Chords + Lyrics | Scarborough Fair (capo 7)
Intro
| A13sus4 | Dsus24 Dsus4/F# | Cmaj7 G/B |
||: A13sus4 | Asus2 :||
Verse 1
| A13sus4 | Asus2 | G C/E G | A13sus4 | A7sus2 |
Are you going to Scarborough Fair?
| C | Am7 | C D | A13sus4 | Asus2 | A13sus4 | Asus2 |
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme.
| Asus2 | C | C G/B Am7 | G C/E G | C/E G |
Remember me to one who lives there,
| A7omit3 | G C/E | G C/E G | A13sus4 | Asus2 | A13sus4 | Asus2 |
she once was a true love of mine.
Verse 2
Tell her to make me a cambric shirt,
parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme.
Without no seams nor needlework,
then she’ll be a true love of mine.
Verse 3
Tell her to find me an acre of land,
parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme.
Between salt water and the sea strands,
then she’ll be a true love of mine.
Verse 4
Tell her to reap it in a sickle of leather,
parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme.
And gather it all in a bunch of heather,
then she’ll be a true love of mine.
Verse 5
Are you going to Scarborough Fair?
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme.
Remember me to one who lives there,
she once was a true love of mine.
Outro
| A13sus4 | Dsus24 Dsus4/F# | Cmaj7 G/B | Asus2 |
Scarborough Fair Chords: Understanding the Complexities and Chord Names
The chords in Scarborough Fair make full use of the II chord, with extensions such as sus2, 13, and sus4, which give a clear sense of the Dorian scale resonating throughout.
By placing a capo on the 7th fret, we’re thinking in A Dorian, though what we hear is E Dorian.
Naming these chords can spark some debate, as they’re unique due to the open strings. Reading them in the conventional way doesn’t really work here. Nevertheless, the chords and lyrics above reflect what Scarborough Fair‘s chords are, with the understanding that we’re thinking in A (and remember, there’s a capo on fret 7).
Verse
Here’s a full verse:
| A13sus4 (II) | Asus2 | G (I) C/E (IV) G | A13sus4 | A7sus2 |
| C (IV) | Am7 (II) | C (IV) D (V) | A13sus4 | Asus2 | A13sus4 | Asus2 |
| Asus2 | C | C (IV) G/B (I/3) Am7 (II) | G (I) C/E (IV/3) G | C/E G |
| A7omit3 | G C/E | G C/E G | A13sus4 | Asus2 | A13sus4 | Asus2 |
Although these chords may seem complex, what’s crucial is understanding the intervals they create.
When adding a second guitar part, we focus on maintaining the same extensions, just in a new key by removing the capo. At this point, the chord names of Scarborough Fair become relevant.
This also means that the chord chart below is most useful once you’ve learned how to play Scarborough Fair using TAB.
With the TAB in hand, you’ll have the chords, and once the TAB is removed, the chord names will act as a helpful reminder.
Scarborough Fair Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro Download
For Scarborough Fair, it’s initially more beneficial to use a TAB chart rather than a chord chart (which is available for members). However, once you’ve mastered the TAB, there’s value in working with just the chord names.
If you’d like to download the chart, here’s a PDF: Scarborough Fair chord chart PDF.
This chart was created using iReal Pro. You can access it here: Scarborough Fair iReal Pro.
Below is a preview of the course material, where we learn each section of Scarborough Fair through play-along TAB loops.
Scarborough Fair TAB | Course Preview
The fingerstyle patterns and chord shapes in Scarborough Fair are integral to its signature sound, so it’s important not to alter them.
There are only six loops to learn, and they repeat frequently throughout the song. In the course, we practise these loops at various tempos to help engrain the fingerstyle patterns into muscle memory.
Here’s the first example in TAB (this is the intro – try playing along right away):
The chord names may seem complicated due to the open strings, but don’t worry too much about them at the start. Focus on practising the TAB loops, and soon you’ll master it. This piece is all about muscle memory.
Members will first learn the song just like the original, then build up the second guitar part with TAB and play-along loops.
Here’s a link to the 8 step-by-step guitar lessons: Scarborough Fair – Guitar Lessons with TAB.
A Folk Song Transformed by Simon & Garfunkel
Originally an old folk song, Scarborough Fair was made globally famous by Simon & Garfunkel in 1966 when they included it on their album Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme and again in 1968 as a single.
The single was released after the song appeared in the 1967 film The Graduate, which featured several Simon & Garfunkel tracks, including The Sound of Silence, April Come She Will, and the very fitting Mrs. Robinson.
As The Graduate became the highest-grossing film of 1967, Simon & Garfunkel’s fame soared.
However, Scarborough Fair wasn’t simply a tune Paul Simon discovered and made famous; he was taught the song while living in England after the duo had temporarily parted ways.
The man who taught Paul the song was Martin Carthy, who felt he should have been credited on the album. He had recorded the song as early as 1965.
Before Carthy, many others had attempted to record it. Bob Dylan’s Girl From The North Country, released in 1963 on The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan, was based on Scarborough Fair.
The origins of the song extend even further back, with folk singers tracing its history to as early as 1939 with Georgia Ann Griffin. Some musicologists have traced it all the way to a Scottish folk ballad called The Elfin Knight, dating back to around 1670.
So, while Paul Simon didn’t write Scarborough Fair, he certainly made it his own.
Scarborough Fair Chords: Continue Learning
The most challenging aspect of the Dorian-sounding composition Scarborough Fair is playing it at the original tempo. To master this, we practise at various tempos.
Next, we create a second guitar part, work on the Dorian scale, and develop the vocal melody. This helps to reinforce the sound of the Dorian mode.
Start learning with the full lesson series: Scarborough Fair – Guitar Lessons with TAB.
Alternatively, here are five similar tunes you might enjoy:
