Born in Hampstead, London, Faithfull began her career in 1964 after attending a Rolling Stones party, where she was discovered by Andrew Loog Oldham. Her debut album Marianne Faithfull (released simultaneously with her album Come My Way on April 15, 1965) was a commercial success followed by a number of albums on Decca Records. From 1966 to 1970, she had a highly publicised romantic relationship with Mick Jagger. Her popularity was further enhanced by her film roles, such as those in I'll Never Forget What's'isname (1967), The Girl on a Motorcycle (1968), and Hamlet (1969). However, her popularity was overshadowed by personal problems in the 1970s. During that time she was anorexic, homeless and a heroin addict.
Noted for her distinctive voice, Faithfull's previously melodic and higher-registered vocals (which were prevalent throughout her career in the 1960s) were affected by severe laryngitis, coupled with persistent drug abuse during the 1970s, permanently altering her voice, leaving it raspy, cracked and lower in pitch. This new sound was praised as "whisky soaked" by some critics and seen as having helped to capture the raw emotions expressed in Faithfull's music.
After a long commercial absence, Faithfull made a comeback with the 1979 release of her critically acclaimed album Broken English. The album was a commercial success and marked a resurgence of her musical career. Broken English earned Faithfull a nomination for the Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance and is often regarded as her "definitive recording". She followed this with a series of albums, including Dangerous Acquaintances (1981), A Child's Adventure (1983) and Strange Weather (1987). Faithfull also wrote three books about her life: Faithfull: An Autobiography (1994), Memories, Dreams & Reflections (2007) and Marianne Faithfull: A Life on Record (2014).
Faithfull is listed on VH1's "100 Greatest Women of Rock and Roll" list. She received the World Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2009 Women's World Awards and was made a Commandeur of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the government of France.
Scarborough fair
Marianne Faithfull Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme.
Remember me to one that lives there
For once she once was a true lover of mine.
Tell her to make me a cambric shirt
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme.
One with no seams, of fine needlework
Tell her to dry it 'pon yonder thorn
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme.
That never bore fruit since Adam was born
And then she'll be a true lover of mine.
Ah, can you find me an acre of land
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme.
Between the salt sea and the sea sand
Or never be a true lover of mine.
And can you plough it with a sheep's horn
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme.
And sow it all over with one peppercorn
Or never be a true lover 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 then you'll be a true lover of mine.
The song Scarborough Fair by Marianne Faithfull is an adaptation of a traditional English ballad. It is a conversation between two former lovers, in which one asks the other to perform several impossible tasks before they can be reunited. The refrain "parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme" emphasizes the nature-based tasks and gives a sense of ritualistic spell-casting.
The first request is to "remember me to one that lives there," indicating that the singer wants to be reunited with their former love. The second request is for the former love to make a "cambric shirt," a fine, expensive shirt that requires skilled needlework. The third request is the most impossible: to dry the shirt on a thorn that never bears fruit, indicating that the singer wants their former love to do something completely impossible.
The final requests are for the lover to find an acre of land between the sea and the sand, plough it with a sheep's horn, and sow it with one peppercorn. The song ends with the singer promising to take the lover back if they can accomplish these impossible tasks.
Overall, the song has a dreamlike, mystical quality that speaks to the power of love and the human desire for impossible things.
Line by Line Meaning
Have you been to Scarborough fair
Have you visited the market at Scarborough, where many goods are sold?
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme.
These are herbs that have special symbolic meanings in folklore and often used for medicinal purposes.
Remember me to one that lives there
If you happen to see someone who lives in Scarborough, please relay a message from me.
For once she once was a true lover of mine.
I was once deeply in love with the person I am asking you to pass this message to.
Tell her to make me a cambric shirt
Ask her to create a high-quality, delicate shirt made from a thin, white cloth.
One with no seams, of fine needlework
A shirt with no visible stitching to show precise and skillful needlework.
And then she'll be a true lover of mine.
If she makes this special shirt, she'll prove her love and devotion to me.
Tell her to dry it 'pon yonder thorn
After the shirt is made, my request is for her to hang it up on a thorn bush to dry out in the sun.
That never bore fruit since Adam was born
This thorn bush has never bore fruit in its existence, which is a long time symbolizing it's an old thorn bush.
And then she'll be a true lover of mine.
By carrying out this ritual of hanging up the shirt, it'll symbolize her sincerity and love, as promised before.
Ah, can you find me an acre of land
Can you secure for me a parcel of land, one acre in size?
Between the salt sea and the sea sand
I want this land to be situated between the ocean's shoreline and the sandy beach, right in the middle of them.
Or never be a true lover of mine.
If this task is impossible for you, then you won't be a true lover of mine.
And can you plough it with a sheep's horn
Ploughing the field with a sheep's horn as opposed to a traditional plough would be a great feat, can you do it?
And sow it all over with one peppercorn
Once the field is ploughed, I want you to sow just one peppercorn in it, spreading it throughout.
Or never be a true lover of mine.
If you are unable to perform this task, it proves that you lack commitment, and hence my love for you isn't genuine.
And when you have done and finished your work
Once you've accomplished all these tasks for me, and it's all completed:
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme.
The herbs that have special symbolic meanings in folklore and are often used for medicinal purposes are mentioned again, and it refers to some ritualistic significance.
Then come to me for your cambric shirt
At that time, I'll be grateful to you, and I will give you the shirt you have crafted for me.
And then you'll be a true lover of mine.
Once all the rituals are completed, it will make you a true lover for me, and we'll be connected forevermore.
Lyrics © Budde Music Publishing GmbH, Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN), Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: J.F. BACARDI, DP
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@noradorapandora9579
Have you been to scarborough fair
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme
Remember me to one that lives there
For once she once was a true lover of mine
Tell her to make me a cambric shirt
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme
One with no seams, of fine needlework
And then she'll be a true lover of mine
Tell her to dry it 'pon yonder thorn
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme
That never bore fruit since adam was born
And then she'll be a true lover of mine
Ah, can you find me an acre of land
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme
Between the salt sea and the sea sand
Or never be a true lover of mine
And can you plough it with a sheep's horn
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme
And sow it all over with one peppercorn
Or never be a true lover 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 then you'll be a true lover of mine
@musicrocksoffical
A classic from Marianne. She’s incredible.
@StenAkeDahl
Have you been to that fair? We were 1983. A dream of british culture. Britain in my heart!
@alanjohnwilliams8189
her songs remind me of my youth and the sixties i,m 70 now
@davisworth5114
Beautiful and the guitar player was killin it
@jamesewanchook2276
that's right what a duo!
@robertmunyard7773
I still love this version, got to be the best ever, Marianne's beautiful trill is unique, wonderful.
@liamodriscoll3739
A BEAUTIFUL RENDITION OF A BEAUTIFUL SONG BY THE VERY BEAUTIFUL MARRIANNE THE LOVELY LADY IN HER PRIME AT HER VERY BEST ❤️🌹🎶🎸🎼🎤🎼👏👍🇮🇪😎🍺🍷
@yoursoulknows6444
So many happy memories of my youth living in Kingston Jamaica...
@giuseppinafederico812
Meravigliosa canzone, meravigliosa la voce di Marianne
@eddiejohn7744
Beautiful