Scarborough Fair

"Scarborough Fair" is a traditional English ballad.The song tells the tale of a young man, who tells the listener to ask his former lover 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. The woman in return gives her lover a series of equally impossible tasks, promising to give him his seamless shirt once he has finished.The melody is very usual of the Middle English period. As the song became popular, it was adapted, modified, and rewritten. By the end of the 18th century, there were several interpretations.

The song goes:

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 a seam or needle work,

For once she was true love of mine

Tell her to wash it in yonder dry well,

Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme.

Where water ne'er sprang, or drop of rain fell,

For once she was a true love of mine.

Tell her to dry it on yonder grey thorn,

Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme.

Which ne'er bore blossom since Adam was born.

For once she was true love of mine.

For once she was true love of mine.

More commercial versions sprung from the 40's onward, but it was Simon and Garfunkel's which stirred the most attention. Nothing is more beautiful than this song being sung by a duo, but ex-Celtic Woman Hayley Westenra's captivating voice and and Sarah Brightman's ancient Greek (?) backdrop gave the song a different character.

  Sarah Brightman

Hayley Westenra, ex-Celtic Woman

 Simon and Garfunkel

In this modern age, the story of Scarborough Fair still lives. It differs only on what the impossible circumstances will be. I think the era or period does not matter at all. Being irrational is a human response, a defense mechanism, considering how distressful relationships can be at times. Can you think of impossible tasks that are modern? Just toying with the idea, already sends a smile to my face.