Download CMP lesson plan for Scarborough Fair Traditional lyrics:

CMP lesson plan for
Scarborough Fair
Prepared by Laura Plank
Genre: Old English folk song
Source: McMillan/McGraw-Hill, Share the Music, Grade 6
Instrumentation: voice and chordal instrument (autoharp, guitar)
Background: The melody is very typical of the Middle English period. The song tells the
tale of a young man, who tells the listener to ask his former lover to perform for him a series of
impossible tasks, such as making him a shirt without a seam and then washing it in a dry well,
adding that if she completes these tasks he will take her back. Often the song is sung as a duet,
with the woman then giving her lover a series of equally impossible tasks, promising to give him
his seamless shirt once he has finished. The song was made popular by several folksingers in the
1960’s. Paul Simon learned the song in London in 1965 from Martin Carthy, who had picked up
the tune from the songbook by Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger. Art Garfunkel then set it in
counterpoint with "Canticle", a reworking of Simon's 1963 song "The Side of a Hill" with new,
anti-war lyrics. It was the lead track of the 1966 album Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme, and
was released as a single after being featured on the soundtrack to The Graduate in 1968. The
copyright credited only Simon and Garfunkel as the authors, causing ill-feeling on the part of
Carthy, who felt the "traditional" source should have been credited. Prior to Simon's learning the
song, Bob Dylan had borrowed the melody and several lines from Carthy's arrangement in
creating his song, "Girl from the North Country”.
Traditional lyrics:
Are you going to Scarborough Fair? Parsley sage, rosemary and thyme;
Remember me to one that lives there, For she was once a true love of mine.
Tell her to make me a cambric shirt, Parsley sage, rosemary and thyme;
Without a seam or fine needle work, And then she’ll be a true love of mine
Tell her to wash it in yonder dry well, Parsley sage, rosemary and thyme;
Where water ne’er sprung, not drop of rain fell, And then she’ll be a true love of mine.
Tell her to dry it on yonder thorn, Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme;
Which never bore blossom since Adam was born, And then she’ll be a true love of mine.
Tell him to find me an acre of land, Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme;
Between the sea foam and the sea sand, Or never be a true love of mine.
Tell him to plough it with a lam’d horn, Parsley sage rosemary and thyme;
And sow it all over with one peppercorn, Or never be a true love of mine.
Analysis:
Period: Old English
Form: Verse with repeating motifs
Rhythm: 9/4 switches to 6/4 mixed meter; quarter, half and tied notes
Melody: Leaps of 3rds and 5ths, followed by stepwise scale pattern with repeated notes
Harmony: Dorian mode: common to many folk songs from this region centuries ago:
i, II, i; i, III, II, i, II, i
Heart Statement: The soul of this piece resides in the balance and unity of form and motive
that make it simple, accessible and enduring, all the while allowing for seemingly endless ways
to interpret and vary the melody, harmony, and lyrics.
Skill Outcome: Student will learn to sing a folk song and be able to play a
chordal instrument as accompaniment.
1.
2.
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6.
Learn to sing the song with proper vocal technique.
Define “chord” and identify the chords of the song
Identify chordal instruments
Recite the names of chords while the song is playing
Play the chords on the autoharp or guitar
Play the accompaniment on the instrument while others are singing
Assessment:
1. Student will be able to sing the song using proper vocal technique
2. Student will be able to play the accompaniment on either the autoharp or guitar while
others are singing.
Knowledge Outcome: Student understands the concept of singing a folk song
with chordal accompaniment
Strategies:
1. Read from the book about the history of the song and discuss.
2. Listen to recording of the song while following along in the book.
3. Discuss the meaning of the lyrics. (Scarborough is a town on the northeast coast of
England, cambric is a fine, thin white-linen fabric; parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme are
herbs used in cooking, peppercorn is the dried berry of the black pepper)
4. Discuss Dorian mode, time signature and rhythm
5. Sing the song along with the recording
6. Discuss the chordal structure, and instruments that can be used to play a chordal
accompaniment.
7. Recite the chord names while the song is playing.
8. Play those chords on an autoharp or guitar while classmates sing the song
Assessment:
1. Student can sing the song with correct pitches and rhythms.
2. Student can play the accompaniment on the autoharp or guitar using proper technique.
Musical/Expressive Outcome: Student experiences how to create music with
others
Strategies:
1. Discuss why a folk song is a great way to express yourself musically.
2. What other folk songs do the students know?
3. Why are folk songs created?
4. Students create their own folk song for the class.
Assessment:
1. Students create their own folk song to perform for the class.
2. Provide the lyrics for classmates. Choose one of the songs for the class to perform at the
Spring Fling.
Scales/Exercises/Etudes to enhance learning and development:
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Recitation of chordal structure
Recitation of chordal structure while playing instrument
Count rhythms out loud
Review of song melody with piano
Specific Student needs these additional outcomes (if necessary):
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