Are you going to Scarborough Fair:
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme.
Remember me to one who lives there.
She once was a true love of mine.
On the side of a hill in the deep forest green.
Tracing of sparrow on snow-crested brown
Blankets and bedclothes the child of the mountain
Sleeps unaware of the clarion call.
Tell her to make me a cambric shirt:
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme;
Without no seams nor needle work,
Then she'll be a true love of mine.
On the side of a hill a sprinkling of leaves
Washes the grave with silvery tears.
A soldier cleans and polishes a gun.
Sleeps unaware of the clarion call.
Tell her to find me an acre of land:
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme;
Between the salt water and the sea strand,
Then she'll be a true love of mine.
War bellows blazing in scarlet battalions.
General order their soldiers to kill.
And to fight for a cause they've long ago forgotten.
Tell her to reap it with a sickle of leather:
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme;
And gather it all in a bunch of heather,
Then she'll be a true love of mine.
Are you going to Scarborough Fair:
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme.
Remember me to one who lives there.
She once was a true love of mine.
This song was recorded by Simon and
Garfunkel on their album
Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme, which contains these songs:
There are many versions of this song, in England, Canada, and America. Here is an English version:
| 1. 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. 2. Have her make me a cambric shirt 3. Have her wash it in yonder dry well 4. Have her find me an acre of land |
5. 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. 6. If she tells me she can't, I'll reply 7. Love imposes impossible tasks 8. Dear, when thou has finished thy
task |
Click here for the tune, and explore this site for the words and tunes to other folk songs.
Clearly, this is a song of the extravagance of love. Simon and Garfunkel used it as a setting for their war protest song.
Return to the Sixties Love-In Page.
Here is a Canadian version, from British Columbia:
1. Pray can you buy me an acre or more,
Savory, sage, rosemary, and thyme,
Between the wide ocean and the sea shore?
And then you can be a true lover of mine.
2. Pray can you plow it with one ram’s
horn,
Savory, sage, rosemary, and thyme,
And sow it all over with one peppercorn?
And then you can be a true lover of mine.
3.Pray can you reap it with a sickle of
leather,
Savory, sage, rosemary, and thyme,
And tie it all up with one peacock’s feather?
And then you can be a true lover of mine.
4. Now you have asked of me these questions
three,
And now it is my turn to ask three of thee.
5. Pray can you make me a fine cambric shirt,
Savory, sage, rosemary, and thyme,
Without any seam and all needlework?
And then you can be a true lover of mine.
6. Pray in yon brook can you wash it and wade,
Savory, sage, rosemary, and thyme,
Where water ne’er flowed since earth it was made?
And then you can be a true lover of mine.
7. Pray can you dry it on yonder sweet thorn,
Savory, sage, rosemary, and thyme,
Where blossom ne’er bloomed since Adam was born?
Then you can be a true lover of mine.
Return to the Notables Home Page.
Last Updated on May 28, 2007 by Webmaster
For corrections, additions, suggestions, or comments, please email the_notables <at> yahoo.com.