Scarborough Fair

[Jim Nasium]

Whilst trawling the net for music I can attempt to play on my 'geetar' I came across a site which featured 'American Folk Songs.'
One of the songs was 'Scarborough Fair' Please tell me that you good people in America know that 'Scarborough Fair' is NOT an American folk song. There is a lot of great American folk songs on the site. A rich vein I will be mining for some time to come.

[Cathy]

quote:Originally posted by Jim Nasium:
Whilst trawling the net for music I can attempt to play on my 'geetar' I came across a site which featured 'American Folk Songs.'
One of the songs was 'Scarborough Fair' Please tell me that you good people in America know that 'Scarborough Fair' is NOT an American folk song. There is a lot of great American folk songs on the site. A rich vein I will be mining for some time to come.

Right. It's a traditional old English folk song. Paul Simon stole his arrangement from one of the well known British folkies, but I don't recall who it was. Maybe Davey Grahame?
Anybody know?
Can you post the link to the site, Jim?

Cathy http://www.cathycowette.com

[Jim Nasium]

It was Martin Carthy. In fact way back in the early 60's when Dylan and Paul Simon were doing the folk clubs over here, they were both impressed by MC and asked about Scarborough Fair, Dylan used the basis for 'Girl From The North Country' PS stole the thing. What really peed Carthy off was Simon copyrighting it.

He has gotten over that now, well it is the better part of 40 years down the line.

Recently for Carthy's 60th birthday Paul Simon did him a tribute and whilst touring over here invited Carthy to join him on stage and together they did 'Scarborough Fair.'

I merely wanted to make the point that it is an English folk song.

Sorry, Cathy, I have just noticed you want a link to the site. Here it is.
http://guitar-primer.com/Folk/

[This message has been edited by Jim Nasium (edited December 12, 2004).]

[Cathy]

quote:Originally posted by Jim Nasium:
It was Martin Carthy. In fact way back in the early 60's when Dylan and Paul Simon were doing the folk clubs over here, they were both impressed by MC and asked about Scarborough Fair, Dylan used the basis for 'Girl From The North Country' PS stole the thing. What really peed Carthy off was Simon copyrighting it.

He has gotten over that now, well it is the better part of 40 years down the line.

Recently for Carthy's 60th birthday Paul Simon did him a tribute and whilst touring over here invited Carthy to join him on stage and together they did 'Scarborough Fair.'

I merely wanted to make the point that it is an English folk song.

Sorry, Cathy, I have just noticed you want a link to the site. Here it is.
http://guitar-primer.com/Folk/

[This message has been edited by Jim Nasium (edited December 12, 2004).]

Thanks Jim.

Cathy http://www.cathycowette.com

[Borderstone]

I have an excellent copy of that LP! Original,not reprint! Love that song and have known of "S.F." since I was a baby.

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"A knight of the road,going back to a place where he might get warm." - Borderstone