Wednesday, November 17, 2021

Scarborough Fair by Paul Simon

 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
Tell her to make me a cambric shirt (in the deep forest green)
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme
(Tracing of sparrow on snow-crested ground)
Without no seams nor needle work
(Bedclothes the child of the mountain)
Then she'll be a true love of mine
(Sleeps unaware of the clarion call)
Tell her to find me an acre of land
(A sprinkling of leaves)
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
(Washes the grave with silvery tears)
Between the salt water and the sea strands
(And polishes a gun)
Then she'll be a true love of mine
Tell her to reap it with a sickle of leather
(Blazing in scarlet battalions)
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme
(Generals order their soldiers to kill)
And gather it all in a bunch of heather
(A cause they've long ago forgotten)
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

2 comments:

Aaron said...

This song is hundreds of years old. The meaning has long since been forgotten. But for me it reminds me of thanksgiving because the song mentions cooking spices. And thanksgiving is of course the absolute worst day of the year. The days leading up to it are full of stress and anxiety and CLEANING. if doesn’t have to be this way. Yet it is. I hate this time of year.

Dan Tschirhart said...

This song has always painted a scene in my mind

It takes place at a fair in a big field with many tables

It's of a time long ago, and as the cooks are preparing their meals

The band starts to play a song that involves a heavy dose of flutes and their kin

Everyone is having a great time and smiles are plentiful

All of a sudden, a loud horn off in the distance blares its warning

Everyone looks towards the sound

Coming over the hill, is a horde of orcs about to crash the party

So it's a cool song to hear every blue moon, a trip down memory lane if you will

I've had dishes at work that have had 'thyme' in the name

You'd be surprised how many people pronounce the 'H'

As far as Turkey day goes, I agree, it's a stressful holiday for most

Pumpkin pie is the only perk