Simon & Garfunkel - Scarborough Fair (Full Version) Lyrics

[@larry2388]

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. (thanks, Sheryl - Seal Rock, OR) 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. Martin Carthy learned the song from a Ewan MacColl songbook, and had recorded it on his first album, according to BBC's Patrick Hamphries. Paul Simon admitted to the July 2011 edition of Mojo magazine: "The version I was playing was definitely what I could remember of Martin's version, but he didn't teach it to me. Really, it was just naivety on my part that we didn't credit it as his arrangement of a traditional tune. I didn't know you had to do that. Then later on, Martin's publisher contacted me and we made a pretty substantial monetary settlement that he was supposed to split with Martin, But unbeknown to me, Martin got nothing." 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. This was not released as a single until 1968, when it was used in the Dustin Hoffman movie The Graduate. It is on the soundtrack. Before Simon & Garfunkel got to it, Bob Dylan used the lines, "Remember me to one who lives there, she once was a true love of mine" in his 1963 song "Girl From The North Country." "Scarborough Fair" and "Canticle" are 2 songs that are sung simultaneously to create this piece. The first and last verses are "Scarborough Fair," but lines from "Canticle" alternate after the first line of the other verses, so "On the side of a hill in a deep forest green" and "Tracing of sparrow on snow-crested ground" are from "Canticle." This song is often listed as "Scarborough Fair/Canticle." On The Paul Simon Songbook, a little known 1965 UK album of Simon-solo demos, there is a song called "The Side Of a Hill." "The Side Of a Hill" was reworked into the Canticle part of "Scarborough Fair." (thanks, Jesse - Roanoke, VA) With its implicit anti-Vietnam War message, this was used in The Wonder Years TV series in a scene where Kevin Arnold embraces Winnie Cooper while the song was played at the end of the episode. In the show, Winnie's brother had been killed in Vietnam. (thanks, Marciliano - Fortaleza, Brazil)

[@corneliaeleanore3215]

Thank you for this wonderful explanation!

[@leemh3838]

thanks a lot for many information

[@baradortheadoor8521]

my birthday is in 15th august (O.O) ..im so proud to be born in 15th august now

[@NSVMohith]

Thank You very much Sire.

[@pakwanlau6016]

Has this song a theme?

[@bangtepu7891]

It's 2024.... I'm still listening this song... And still love it... Remembering me to someone.... Once in a lifetime...❤❤❤

[@Blisstew]

At almost 70, this song takes me back to my youth. My siblings and I, like so many loved this song. I wanted the shirt they sang about, and my grandmother taught me to embroider. At the time I wore light blue, long-sleeved work shirts to do construction work with my twin brother and father for dad's construction company. But, unlike the song, I wanted needle work on my shirts, so I embroidered brightly colored flowers, twisting green vines, dark leaves around my cuffs, up my sleeves, along the collar, and down the front pleat around the button holes. Colorful shirts in deep reds, golds, greens. It made my uncle smile at me on the job for his work shirts were all grey. How I wish now that I'd have offered to embroider his shirts. I wonder if he'd have taken me up on it. The girl I once loved, I still love. Married 50 years to her now. Praise God for such a blessing.

[@ocjok3r]

I am envious, but also very happy for you. I hope one day I will experience lovr

[@Turgon92]

im someone with less than half your age,thank you for sharing. im intrigued by the embroideries you mention,were they of your own doing?

[@carolnauertz2618]

I would love to see that shirt.

[@louiseshepherd5323]

This is so bonny, I can picture you in another time with your beloved family and friends. Knight or knave, woodcutter or wheelwright. I can picture the sunlight dappling light & shade upon your beautifully embroidered shirt. I could say more but I'll make a mess of it no doubt

[@sireliot2149]

Thanks for sharing. Considering that I can't even wear a brimmed hat without hearing a bunch of whining on jobsites...that sounds like a good job and a good time/place to be and a good uncle to work for and learn from. Work is not a fashion show...or is it?

[@MimiJoys]

I heard a Music Teacher once state that Paul Simon is considered to be one of the greatest poets of the 20th Century. This was in the early 70s. And as time ticked by, the more I listened to Simon and Garfunkel sing their songs, I have to say that I agree. Their songs never get old, even though I have.

[@anthropoid539]

I feel a bit grateful that I happened to be listening to this song the same as you, 18 hours apart as I reply...from a song written over 50 years ago before the internet was even a thought. I'm 34, and we lived in different times. My dad loved this long. I don't know what else to call this besides poetry. I challenge you, from my time Tupac is called a poet, do you agree?

[@Akathesia]

I agree Tupac was..if you agree that Drake and Bob Dylan are.

[@joemcmahon206]

I agree...but Paul Simon didn't write this. It's a traditional English song dating from middle ages.

[@jessierobinette8790]

​@joemcmahon206 He did write the war protest song "Canticle", which overlays the English folk tune in this, though.

[@leowise206]

feel the same way about it. I'll never forget how this song influenced me.

[@danielblackwell3318]

parsley for comfort or to remove bitterness, sage for strength, thyme for courage, rosemary for love

[@wrencormier513]

Actually?

[@curtchildress7160]

How grand. Makes sense. I just never applied the nature of the herbs and spices to the deep meaning of the song's lyrics. Thanks for adding your comment.

[@FlickanIDetKroktaRummet]

flat leaf parsley and thyme are the most blessed herbs in the universe. God himself said it to me when I was cooking dinner once. believe it or not. but in the 1600's, herbs still wasn't used just to spice up food - but to kill the horrible taste of rotting vegetables and meat. hard to imagine but that was the main purpose of herbs.

[@curtchildress7160]

@@FlickanIDetKroktaRummet Very true as to how herbs and spices were once used to change the tastes of rotting and spoiled foods, usually meat...and that's also how the traditional stuffing we use for turkey's got created. ...I also believe God allowed you to have some insight and understanding about the parsley and thyme...the choloraphyl aspect of these are the base ingredients for survival when nothing else is available and can be digested and consumed. I know of a group of nomads who traveled far and when arriving at their new destination they literally lived off of green plants and also the charcoal after these plants were burnt. ...Very interesting comment you make.

[@roothogordie1451]

Rosemary is for Remembrance.

[@kx8960]

As a kid in the '60's and '70's my parents were into folk music like that, so I grew up appreciating it. I still love this song 50+ years later.

[@mickjagger8439]

Almost like a story

[@badkatrising3918]

Me too

[@kaypee4704]

2024 : see their documentary in March...

[@johnarroyo4924]

Me too. Thank god

[@redhotchilipepper432]

Call me old fashioned, but there's a beauty within this song that is very magical...I can't even explain this. How anyone could hear this song and say that it is not beautiful is beyond me...

[@tantanmustdie]

redhotchilipepper432 agreed

[@pundarika9]

redhotchilipepper432 yes, magical &spiritually mystical all at once :)...something that makes me think of books like The Odyssey and Grimm's Fairy Tales...one of their best ever!

[@slaughteringgg]

redhotchilipepper432 In fact, anyone with a brain should realize this song holds majestic, magical beauty.

[@IwshIcldstrtover]

redhotchilipepper432 Agreed. With me, I get very melancholy. I have heard a different version of this without the orchestra bells, and it doesn't have the same affect one me. It's always made me feel sad and wishing for my childhood again.

[@bnmottey]

My thoughts exactly

[@qs286]

My mother shared this special song with me as a child. When she passed, I had said my loving goodbyes. Two friends went to the viewing on my behalf. They described how she rested, dressed in white, with carefully placed flowers and herbs that formed an aura shaped wreath around her. I could visualise the peace on her face and her body relaxed. It was then this song came to me along with the vision… It gave me strength, and with love so deep, my heart bid her farewell, on her journey to Scarborough Fair 🤍🕊️🌿🕊️🌿🕊️🌿🕊️🌿🕊️

[@EdilsonSilva-lv4wm]

May your mother be at peace at this moment. Lots of light for you and your family

[@thehorsebackheroine5950]

Awwww.....you were so lucky to have that depth of love for your mother❤❤

[@anonununums6311]

I live in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, this must be the most famous thing about our town.

[@pheart2381]

what about anne bronte?

[@anonununums6311]

+P Heart I forgot about Anne bronte, I've been past the graveyard she's buried in many times. Still think this is more famous though personally.

[@kirstyw2849]

I was born there but moved to Cheshire when I was 11.

[@waivedwench]

You also gave your name to east Toronto, but I'm not sure if that's a good thing. It's known around here as "Scarberia."

[@davidlichner9349]

Very cool. I live in Astoria, USA, and I know there are songs from here too, but not as famous as this one.

[@paulmartos7730]

This is one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard. After 50+ years it still brings tears.

[@davidtrousdale120]

Me too...

[@charlespiro6917]

It is a great one like father and son by Cat Stevens this older music is just wonderful

[@TheFolkRevivalProject]

I've just uploaded a video on the history of Scarborough Fair which will answer many common questions! The video includes over 30 traditional recordings of variants of the ballad, and discusses the actual origin of the famous melody. kzbin.info/www/bejne/l5XPeZp8rcmifNk

[@shalinibhada]

Metoo

[@unosec]

agree with you

[@The-Aion]

This is the reason Hymns are very powerful and have been sung for hundreds of years. The harmonizing, the beautiful playing. Powerful and haunting. Music was and still very much is an ecstatic joy.

[@athenathegreatandpowerful6365]

Love song from Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn, hardly a hymn considering he wanted in her pants.

[@XxAlesandraxX]

This song is so astoundingly gorgeous that I heard a snippet of it and immediately went to search for the full version. The way the voices harmonize, even as they're singing two completely different lines is incredible. This is one of the most beautiful songs I've ever had the pleasure to grace my ears with.

[@ar3728]

How poetic you are with "I've ever had the pleasure to grace my ears with". Certainly, I will use it.

[@jpalberts2242]

canticles are difficult to sing....especially at this level of beauty

[@ModernEphemera]

For those confused about the lyrics, the things the singer asks for in Scarborough Fair are all impossible. A shirt with no seams. An acre of land between the sea and the beach (seastrand). To harvest grain with a leather blade (leather isn't very sharp), and bundle the stalks with heather (a fragile twig-like flower; doesn't make for very good rope or string). The singer says his ex-lover will be his true love again once she does these things (never).

[@davidlichner9349]

Nice ModernEphemera, that makes perfect sense.

[@Mike65809]

Your are right. The lyrics are even deeper than I thought. I think it's about a guy going to war (probably Viet Nam), and knowing he is never coming back.

[@CathieSoli]

Not if you know what the last verse is.

[@CathieSoli]

Last verse which is not sung here is : Dear when thou has finished thy task come to me for my to ask for thou then art a true love of mine. The Canticle which is sung with the verses would be a war song or a protest song.

[@davidlichner9349]

Cathie Soli very cool, thanks for sharing that.

[@kaliboo60]

There has never a duo that could harmonise as well as these two. Such a clean sound. So beautiful. Thank you for these songs.

[@michelacives]

And now Forestella harmonized it so well 😍😍

[@cynthiagonzalez658]

Too bad the 2 of them split over money.

[@Oferdrincere]

the civil wars were the best duo ever. second to none.

[@jherl8307]

Ask Paul Simon who the best harmony duo of all time was and he will not hesitate to give his honest answer and it is not Simon and Garfunkel.

[@szilardfineascovasa6144]

@@jherl8307 Next time I see him, no doubt.

[@ryoamora8655]

This is one song that transports you to another realm in time, a true musical Renaissance, in other words. Love the laid back 60s era sound infused with a medieval note of the harpsichord. One word sums this beautiful song up...Mythical.

[@jarmstrong8462]

Still loving this song as deeply as I did as a child of the 70’s. Still grateful for my late mom raising me on such beautiful music.

[@youngeinstein2424]

Paul Simon is friggin genius. Singing two different songs simultaneously and making it work is mind blowing. Nobody has ever arranged a song like this before. I'm into metal music but you can easily recognized the work of art in this song.

[@nickbrough8335]

Paul Simon "borrowed" the arrangement from Martin Carthy. Of course, he borrowed it as well. Look it up.

[@marcglasser9506]

Paul Simon used Martin Carthy's setting of the folk song "Scarborough Fair." He also wrote the song "On the Side of a Hill." Art Garfunkel took some of the lines of "On the Side of a Hill" and devised the contrapuntal vocal arrangement that became "Scarborough Fair/Canticle." Producer Roy Halee probably had something to do with the instrumental arrangement that they recorded. There's plenty of credit to go around in creating something so beautiful and haunting.

[@anthonydavella8350]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/d6i0iHmpq9t2es0&ab_channel=KikTracee-Topic Always loved this from back in the day

[@Crowsinger]

Are you sure of your claim to know all that has been composed to be certain no one has done something similar?

[@dinahleblanc9040]

I love Simon and Garfunkel

[@ccjjpp1966]

The overlap of the voices enhances this song so much.

[@davidkonen7159]

Oh, it DOES!

[@BruceTheSillyGoose]

the counterpoint is very arty, but unfortunately i have a hearing/perception problem that makes it a challenge to tease out the two simultaneous sets of sung lyrics. mebbe if there was more of a difference in the voices, it would have been easier for me to decipher.

[@SUGAR_XYLER]

💋 Listening in Charlotte on a rainy day

[@losangelesangel3152]

Ur very correct it really does

[@TonyEnglandUK]

When I search Google for _"Who wrote Scarborough Fair"_ it returns the answer _"Paul Simon"._ It even returns _"Paul Simon"_ if I search for _"Who wrote the ORIGINAL Scarborough Fair"._ For the world's biggest search engine, that's a terribly inaccurate result (Paul Simon had nothing to do with the song besides covering it, it's centuries old)

[@moochiebyers4766]

There's not many songs that are truly timeless like this one is.

[@josephomally4244]

Everything of Paul Simon's is timeless

[@yawaramin4771]

Coldplay's 'Viva la Vida' comes to mind.

[@Helaw0lf]

I can name others vocal or not.

[@NinaNiterose86]

And it's not even the only timeless song of this band.

[@TonyEnglandUK]

@@josephomally4244 This song was written hundreds of years before Paul Simon was even born.

[@emmanuelanthony6743]

It’s 2023 and I’m still here listening to this soul massaging sound ❤

[@bernardinoaguirre-on3gr]

Yup.. me too

[@thomasblewden9699]

@@bernardinoaguirre-on3gr

[@100aceswid]

Me too

[@gill186]

Me too 🥰

[@beachpreachr1894]

Me three.

[@davidh8924]

So I found out today that my mom has inoperable cancer and is only diagnosed to have about 6 months to live, and has named me power of attorney for her living will. So I'm listening to this song that I've always loved. The song has nothing to do with what's going on right now in my family, but it still feels right. Mom took a really unexpected bad turn and died six weeks after being told she'd have 6 months. Thank you all for your kind words since I first posted this. David, June 6, 2021.

[@michaliz1960]

Eine liebe Umarmung, ich denke an euch. All the best wishes 😘😘

[@barrybrusse6625]

I will pray for your Mom ,Does your mom know Jesus as her Savior and born again .I pray that she is.

[@sircosmo9967]

You are Not Alone.

[@dustynathan6442]

We only lose the body, not the love. Death was the most beautiful experience. Sadly I came back. But it made my family and friends happy which gave me a joy I'd never known. Death is not lights out. It's Light on! Sorry to learn of your sad news, David. Spend this time wisely. The best gift you can give to your mom is letting her bask in your love. Show it. Share things with her that you never thought you would. Do something she's wanted you to do, but you never did. Take her some place special. It's okay! Really.

[@katherinewilson1853]

@@dustynathan6442 It is a gift to come back in the human body, in the Buddhist tradition. You are gifted with a lifetime of lessons, or karmas. Enjoy! :)

[@melissajessup1466]

I remember my older sister doing a recital on point to this song. It was 1987, I was 10 years and it is one of my most cherished memories of her. Even before her passing 3 years ago I knew it would always be very special to me. I took dance too of course and was supposed to be getting ready for my tap dance to Elvis Presley’s ‘Jail House Rock’ but no way was I missing her 1st recital on point. I snuck onto the backstage and watched every second of her dance. I was totally entranced. She looked so regal and grown up to me at her 13 years of age. I still to this day remember her white costume dress and the scratchy tulle underneath it, the color of all the the ribbons and how beautiful and graceful she was up there. I’ll never forget Scarborough Fair sweet sister and you looking like a princess on that stage. 🥇👭💕💜💕👭🥇

[@justjust9024]

same as you Melissa.i rmember my older brother he sung this song with voice same as paul simon in1988 i was 11 years rip your sister and my brother

[@tree3449]

What a beautiful memory that is!

[@joycesaid3269]

@@tree3449 q"". q

[@robertschuveiller3327]

@@tree3449 the defined in quality in semtress

[@petercampbell1591]

This is such a beautiful memory and song of my youth can't listen to it enough

[@ilaragade2596]

I was a late born kid. My dad would play Simon and Garfunkel songs and sing them to me during play time. I loved listening to this song as a lullaby. My dad died few years ago and I listen to their songs in his memory...

[@Ard-mhacha-abu]

God bless

[@dannycorsaro546]

Jump by Van Halen for my mother’s remembrance 🤣🤣🤣she was 70 and loved it!

[@rshuler6967]

So sorry for your loss, but oh, what blessed memories.🙏🏼

[@erintwomey3846]

May your dad rest in peace. He had great tastes in music. ✝✝

[@marcusfaze]

Sorry for your loss

[@BookshelfBrando]

Truly one of the best songs ever written. 2 songs woven together seamlessly haunting harmony. Hard to forget lyrics.

[@ventkatczinsky]

parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme- herbs in remembrance for the deceased. it is a song of sorrow from the devastation of wars in general.

[@mattvewfindlay2228]

Utter rubbish,its an old English folk song

[@ventkatczinsky]

@@mattvewfindlay2228ok, you're splitting hairs, bing bong benjamin. it speaks of the deceased and talks about the horrors of war. If you knew the meaning of the herbs, you'd probably understand but it is an old english song.

[@mattvewfindlay2228]

@@ventkatczinsky its about unrequited love you fool,it has nothing to do with conflict or war at all,please explain to me why you think herbs have got anything to do with the deceased in 17th century England,splitting hairs my backside

[@ventkatczinsky]

​@@mattvewfindlay2228 Parsley is used in the Hebrew celebration of Passover as a symbol of spring and rebirth. Sage signifies wisdom, and eating sage provides immortality in wisdom. Rosemary is a universal symbol of remembrance. Thyme represents chivalry and courage. parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme are common herbs used to bless the deceased. have been for a long time. lol, if you're gonna argue anything- it's probably for the 17th century aspect. Scarborough Fair by Simon and Garfunkel is literally an anti-war song: (War bellows, blazing in scarlet battalions) Parsely, sage, rosemary & thyme (Generals order their soldiers to kill) And to gather it all in a bunch of heather (And to fight for a cause they've long ago forgotten) Then she'll be a true love of mine. it is about unrequited love but in the same vein- speaks of the atrocities of war in this incarnation. perhaps a soldier who fell in love with a woman who did not return it as he went off to war... and fell in battle as she did not fall for him. please do remember that people have their own iterations as well. not saying that my iteration is right or yours is wrong but people interpret things differently because all people view the world differently. i'd rather see a person get more compassionate about the things their country is doing to limit people's freedom of simply being human and to keep the dying machine called war going than what a deeply touching song represents. have a God blessed day, matt.

[@mattvewfindlay2228]

@@ventkatczinsky i can find no reference to those herbs what so ever in Jewish culture or religion so you are full of bs

[@markmccune8344]

This takes me back to the 60s miss all those wonderful people from that time

[@marybohanon6189]

One of the most beautiful songs ever written. Timeless

[@arthurhastings913]

yes, mary &tyne

[@josephnobile7728]

I4got that this is written as well as u say it is how I want2try n sing both parts is a big challenge most would say u need2seperate people I think I once heard one person do both

[@AmazinglyGayPhil]

Paul had wonderful ears for music that why he choose this to cover.

[@patriziatrentin6651]

❤

[@louiesalinas4720]

im learning this song

[@martinfidler9889]

As a teenager in the 70s I watched The Graduate with my father. The music was magical and this song in particular touched my soul. It still does. My father has since passed but this song remains a connection for me. Thanks Dad, I miss you...

[@flamingwarrior2589]

In the sixties when this was released, we would visit my auntie who lived in the suburb of Scarborough in Perth WA, Australia. There was a little fair there with bumper cars and slot machines and other things, and it was located down by the seaside. Whenever I hear this song I tranquil back in time to a misty fair by the seaside, when simple things were valued, and so much lay ahead. I can still see that fair even now, and the mystery of life is still fascinating to me 50 years later. Take care.

[@AribellaAC]

I grew up as a child adopted by my grandparents, and they played the greatest hits album all the time. To have this music as a part of my childhood is a blessing.

[@ohmyumbrella]

I'm proud of your grandparents

[@jackhuffman9313]

i’ve been raising my three grandkids for 8 years now... lots of work money and tough love, and plain ole love

[@bryanlafferty4631]

Same w my dad

[@zeldaaachen7200]

Wow you look very beautiful and special

[@marciamartins5392]

I think so!!!

[@portcullis5622]

I have a vivid memory of hearing this as a small child in the early 1970s, and I found it really haunting, and still do. I can now appreciate the beauty of the song, but there is something about the melody and chord structure that I found (indeed still find) unsettling. I think the song conjured up my first ever feeling of melancholy, and that was what disturbed me so much back then.

[@magnushelin007]

I have the same memories and experiences as you. Born late 60s.

[@akacaleb]

Dorian Mode I’m pretty sure is what gives it that sound.

[@johndouglass3691]

Portcullis. That's the feeling you get when momentarily reconnected to your ethnic heritage and cultural roots that have been stripped away by the meat grinder that is modern America.

[@mzart5]

I agree. I heard this just after I graduated from a Catholic grade school. You mentioned 'melancholy'. Funny how a child can sense things by the tone of others. My parents got divorced. Even in grade school we felt discord.

[@portcullis5622]

@@johndouglass3691 You probably have a good point. We get swamped by so much shit from the other side of The Atlantic; but then we also get beauty as well. For example, such wonderful, authentic artists as Natalie Merchant, Rhiannon Giddens and Suzanne Vega. Going back to your original point, the English singer-songwriter Rev Hammer wrote a wonderful song called 'California Bound', about the cultural invasion of Britain from the USA.

[@garyk.nedrow8302]

The harmonies of Simon and Garfunkel in this recording are simply superb, and the song itself was utterly unlike any other popular song of at the time. The melody itself is an old English ballad, and the lyrics can be traced back to the 1600s. As originally written, the lyrics described a series of impossible tasks a young maiden had to perform to avoid being kidnapped by an evil elf. S&G reworked the melody, added the canticle, and inserted the anti-war lyrics from another Simon song. Because of the overlapping lyrics, many people at the time didn't even know it was an anti-war song. There are numerous variations of this song, using other lyrics, including the original lyrics. None have duplicated the wistful beauty of this version.

[@egeerkut9602]

The musical complexity of this song is truly beautiful

[@davidkonen7159]

I think I can AGREE with you here, after seeing this music video

[@patriciaowen6243]

Remember this song from when I was sixteen and on holiday in Yarmouth with my friend Ingrid, walking along the beach. I'm 71 next month. Brings back lovely memories❤❤❤❤

[@joselagahit7843]

Born 1953

[@nam5658]

For some unknown reason whenever I hear this song it reduces me to tears. It never fails to reach deep down to some emotion that's buried inside me and then releases so much melancholy & sorrow. A very powerful piece excellently arranged & performed. Wonderful.

[@colinkeen2085]

It is amazing,I'm the same.

[@starther]

I am feeling the same, thank you for your true words.

[@MsJust1life]

For my part it s The Carpenter s that raise so much emotion deep from myself that tears comes when I hear it....

[@ishanbandyopadhyay]

Thanks for being a human. Not many people achieve this feat.

[@TheFolkRevivalProject]

I've just uploaded a video on the history of Scarborough Fair which will answer many common questions! The video includes over 30 traditional recordings of variants of the ballad, and discusses the actual origin of the famous melody. kzbin.info/www/bejne/l5XPeZp8rcmifNk

[@lanruzz2070]

It's 2024; and I'm almost shedding tears anew; despite being familiar with this Classic for almost 50 years! ❤❤❤❤

[@greymorris9006]

I first head Scarborough Fair in 1972 as a 15yo and was fascinated by the words. I remember a school fair in Inverloch, Victoria when I was very young. It was just on dusk and a cool wind was blowing, the ideal setting for a great song like Scarborough Fair.

[@Edward-bd8iy]

I'm three years behind you. First heard it in the summer of 1967. As a college student in 1984, I had a similar experience concerning the video of "Suddenly Last Summer" by The Motels. Went to my evening class, as dusk was falling,saw the ice cream truck and the other students in near-silhouette, headlights on the truck lit up. Looked just like the record jacket of the 45 record.

[@Tree-House69]

Sounds like a great experience

[@Edward-bd8iy]

@@Tree-House69 Oh dude, I wasn't expecting it. I had seen the jacket to the 45 rpm record; now here I was seeing it in real life! Couldn't explain it to anyone, just filed it away as, well, a kind of Cosmic Radio moment. Never forgot it.

[@janineperky7385]

I heard the song as a teenager in high school. It was my favorite. I would go to school playgrounds and parks at night to sit in the swings and sing it as I swung. Peaceful, moody, helped me get in touch with all the struggles of being a teenager.

[@sanjanaarun3267]

This song is deep, creepy, intense, calming, smooth, soft, and very very though provoking

[@mapletreemon4834]

indeed

[@Imissthepostoffice]

+Sanjana Arun I would say if you leave out the notion of .. deep, CREEPY, intense .. and let it be; of which it is more so calming, smooth, and soft .. that you will probably appreciate the song for its true worth. Good luck.

[@kathyg1660]

+geez louise this song is about war and death--it's indeed creepy.One of the verses: "(War bellows, blazing in scarlet battalions) Parsely, sage, rosemary & thyme (Generals order their soldiers to kill) And to gather it all in a bunch of heather (And to fight for a cause they've long ago forgotten) Then she'll be a true love of mine"

[@andrenewcomb3708]

+Sanjana Arun "Creepy". . . oh yes. What if they're taunting Jesus? You want fairness in this world, Jeshua? She'll be a true love of mine.

[@andrenewcomb3708]

+Andre Newcomb God's little acre.

[@leanardpoon6219]

This song was not written in 1966, but the mid 1600's and likely to earlier versions dating back to midieval times. It certainly connects one over the centuries to an earlier time. You can feel it in your soul. Amazingly beautiful haunting rendition by Simon and Garfunkel.

[@NodDisciple1]

Like "House of The Rising Sun?"

[@AspectCave]

technically it's a cover?

[@goodkarma82]

It's supposed to be based on an old Scottish ballad called "The Elfin Knight." You can find KZbin videos that break it down.

[@davidsoulsby1102]

@@goodkarma82 Its English, Scarbrough is a seaside town on the North East of England in North Yorkshire. There was a large monastery built around 700AD and an attendant village, this wasn't modern Scarbrough though but the latest in a line of activity going to the bronze age at least. Scarbrough as a town was founded around 966AD, In the Middle Ages, Scarborough Fair, was permitted by a royal charter of 1253, it held a six-week trading festival attracting merchants from all over Europe. It ran from Assumption Day, 15 August, until Michaelmas Day, 29 September. The fair continued to be held for 500 years, from the 13th to the 18th century. Scarbrough today is known for its "Goth" gatherings/festival...

[@goodkarma82]

@@davidsoulsby1102 Yeah I'm talking about the musical score. Not the lyrics. I'm aware of what Scarborough fair is lol.

[@videoal]

One of the most beautiful songs ever!

[@nicholasmaude6906]

It's my favourite Simon&Garfunkel song.

[@TonyEnglandUK]

@@nicholasmaude6906 This song was written hundreds of years before Paul or Art were born.

[@larrylitzky7357]

Agree. I grew up in their neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens, NY. First concert I ever went to was S&G opening for the Mamas and the Papas at Forest Hills Tennis Stadium.

[@anakina1]

Such a difficult cadence to sing. A mesmerizing song to be listened with headphones in a dark room. Beautiful in its execution.

[@elizabethmah436]

This timeless canticle is so hauntingly beautiful. First heard it as a child, still echoing in my heart and memories in my sixties .Thank you Maestros and may God bless you both.

[@michaelmelling9333]

Its whimsicalness reminds me of "Lady Jane" by the Stones.

[@gianlucatermini]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/o5rRoWNvYq-ep7c Simon & Garfunkel Scarborough Fair

[@ronaldpaterni5081]

My parents used to play this for me when I was a young child. I still play it often. A very timeless, mystical, and amazing song. Thanks!

[@janvaughan1331]

I remember where I was the first time I heard this song. I was in a car with my best friend and her father was driving us somewhere. This song came on the radio and I was STUNNED at how beautiful it was. I sat with my mouth opened, mesmerized.

[@lite8230]

This song is like a massage for the ears.

[@adiw888]

and comfort for the soul.

[@testrabbit]

and a message to those with ears to hear it

[@zidanutomo326]

yeah, a massage to my left ear

[@testrabbit]

@@zidanutomo326 if you combine the massages to both ears you might come up with a unique polyrhythm.

[@小渕恵ニ-h7k]

mind too

[@bryanjordan8876]

The way they harmonize while singing 2 different songs just blows my mind. Chilling, but comforting at the same time. Got to be the most beautiful song of our time.

[@JacF6734]

This gives me nostalgia for a time I'm not even sure existed.

[@lana8314]

Same :(

[@fievel12b]

I feel you

[@racistmatesonacid]

It did and it still can

[@matheusguilhermeferreira1797]

I totally feel you, how I wish I was there

[@Morbutt]

It exists in all who hear this song, and we are there with you

[@geoben9801]

There really isn't another musical, singer/ songwriter duo that could have made this song, it's lyrics and melody the timeless classic that it's become. This was playing in the background of my wonder years and it still resonates with me today. ✌️✨🙂

[@TonyEnglandUK]

They didn't make this song so your comment makes no sense.

[@ronstewart4660]

Has to be one of the best songs ever written. S&G are probably one of the best duets in history. Their clever use of overlaying two thoughts concurrently with superb poetic rhyme with meaning, demonstrates the cleverness and intelligence of these two great artist.

[@TonyEnglandUK]

You do know that neither of them wrote this song, right?

[@londontrada]

Yea this is an old folk song

[@curtchildress7160]

Several famous singers and songwriters helped compose the back lyrics...Carly Simon and Sergio Mendez to name two. Quincy Jones to name three. Plus others.

[@BrainDamageComedy]

cecelia is also a masterpiece.

[@Vaxiid]

Cant believe that it has been hundreds of years and there are still versions of this song that exists and get listened to. Truly fascinating.

[@williamschlosser77]

Closer to 300. It's from the early 1700's.

[@upturnedblousecollar5811]

@@williamschlosser77 300 is _"hundreds of years"_ is it not?

[@DerekDerekDerekDerekDerekDerek]

​@williamschlosser77 17th century, not 1700s

[@lawrencecook2620]

Mortal words were never meant to describe this song. It's too beautiful.

[@nishimwejeandamour2548]

Ohhh what emotional song! I am African, and in my country there is drama played on radio early in 1980, the piece of this song was used in backing of the drama, I tried to find the name of the song many times but in vain ! Finally I used SHAZAM to identify the song, now I am playing it without cease.

[@altareggo]

The guitar playing in this song is INSANE!!! Yes i realize more than one person is playing, but seriously: Paul Simon was pure GENIUS on the acoustic guitar, both arranging/composing and performing: vastly underrated part of his wonderful artistry.

[@gianlucatermini]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/o5rRoWNvYq-ep7c Simon & Garfunkel Scarborough Fair

[@empresaglova1268]

He is one of the best guitarist ever (aside of songwriter, of course). Actually, he is in that list of the 100 best guitarist ever (and also, in the 100 best songwriters of history).

[@dadanzachirawanda6287]

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[@biglar769]

Paul used a Lute for this song

[@Edward-bd8iy]

Hey! Look! There goes Rhymin' Simon! Such has been the intro of many a DJ to the song 'Me and Julio' among others

[@tyberiusbones2282]

it's almost medieval in sound and really haunting. their vocal harmonies are the most soothing i think i have ever heard.

[@uhtred7860]

Because its a very old English folk song, S&G just "covered" it.

[@TonyEnglandUK]

@@uhtred7860 And Paul Simon should've made it clear at the time he released it that he didn't write it.

[@Vincinate]

@@TonyEnglandUK I highly doubt the adlibs were part of the original song, lol

[@TonyEnglandUK]

@@Vincinate I hope you know what that meant, I don't.

[@michaeld5888]

@@TonyEnglandUK And couldn't pronounce the name properly. Surprising considering all the time he spent here. I suppose it was made for the American market. Sounds a bit like as it would be sung by my Satnav.

[@owlman33]

It makes me so happy to see my children who are in their twenties love the same music that I loved in my teens 2020 !

[@esolog5phil394]

good sign. so they never die for a general in a conflict whose cause is a long time forgotten.

[@cherylyates9845]

You are fortunate. Over here I hear the youths shaking my windows screaming about their booty's and their butts, their homies and their crotch, their guns and their tats.

[@unicornman147]

I first heard this song in the autumn of 2020, watching the Graduate for my sophomore film studies class. It held me there for a moment. Haunting me with richly woven harmonies. There is a timeless beauty to this one.

[@Edward-bd8iy]

I'm tempted to envy your youth, but then again, no... I am grateful to be sixty-three and to have heard this song in those times -- and all the good tunes of the sixties and seventies, as well as the early years of MTV. Lived it, you must learn it. Your generation has a long and hard 'row to hoe' as my grandparents would say. Much of the music to those decades has rebellious lyrics which are good for throwing back at the old Socialist fossils (such as the song "Sunshine") as they first threw them out at the Establishment of their youth. Life is circular in several ways.

[@TonyEnglandUK]

Great film _"The Graduate"_ don't you think?

[@phyllisdicks9830]

This song still gives me chills. The most beautiful and creative anti-war ballad ever written.

[@eugenealexander1886]

Yes absolutely I believe it was about us soldiers coming home from Vietnam!! When someone’s time was up who lived near you you would give him your folks number so they could call and tell them you were OK I know my parents were very happy and grateful for this act of kindness!!

[@OrioleSongbird]

I'm pretty sure the original song is from the 17th century

[@mattd6085]

@@OrioleSongbird Scarborough Fair is nearly 1000 years old, and based on a Scottish folk song. Canticle is an anti-war song based on the Vietnam disaster of a war. S&G mixed the two

[@D3sdinova]

@@mattd6085 i thought it was about 400 years old, i like how its even older, makes it even more magical.

[@Wotsitorlabart]

@@mattd6085 Earliest printed version of 'The Elfin Knight' is from the 1600's therefore to say that it's origins are 600 years older is just a wild guess.

[@anninfifi]

this song has a certain aesthetic that i can't put my finger on, it's like whimsical and foreign

[@j.a.5260]

Sofie Tocco medieval I think

[@texmj123]

It uses "modal harmony" (used way back when) instead of "tonal harmony" (used in 99% music now).

[@tonyrobson4681]

It is called an 'Alberti bass'.

[@mariadiazrojas3446]

This song is cottagecore

[@tonyrobson4681]

@@mariadiazrojas3446 Marie, what does 'cottagecore' mean? My piano teacher showed me this song as an introduction to 'Alberti bass' .

[@lindam8605]

A beautiful, perfect song to listen to when I need uplifting and strength. It provides a sort of safety net when things go wrong. It is life-sustaining and has brought me comfort very recently as well as in more distant memories.

[@sarakaplan3791]

Well said Linda, thank you for your words of wisdom with this song. God Bless you and yours. Namaste

[@fredrickthomas5521]

@@sarakaplan3791 Awwwww 🥰 your comment so heart warming and touching. Nice reading your comment, how are you doing

[@cathystruska1558]

If you're listening to this song 🎵 in 2023, your a legend 👏. This song brings back a lot of memories since the 70's. I'm 65 now and still listen to Simon and Garfunkel beautiful 😍 music 🎶 🎵. They were great together singing their legendary songs.

[@philipsalazar7398]

2024 and I'm 67. I will never stop listening to Simon and Garfunkel or Pink Floyd.

[@CurlyWirls]

My phone went flat for about 24 hours and in my head silently I kept singing Simon & Garfunkel because I couldn't really sing silently in my head the other perhaps p punk or contemporary music that was relevant for today at least the last 4 years

[@danielphanover3261]

This is the most beautiful arrangement I ever heard of this song.

[@randy5655]

Over 40 years and it still touches me in a special way.

[@zyrtec3]

Absolutely narcotic. A best version of this old song. Reflecting all the melancholic climate of the lyrics. I do not know a better version. Takes talent, mastership and great knowledge of the epoque to make an arrangement of this sort. Hats off!

[@arcticaantarctica9217]

I love the second voice starting in fifth sentence. I try to sing this part when in the train

[@zyrtec3]

Traveling a lot, are you? :)

[@mpeters220]

Agreed. It's a masterpiece.

[@RamonaRRed]

zyrtec3 ... I do, to the East

[@michielspeter]

yes it is

[@PeterMadin]

Absolute classic .... the harmony of those two voices is outstanding no one makes music of this standard anymore .......

[@janetlanders2715]

I love it. Brings back such memories of "The Graduate" to this old hippie. IN 2021. ROCK ON!

[@garythegman9680]

Kiss me,i was in basic training in the Army when the movie came out..

[@cherylyates9845]

With modern CGI the guy who whispered "Plastics" would have briefly morphed into a Lovecraftian SCP or something.

[@yappy-daze9]

Love that film

[@georgialee6755]

Great movie The Graduate

[@yappy-daze9]

What I love about the graduate is the wealthy house and the blue sky and the pool ,because I’m from Liverpool uk it’s always overcast ,and the film is alive with colour and a beautiful soundtrack to go with it ,never mind the bored middle aged woman that’s hilarious but then Benjamin falls for Elaine, I wonder what they did for money lol they were so in love they didn’t care.

[@klausg.355]

Am I the first one in 2024, watching this beautiful song of Simon and Garfunkel? Happy New Year 2024 to all fans from Germany. And don't miss the film "The Graduate". - one of the most beautiful films ever -

[@torquemada4327]

So are you going to scarborough fair?

[@PeterSmith-pq2pf]

2024 still listening

[@TonyEnglandUK]

This is not a "song of Simon and Garfunkel", it was written hundreds of years before they were born.

[@bogivaldr]

i love this "mystic medieval sound", beautiful

[@NicholeCarterMusic]

me 2

[@christianadams9114]

Then you'll like the album "Clannad Legend"...trust me!

[@thelittleowl2484]

Me too!!😍😍😍

[@portcullis5622]

People who like the 'Medieval' sound of this, will probably enjoy the (self-titled) Elton John album from 1970, with piano and harpsichord on songs such as 'I Need You To Turn To'. Also, have a listen to Sandy Denny's songs such as 'Fotheringay', and her versions of 'Bruton Town', 'She Moved Through The Fair' (with Fairport Convention ) and 'The Quiet Joys Of Brotherhood'. Perhaps also Jethro Tull songs such as 'Moths', 'Wond'ring Aloud', 'Mother Goose' and 'Jack In The Green'.

[@marylupardus1703]

Beautiful!!!!

[@patrickpolk7323]

I'm now 65 years old, playing in a band, on Austin Texas dirty ol 6th street. We play some blues and classic rock tunes from the 90s. A little bit of metal and some other alternative rock. But my soul, my spirit, drifted back, way back, one morning I awake, and this song by Simon and Garfunkel spoke to me from the past. I was a young man then, growing up on a military base in Japan. Meanwhile, in America, assassinations, Civil rights, and Vietnam. And this song, being played on the one English speaking radio station in Japan, and I remember, a time so long ago, when all seemed warm, and living. at least it was, in Japan...

[@ronnietrosclair7091]

It's funny how you can "listen" to a song in your youth but you don't actually "hear" it until 50 years later!

[@abosalti4642]

I think you missed up hear and listen

[@windowsmizu416]

People hearing without listening.

[@Bluedragon2513]

The first time I heard my, my ears were perked. The second time I heard it, it fleeted away from me. Thankfully, by the fourth time, I obtained the title and have it forever more.

[@chelebelle2223]

@@windowsmizu416 😂😂😂 I know, right?

[@tonyrobson4681]

Ronnie, you are so right. I took my first piano lesson at the age of 66 and after that I heard many things for the first time.

[@rauljorgecygan2492]

"Scarborough Fair" is a traditional English ballad about the Yorkshire town of Scarborough. The song relates the tale of a young man who instructs the listener to tell his former love to perform for him a series of impossible tasks, such as making him a shirt without a seam and then washing it in a dry well, adding that if she completes these tasks he will take her back. Often the song is sung as a duet, with the woman then giving her lover a series of equally impossible tasks, promising to give him his seamless shirt once he has finished. As the versions of the ballad known under the title "Scarborough Fair" are usually limited to the exchange of these impossible tasks, many suggestions concerning the plot have been proposed, including the hypothesis that it is about the Great Plague of the late Middle Ages. The lyrics of "Scarborough Fair" appear to have something in common with an obscure Scottish ballad, The Elfin Knight (Child Ballad #2),[1] which has been traced at least as far back as 1670 and may well be earlier. In this ballad, an elf threatens to abduct a young woman to be his lover unless she can perform an impossible task ("For thou must shape a sark to me / Without any cut or heme, quoth he"); she responds with a list of tasks that he must first perform ("I have an aiker of good ley-land / Which lyeth low by yon sea-strand"). The melody is in Dorian mode, and is very typical of the middle English period. As the song spread, it was adapted, modified, and rewritten to the point that dozens of versions existed by the end of the 18th century, although only a few are typically sung nowadays. The references to the traditional English fair, "Scarborough Fair" and the refrain "parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme" date to 19th century versions, and the refrain may have been borrowed from the ballad Riddles Wisely Expounded, (Child Ballad #1), which has a similar plot. A number of older versions refer to locations other than Scarborough Fair, including Wittingham Fair, Cape Ann, "twixt Berwik and Lyne", etc. Many versions do not mention a place-name, and are often generically titled ("The Lovers' Tasks", "My Father Gave Me an Acre of Land", etc.). As a popular and widely distributed song from 1946-1968, there are many versions of the lyrics. The one here, intended as a duet by a man and a woman, includes the place after which it is named: The oldest versions of "The Elfin Knight" (circa 1650)

[@teresalowry3355]

Raul Jorge Cygan tl;Dr

[@Diandredofus]

"such as making him a shirt without a seam and then washing it in a dry well" Funny how we then invented synthetic fabrics and dry cleaning.. :D

[@johnwarwick8636]

some of the words are used on northern country girls by bob dylan

[@geotrano8564]

Thank you for this lesson.

[@sleesullivan2796]

I know nothing about the origins of the music, but just as an afterthought: in many fairy tales, once the lover has made a horrible, unforgivable, usually magic-related mistake, he/she must accomplish seemingly impossible tasks to prove their love is true. Of course, the lover always succeeds after much travail, and wins his/her true love.

[@geraldnedarc1488]

In my over sixty years of listing to music this is one of the songs I could not think of how I could improve. I first heard this song at sixteen and am still stunned every time I hear it.

[@C.Dickey]

Gerald Nedarc I’m quite young but I’m in love with songs like this my family doesn’t like them that much and I’m just singing them out loud

[@dmger14]

Amen! Total different level than most songs!

[@Jan-vc1qg]

The version of brainbox. kzbin.info/www/bejne/a2TKd3uuiMiAmdU I do not know wich one is beter.

[@geraldnedarc1488]

Sorry for the late reply When you first fall in love you and yours should chose a favorite song that describes both of you together a song perhaps like this or a Moody Blues Nights in white satin type of song and then you love regardless of consequences will live in mortality !

[@colinsacks8200]

I only leaned of the nuances this evening.

[@bruceniu9415]

好歌 百聽不厭， 歷久彌新，每次聽到都會勾起塵封的回憶！

[@MarkSteele-bh3hb]

I'm here in 2024! Love listening to Simon and Garfunkel!

[@hadran.s7327]

This is what pure magic sounds like The musical complexity of this song is truly beautiful

[@rosinakithinga2902]

I agree its really magical....

[@alabhaois]

It's delicate and magical

[@TheFolkRevivalProject]

I've just uploaded a video on the history of Scarborough Fair which will answer many common questions! The video includes over 30 traditional recordings of variants of the ballad, and discusses the actual origin of the famous melody. kzbin.info/www/bejne/l5XPeZp8rcmifNk

[@Juliet_Capulet]

So beautiful. Still brings tears to my eyes, even after all these years.

[@lovelovely1783]

+Luver Lee CRYBABY

[@iamnumfive]

+Luver Lee Yeah, me too. It's from a medieval song of the same title that supposedly is a spell to win back an old love. So if you want to win back a lost love, try it...lol

[@Juliet_Capulet]

I think it was actually meant to be somewhat sarcastic...she "done him wrong," so to speak, so he sets impossible tasks for her to complete; then he'll come to her (not). Sort of like, "Yeah, when hell freezes over," but Medieval-style. :p

[@iamnumfive]

Luver Lee That's an interesting interpretation also. The accompanying lyrics are what puzzles me.

[@Juliet_Capulet]

Right...that's the thing...all of the tasks are impossible. Make me a cambric shirt...without no seams nor needlework; find me an acre of land...between the the salt water and the sea strand (shoreline); reap the harvest with a sickle of leather and harvest it in a bunch of heather. Those things can't be done. :)

[@d.shannon261]

I'm so glad I grew up with beautiful lyrics and music. My parents were young and musicians, so we always had the radio on. 60s and 70s kids heard great music.

[@jackdunster-x9b]

there is a version of this song live by Paul Simon, Art Garfuncle and Andy Williams... think of it - live....

[@michaelborden7677]

They didn't get along, but they were great together long enough and gave us music with poetry as nobody else has done. My favorite!

[@maximoo9861]

​@IsaiahJoel-oh3reSimon was a brilliant songwriter who wrote most of their songs but nobody can compare with Art's hauntingly beautiful voice that just blows the mind into another dimension

[@shariftahsinfarah5427]

This song is as beautiful as Scarborough itself. I am here now on holiday and I am in love with this place.

[@MissKateUK2]

@@MaxArturo Man, stop running down your own town that way, your ancestors would be ashamed of you.

[@MissKateUK2]

@@MaxArturo Weird how you deleted your comment claiming your ancestors were Irish and Welsh. Was that because you might get asked why you abandoned Ireland and Wales and chose the beautiful town of Scarborough instead?

[@MissKateUK2]

​@@MaxArturo I know, sorry. We are finally starting to love ourselves as a country again. When Brits run this country down I imagine our ancestors thinking "Is that what a Brit sounds like in 2019?"

[@mop714]

@@MaxArturo I have seen a debate in the House of Lords recently that there is a suggestion of revitalising coastal towns, so I hope this materialises.

[@MissKateUK2]

@James William Watson lol I don't think even you know what the hell you're typing about, what chance have I got?

[@sarakaplan3791]

This song is the true embodiment of the undying spirit of Love incarnate. God Bless you Simon & Garfunkle for this masterpiece! Namaste.

[@joselagahit7843]

I was high school in 1971 when this song was popularized and hit the billboard. Memories lingers on.

[@patriciabarnes7034]

Love this version of Parsley Rosemary and Thyme. Beautiful. These two surely knew how to work harmony. Brilliant. UK.

[@cherylyates9845]

Sage is standing there glaring at you.

[@mariadocarmosobreira8323]

Funny fact: Masterchef Australia: Judges ask a young Australian competitor: finish this verse... Parsley, sage, rosemary and... Competitor (who is half Vietnamese): lemongrass...?

[@richdenver8460]

During the deepest heartbreak of my life, I listened to this song on repeat dozens of times as the tears streamed down my face. It was one of the most emotionally intense days of my entire life.

[@Santor-]

Hope you're feeling better now. A life's lesson we all have to learn, is to pick ourselves up again, and move ahead. Joy will come back again when you least expect it.

[@martinblank4250]

All I wanted to do was hold her hand…

[@johnlin6121]

Foreign. Mystic. Dream-like. Ethereal. Medieval. Prestine.

[@TheFolkRevivalProject]

I've just uploaded a video on the history of Scarborough Fair which will answer many common questions! The video includes over 30 traditional recordings of variants of the ballad, and discusses the actual origin of the famous melody. kzbin.info/www/bejne/l5XPeZp8rcmifNk

[@lisaryan6505]

I can listen to this harmony and song all day LOOOOOOONG

[@alabhaois]

Exquisite 🌺

[@chriscreation79]

This song is always haunted and enchanted me, it is so relaxing and I just love it I just believe it's timeless and I appreciate all the instruments and the musicians and thank you very much for sharing it

[@ProfRonconi]

A hauntingly beautiful melody in Dorian mode, dating from 17th-century England. Simon and Garfunkel's rendition is truly a work of genius, with their interspersing of a totally unrelated but powerful anti-war poem. Brilliant!

[@kwfruitkiwi6845]

I agree

[@VoicesofMusic]

This version of the tune is 20th century. Hard not to like it better than the original....

[@garydunn3037]

I absolutely adore this wonderful song. I love Simon and Garfunkel's music, but for me,this has got to be one my all time favourites.

[@joannaszafirska2254]

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. (thanks, Sheryl - Seal Rock, OR)

[@TheFolkRevivalProject]

I've just uploaded a video on the history of Scarborough Fair which will answer many common questions! The video includes over 30 traditional recordings of variants of the ballad, and discusses the actual origin of the famous melody. kzbin.info/www/bejne/l5XPeZp8rcmifNk

[@Gerhold102]

Quiet!? You should be here of a Bank Holiday Monday - with all the Wezzie chavs arriving from Leeds, Sheffield and Bradford. It is a beautiful place up high on the cliffs, though.

[@concettapollice6939]

Le canzoni della mia generazione: secondo me le più belle! Grazie per questa pregevole condivisione. Baci dall'Italia 💋💋

[@pickonthedog]

2024 here welcomeback humans of the past, future, and present.

[@billyost1479]

I prefer to live in the past... this past.

[@gsabillon23]

This is the past I hope I’ll never forget.

[@akicitaa.8233]

I don't know everything that this song means, but at a low point when I actually thought of ending my life, the single line "washes the grave with silvery tears" just broke my heart. It made me come to the image of a loved one in my life, still carrying the pain of it long after I'd have been gone.

[@llamalulu4255]

Akicita A. That’s beautiful. Trust me people like us should resist the urge to end ourself because although we may see evil there are people and parts of nature which are worth living for. I am so happy that you restrained.

[@vicpessia7441]

Hope you are still with us

[@MsBernyb]

So glad you pulled though the dark days. I have them too and I use music to uplift me and drown my worries. Again I will speak with antone who is down

[@johnnyrotten6753]

Akicita A. That line of the song made me feel the same

[@Knopfauge76]

Actually that line of the song is about a seven year old boy who was killed by a soldier in a war. The song "Side of the hill" by Paul Simon is about that story.

[@wintersking4290]

It's one of many traditional British necromancy songs. The speaker is a ghost. The requests he makes are standard in most of the songs: a seemless shirt, etc, and all of his requests are impossible because he is dead and can't come back, just like the requests can't be answered. It's similar to cold blows the wind, and the Irish stretched on your grave.

[@spacecat7247]

Love the version(I am stretched on your grave) by dead can dance.

[@TheFolkRevivalProject]

I've just uploaded a video on the history of Scarborough Fair which will answer many common questions! The video includes over 30 traditional recordings of variants of the ballad, and discusses the actual origin of the famous melody. kzbin.info/www/bejne/l5XPeZp8rcmifNk

[@esthla7434]

Actually there were seamless shirts in medieval Britain ! :) And possibly elsewhere

[@ammie8659]

Christ had a seamless robe.

[@酪酪酪梨]

Wow I've never heard of that 😮 do you mind telling us where this information came from? I really want to know more about this song!

[@jaygoodman2018]

First time listening to this song was 40 years ago, on a cheap cassette player, me a 2nd-year uni student in a strange city in China, studying a subject that did not interest me, being totally lost and dreadfully homesick. 40 years on, 3 continents apart and God only knows how many ups and downs after, here I am listening to it again. Words cannot describe it.

[@garycooper8687]

The best anti war song written. It is about a young man going to war who knows he will never return to his love again. He is asking her to do all these impossible things for him as she has no hope of seeing him again.

[@crinolynneendymion8755]

That'd be the Green fields of France or The Band Played Waltzing Matilda or I was only 17 by Red Gum or...

[@TonyEnglandUK]

@@crinolynneendymion8755 Those would be opinions not facts.

[@robertgiles9124]

Made up Drama. How could it be "The best anti war song written" when most folks don't know the lyrics? You clearly don't know many anti war songs at all to write that nonsense. .

[@drew6194]

This has to be one of the best arrangements of any song anywhere.

[@JimHawking-]

I was cleaning out my grandmothers drawers. Shes getting older and can't live on her own. I found a collection of old cassettes in her drawer. Her new car doesn't have a cassette player, but my older truck does, so I've been going through some of them and found this song. For some reason I felt so nostalgic when I heard this, like I heard it a long time ago. But this song hasn't ever been played much since I've been alive...

[@EternalTriadthePaladin]

Jim Hawking It was taught to our 2nd grade class back when I was in Elementary.

[@Phlebas]

A few years ago (editing before I even hit post - my god, that must have been over a decade ago), my parents were tossing away their old junk and came across two shoe-boxes full of old cassettes. They were going to throw them away, but for me, those cassettes are a bit nostalgic. I was born in '84, so I'm old enough to remember when music was on tape, and a lot of those cassettes were part of my childhood. It took me a while to find something to play them on, but it was worth it. So, aside from Simon and Garfunkel's greatest hits, I also have _Graceland_ and _Rhythm of the Saints_ by Paul Simon, Lyle Lovett's _Pontiac_, and various albums by David Bowie, Bonnie Raitt, Rolling Stones, Dr. John, and The Eurythmics to name a few. I also had the horrifying discovery that about 90% of my musical tastes are informed by childhood nostalgia.

[@JimHawking-]

Phlebas Cool. my gma was pretty contemporary with her music. I also found Bon Jovi Slippery When Wet, the Best of the Cars, Simon and Garfunkels Greatest Hits, and a few others. Good stuff. I also grew up listening to alot of older music with my mom and dad, so I'm about more in tune with older music than new music. Not to sound like a hipster.

[@jonathanpinckney9227]

I got hooked on older music when I heard the Beach Boys and Elvis. Now,music that's older than me is about all I listen to. '40s - '80s.

[@sammichaelis9506]

My mom almost lost her job in the music industry for mass ordering and distributing the Cars first album. Part of her job was getting samples of music from new artists and determining whether or not they were going to be worth investing in, and if they'd be popular enough to distribute to certain stores around the US. Her bosses swore that the albums wouldn't sell, and that my mom would be held responsible for any losses. My mom kept her job and was promoted shortly after.

[@bobstark8749]

I was doing some grocery shopping today and needed to pick up some fresh thyme for a dish I'm making. And then this earbug popped into my head and I started singing this song in the store! I had to hurry home and listen to it. Now I'm ready for the next earbug. Thanks for sharing the long version of this song.

[@asmakhadir2818]

this song make me remember my Old brother .who passed away he covered this song with voice same as Paul Simon 30 years ago

[@marwood1969]

I remember watching the Graduate as a youngster (decades ago) and being struck hard by Benjamin's desolation and loneliness as he follows Elaine around after his affair comes to light. So much of the power from that scene is delivered by this mournful, beautiful ballad.

[@mickjagger8439]

Great movie, Great acting.

[@TonyEnglandUK]

@@mickjagger8439 it is a great film.

[@janineperky7385]

It was a great movie. I saw it in black and white in our town's movie theater. Awesome to see it on a big screen.

[@razylj6924]

Farewell, angel. This may be the last song I heard from you but I hope to hear you sing again. May we meet again Civia

[@jmcieslak0]

This song has such a timeless quality to it - like it could have been written centuries ago, and it will last for centuries more

[@erinamos7498]

Look up "The Elfin Knight" .. back from 1674. The song definitely has roots that reach back centuries into the past