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 any seam or needlework,
And then she'll be a true love of mine.

Tell her to wash it in yonder dry well,
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme;
Where water ne'er sprung, nor drop of rain fell,
And then she'll be a true love of mine.

Tell her to dry it on yonder thorn,
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme;
Which never bore blossom since Adam was born
And then she'll be a true love of mine.

O, will you find me an acre of land,
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme;
Between the sea foam and the sea sand,
Or never be a true love of mine.

O, will you plough it with one lamb's horn,
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme;
And sow it all over with one peppercorn,
Or never be a true love of mine.

O, will you reap it with a sickle of leather,
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme;
And tie it all up with a peacock's feather,
Or never be a true love of mine.

And when you have done and finished your work,
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme;
Then come to me for your cambric shirt,
And you shall be a true love of mine.




abc | midi | pdf

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Source: Singing Together, Summer 1975, BBC Publications

Notes:
Source identified simply as "England". This version came from Mark Anderson, a retired lead-miner, at Middleton-in-Teasdale, Yorkshire, 1947. It appears in Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger, The Singing Island, London: Mills Music, 1960, 26. It has been shortened by three verses for the Singing Together pamphlet.


More information is given in the thread for the version created by Martin Carthy.

Roud: 12 (Search Roud index at VWML) Take Six
Laws:
Child:

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Related Songs:  Scarborough Fair (thematic)