263. Scarborough Fair (Child 2) - (Traditional)

[WocketInMyPocket7]

Ive been playing this song intumentally for a long time, never knew there were words..! Amazing

[raymondcrooke]

@WocketInMyPocket7 I first heard it sung by Simon and Garfunkel in the movie "The Graduate". It was quite a popular song at that time thanks to them.

[ShayLee0501]

Very interesting introduction! I didn't know all that. I always thought it was a bittersweet sort of post breakup song, like a guy asks a girl to do something impossible and she returns the request tenfold, but both were motivated by spite tinged with affection... both knowing that they love each other but could never live with each other (like many couples today).

[raymondcrooke]

@ShayLee0501 That's probably too modern an interpretation.

[ShayLee0501]

@raymondcrooke I'm sure you're right. I think it comes from the fact I was originally taught a different or incorrect version in my primary school choir. From memory it was originally only the one request made by the man. That was to make him a shirt with no seams (which could be done through clever use of a loom, perhaps circular? haha) & then it was the girl who replied to the man with all the requests about plowing an acre of land 'between the sea foam & sea sand) with a sheep's horn etc.

[jhssuthrnmama]

I'm been distracting myself with your Child ballads this afternoon - amazing! I never heard of them before, but am always so fascinated to see how my Southern American culture (what's left of it) came from its Scots-Irish origins. Our soft r's & use of "yonder," clogging and fiddling, and now, these ballads... Do you know if there is any way to get an offline recording of at least some of them? I'd love to learn & sing these for my children, English or American versions either one.

[raymondcrooke]

@jhssuthrnmama There are many recordings of the Child ballads. Ewan MacColl recorded hundreds of them, as did John Jacob Niles in the USA. Joan Baez did several in her early recordings. You can probably find renditions you like by a bit of googling or try a specialist folk song record shop. They are certainly worth looking for.

[sublimeruca27]

One of my favorite songs and as always you do a fantastic job singing it! True bard material. 

[raymondcrooke]

@sublimeruca27 Thanks again.

[zaijora]

^__^ i love these songs where in hell did they all go? we need more songz like these in the world

[raymondcrooke]

Well, popular tastes change - but some of us are still singing them!

[sublimeruca27]

@raymondcrooke amen to this =)

[willgonow]

this is a great song,thx.

[raymondcrooke]

I think it was the first song I heard by Simon and Garfunkel.

[bananas1and2]

So hauntingly beautiful. I love your voice.

I saw some comments about the book Impossible. I just finished it as well, but I chose the book because I had been previously intrigued with the song.

[raymondcrooke]

Thanks for your kind words.

[3strellita23]

@bananas1and2 lol.... does everyone look for this song after reading that book?... I am :]] it was a great book by the way I loved it! :]] I just wish I could hear the one thats actually in the book.

but this is a good song :] you sang it really great i love how you let your voice rise as if to emphasize the words :]]

although i think its weird that theres soo many hits on these songs... i thought perhaps it would be sort of hard to find :|

[3strellita23]

actually I checked out the book from the library like 4 weeks ago and before then I had never heard about it but once I started reading it like last week, it took me like 1 or 2 days to read it all, i just couldnt put it down :]]

[rfdarsie]

Nice. Have you heard the variant of this sung by Ewan Macoll? I can't recall the name, something like the Three Trumpeters, but a wonderful haunting tune.

First verse: There were three trumpeters on yon hill

Blow, blow, blow winds blow.

And they blew their trumpets loud and shrill

And the wind it blows my blade awa.

[raymondcrooke]

I don't remember hearing that variation. I'll watch out for it.

[rfdarsie]

It was on an album of traditional Scottish songs he did with Peggy Seeger. A long-time favorite of mine. Sorry, I'm not sure which album - apparently these two collaborated on several albums of Scottish trad songs.

[rfdarsie]

I did some digging and found the album: "Classic Scots Ballads". You can search for it at Amazon. The song is actually titled "The Elfin Knight" on the album, which seems wrong for a Scarborough Fair variant, which it clearly is.

[raymondcrooke]

As I said in the notes on the song, "The Elfin Knight" is an earlier, more complete version, in which the girl gives him all these impossible tasks to avoid actually marrying him. I probably do have that album somewhere. All my records are still in storage, but I'll check soon when I have access to my collection again.

[rukiakagome]

oh and nice arrangement too! nice to finally hear a melody to the words (that are everywhere in the book previously mentioned...)

[rukiakagome]

"Impossible" by Nancy Werlin is a novel that revolves around this ballad. (About the tasks the 'singer' is asking 'his true love' to do) It's really, really interesting. If you liked the song, READ IT! :D

[raymondcrooke]

Thanks for that information. I'll see if I can get hold of the book.

[taragolden]

nice

[raymondcrooke]

Thank you.

[gram4neil]

Martin Carthy first "wrote" this song, piercing together sections from different versions of the Child ballad and writing the arrangement. Dylan and Paul Simon met Martin separately and heard him sing the song. Dylan nicked the tune for "North Country," acknowledged it and Carthy didn't mind. Paul Simon nicked the whole thing, lyrics and tune, and never acknowledged it. Martin Carthy is still pissed at Simon! I know nothing of Dransfield, but the Carthy story is well known.

[raymondcrooke]

Thanks for passing on that information.

[1962beachboy]

Great work Mr. Crooke. As I recall, there are over 300 of the child ballads. Wonderful stories. How many do you know? To hell with the blokes with the copyright, your version will also stand the test of time.

[raymondcrooke]

I have a playlist of the ones I know on my profile page, but I hope to learn more of them. Thanks for your comment.

[CoverMarguerite]

I'm hearing to all your Child Ballads. Some I know like this one, other I don't know, but these ones I shall learn, that's sure!

[raymondcrooke]

Some of them are over ten minutes long. You'll be doing very well if you can learn them all!

[CoverMarguerite]

I do not think I learn them all, but a little of them...

[CoverMarguerite]

Merry Christmas to you!

[raymondcrooke]

Same to you.

[nolicnotrut]

Another goodie, Raymond. Wonderful to hear a version that is NOT copyright of Simon & Garfunkel! I came across this tune (before I saw 'The Graduate') on a recording by Robin and Barry Dransfield. Reputedly, Paul Simon 'collected' the song from Barry, then he rearranged it. I guess that's the folk process!

Question: I haven't heard your final verse,'Love imposes ...' before. It helps to make sense of a riddle song. Is that in the original Child collection?

Many thanks.

Colin.

[raymondcrooke]

I thought I replied to this, but it must have got lost in the system. There are many versions of each song in Child's collection. I think that verse was in at least one of the versions he collected.

[TwilightWackyShack]

Absoloutly lovely! I looked this up because of a book I'm reading which features this version of the song, called Impossible by Nancy Werlin. Thanks for doing this! Absoloutly lovely.

[raymondcrooke]

Thank you, and welcome to my channel.

[TwilightWackyShack]

You're welcome.

[flash74686]

Oh wow. I just finished that book, and that's why I searched for this! Ironic.

I like this rendition a lot, by the way. :)

[thonkbgone]

Lovely version. I particularly like your gtr arr. - very simple & effective! Absolutely wonderful singing too. Wish I could sing even as half as nicely! I've learnt so many versions of this song but I think your version here beats them all. One of the nicest I've heard.

[raymondcrooke]

Thank you for your very encouraging comment.

[markpaulam]

Thanks Raymond for bringing such joy into this world....keep up the great singing.....i love the passion that comes through so strongly

[dnzz]

one of the songs of my life, wonderfully performed!

[suomi19]

i also do it with my flote, but u're really good :)

[caranfinand]

Cool! I only knew Celtic Woman's version, so I never knew there was this much more. I love folk music. Unusual for my age group, I guess, but I don't really care. :-D Thanks for sharing this song. You have a pleasant voice, too.

[jimbob757575]

I've been eager to hear this song even since i heard bob Dylan based his "girl of the north country" on. another gem

[Ottawarocket]

Great job on this Raymond, It would have been nice if Garfunkel was singing with you also : )

Rocket

[MarieLynn3]

Wonderful rendition Raymond... simply wonderful :)

P.S. Welcome back Raymond, hope you had a nice trip. :)

[raymondcrooke]

Thank you. My wife and I had a great time in Cebu.

[coolanddark]

new favorite.great job.for a long time i thought paul simon of simon and garfunkel wrote this.lol

[raymondcrooke]

Well, he did arrange it, and did a good job of popularising it. First time I heard Simon and Garfunkel was when I saw "The Graduate" at the time it was first released. The soundtrack just blew me away.

[samelf]

wonderful rendition!!

[raymondcrooke]

Thanks. Glad you enjoyed it.