Scarborough Fair – English Lyrics

• By: Rachel Hardy

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the timeless beauty of 'Scarborough Fair' to master poetic English and archaic vocabulary. This song is special for its haunting melodies and its ability to turn historical storytelling into a modern linguistic experience.

[English]

Are you going to Scarborough Fair?

Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme

Remember me to one who lives there

He once was a true love of mine

...

Tell him to make me a cambric shirt

Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme

Without no seam nor needlework

Then he'll be a true love of mine

Tell him to find me an acre of land

(To find me an acre of land)

Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme

(Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme)

Between the saltwater and the sea sand

Then he'll be a true love of mine

...

Are you going to Scarborough Fair?

Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme

Remember me to one who lives there

He once was a true love of mine

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
Scarborough /ˈskɑːrbərə/ C2	noun - A town in North Yorkshire, England, famous for its historic medieval fair.
Parsley /ˈpɑːrsli/ B2	noun - A biennial plant with aromatic green leaves used as a herb.
Sage /seɪdʒ/ B2	noun - An aromatic plant with greyish-green leaves used as a culinary herb.
Rosemary /ˈroʊzmɛri/ C1	noun - An evergreen aromatic shrub used as a culinary herb.
Thyme /taɪm/ C2	noun - A low-growing aromatic plant used as a culinary herb.
Cambric /ˈkeɪmbrɪk/ C2	adjective - A lightweight, closely woven plain-weave fabric.
Seam /siːm/ B2	noun - A line where two pieces of fabric are sewn together.
Needlework /ˈniːdəlwɜːrk/ B2	noun - Decorative needlecraft or sewing work.
Acre /ˈeɪkər/ B2	noun - A unit of land area equal to 4,840 square yards.
Saltwater /ˈsɔːltwɔːtər/ B1	noun - Water containing salt, especially from the sea.

Key Grammar Structures

• Are you going to Scarborough Fair?

  ➔ Present Continuous for future arrangements

  ➔ The structure 'Are you going' is used to ask about a planned future journey.

• He once was a true love of mine

  ➔ Adverb of frequency/time in simple past

  ➔ The word 'once' indicates a specific time in the past that is no longer current.

• Tell him to make me a cambric shirt

  ➔ Infinitive of purpose / Command structure

  ➔ The structure 'Tell him to...' is used to give an instruction or command indirectly.

• Without no seam nor needlework

  ➔ Double negative / Correlative conjunctions

  ➔ The usage 'without... nor...' functions to emphasize the complete absence of elements.

• Then he'll be a true love of mine

  ➔ Conditional 'if' implied (Zero/First conditional structure)

  ➔ The word 'then' serves as a result marker for an implied condition.

• To find me an acre of land

  ➔ Infinitive of purpose

  ➔ The 'to' infinitive explains why the task should be performed.