comment, I too enjoyed the cosy crime of the tv show, and can recommend Pam Ferris in another: The Darling Buds Of May, which was the one that gave Catherine Zeta-Jones her big break.

    If this is the start of your new English Folk Songs week I’ll be happy to offer some suggestions for others 😉

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    • I hadn’t heard of the other two programs Keith mentioned, but I do remember Chris watching “The Darling Buds of May” a few times! I’m glad you liked this one.

      Now, I’m not sure what this week is gonna be, but yes, please toss me some suggestions for an “English Folk Songs Week” and if not this week, then perhaps one week soon. This week may well turn into S&G week, but I’m not sure yet … waiting for feedback later today!

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      • I really enjoyed that show. They only made two series but they were all good.

        This one wasn’t bad, for Americans doing traditional English folk songs, even if they somehow claimed a writing credit for it 🤣

        I’ll give that some thought. I am a long time follower of the music, and post songs by my favourites whenever I can find an excuse. Might be a bit esoteric for your regular readers, though – the men in white coats could be turning up at your door…

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  11. Jill, we watched that show as well. We also enjoyed Pam Ferris in “Where the heart is” and her brief tenure on “Call the midwife.” “Scarborough Fair” is a terrific Paul Simon song. I shared with you the true story I read where the song was on the radio and at its conclusion, the young child in the backseat of the car asked “did he?” The mother asked what she was talking about. “Did Parsley save Rosemary in time?”

    Keith

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