Scarborough Fair

This is one of the most popular and best-loved folksongs of all time, made famous by Simon and Garfunkel, Bob Dylan and many others. The song is thought to have originated over four hundred years ago. Scarborough Fair is in the Dorian mode and a song suitable for any happy occasion. Its celebratory quality would make it ideal for holidays, end-of-semester concerts, weddings or folk music events. There are many different versions of the lyrics and by the end of the 19th century, dozens of variants existed. In this arrangement, four of the most popular verses have been used. The repeated chorus of "parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme" is significant. In olden times, these herbs had medicinal purposes. In addition, parsley was associated with comfort, sage with strength, rosemary with love and thyme with courage. Scarborough (SKAH-buh-ruh) is an English coastal town in the county of Yorkshire. It was occupied by the Romans during the fourth and fifth centuries but today has become the largest holiday resort on the Yorkshire coast with a thriving fishing industry. In this arrangement, each section of the choir shares the melody and the voice parts avoid difficult leaps. All the vocal parts are safely within normal range. Your choir is sure to enjoy singing this rewarding arrangement. Scored for SATB choir, the vocal ranges are Soprano: D4-E5; Alto: B3-C5; Tenor: E3-E4; Bass: G2-B3.