Scarborough Fair
Martin Carthy * Track #8 On Martin Carthy
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Scarborough Fair by Martin Carthy
Performed by
Martin CarthyAbout
Scarborough Fair is an ancient British folk tale, set to music here by Martin Carthy. The song is about the devil trying to seduce a woman and forcing her to complete impossible tasks, and the repetition of “parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme” being a reference to the medieval belief that those herbs...
Scarborough Fair Lyrics
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
Tell her to make me a cambric shirt
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Without no seam nor needlework
And then she'll be a true love of mine
Tell her to find me an acre of land
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Between the salt water and the sea strand
And then she'll be a true love of mine
Tell her to plough it with a lamb's horn
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
And to sow it all o'er with one peppercorn
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 to thrash it all out with a bunch of heather
And 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
For once she was a true love of mine