Scarborough Fair / Canticle

The song explores themes of love, loss, and the passage of time. The narrator is on a quest to reconnect with a lost love, asking for a series of impossible tasks to be completed. These tasks symbolize the challenges of love and the lengths one might go to for someone special. The juxtaposition of the sweet imagery of nature and the darker references to war adds a layer of complexity, suggesting that love exists even amidst turmoil.

Verse 1

Are you goin' to Scarborough Fair?
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Remember me to one who lives there
She once was a true love of mine

In this opening verse, the narrator is asking someone if they’re heading to Scarborough Fair, a real-life market. The mention of herbs like parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme hints at traditional notions of love and remembrance. By asking the listener to remember his lost love, the narrator sets the emotional tone of the song right away, revealing a deep yearning and nostalgia.

Chorus

Tell her to make me a cambric shirt
(On the side of a hill in the deep forest green)
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
(Tracing a sparrow on snow-crested ground)

The chorus introduces a specific request, asking his love to make a cambric shirt without seams or needlework. This impossible task symbolizes the deep connection he once had with her. The imagery of nature, like the “deep forest green” and the “sparrow,” paints a peaceful yet bittersweet picture, contrasting with the emotional weight of his longing.

Verse 2

Without no seams nor needlework
(Blankets and bedclothes, the child of the mountain)
Then she'll be a true love of mine
(Sleeps unaware of a clarion call)

Here, the narrator emphasizes the impossibility of the task, which adds to the feeling of despair. The mention of the “child of the mountain” and the sleeping figure suggests innocence and peace, contrasting with his turmoil. He seems to recognize that love, once true, can be lost and forgotten, yet he clings to the hope that fulfilling the task will restore their bond.

Chorus

Tell her to find me an acre of land
(On the side of a hill, a sprinkling of leaves)
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
(Washes the grave with silvery tears)

The second chorus brings another impossible request: an acre of land. This shifts the focus to a more tangible desire, perhaps hinting at stability and roots in a relationship. The imagery of washing a grave with tears introduces a darker theme of death and loss, suggesting that love is intertwined with grief, making the longing even more profound.

Verse 3

Tell her to reap it in a sickle of leather
(War bellows blazing in scarlet battalions)
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
(Generals order their soldiers to kill)

In this verse, the request to reap with a “sickle of leather” pulls us deeper into the realm of the impossible. The stark image of war contrasted with the peaceful tasks of love heightens the tension. It suggests that while the narrator is focused on love, the world around him is chaotic and violent, reminding us that love often exists alongside struggle and conflict.

Chorus

And gather it all in a bunch of heather
(And to fight for a cause they've long ago forgotten)
Then she'll be a true love of mine

This line continues the theme of gathering and collecting, but it also hints at futility. The mention of fighting for forgotten causes suggests that the narrator’s love may also be a lost cause. It reinforces the idea that love can be beautiful yet tragic, with the past haunting the present.

Outro

Are you goin' to Scarborough Fair?
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Remember me to one who lives there
She once was a true love of mine

The song loops back to the beginning, creating a sense of longing and circularity. The repetition serves as a reminder of the narrator’s unresolved feelings. It leaves us with a lingering sadness, as the questions remain unanswered and the love remains lost.

Closing Thoughts

"Scarborough Fair / Canticle" is a beautiful blend of nostalgia, love, and loss, wrapped in a folk-inspired melody. Simon & Garfunkel masterfully combine light and dark themes, making the listener reflect on the complexity of relationships. The song resonates long after it ends, reminding us that love can be both a source of joy and a reminder of what we've lost.