January 6, 2022

SCARBOROUGH FAIR - 6/4 : Traditional Folk


Scarborough Fair
在音樂資訊平台有記載, 此曲的"Traditional Folk 傳統民歌"版本, 最早在流行樂壇出現是1955年, 由 Gordon Heath & Lee Payant 演繹, 在法國 Paris 巴黎, Elektra Records 唱片公司錄製, 收錄在一張兩人組合的專輯唱片 "Encores From The Abbaye"。
 
 
Gordon Heath & Lee Payant
美國一對不同族裔的同志夫婦, 自1948年以來長居法國巴黎。"Encores From The Abbaye" 是他們的第二張專輯唱片, "Abbaye" 就是他們在 Paris 巴黎第六區的 Saint Germain des Prés 的修道院後面, 一間由他两人經營的俱樂部 L’Abbaye, 兩人每晚在那裡演唱, 俱樂部卻有其規則: 每張枱的客人祇可點唱一首歌曲, 唱畢之後, 枱上的蠟燭會被熄掉, 直至每枱的蠟燭全熄滅, 亦是打烊之時將至。在那裡, 視掌聲、叫喊或跺脚叫好, 是不文明的表現, 客人祇許以輕輕 "彈指 Finger Snapping" 來表謝意。 有業界人士指出, Gordon Heath & Lee Payant 1955年錄音的 "Scarborough Fair", 歌詞和曲調是來自 Frank Kidson 1891年新編的 "Traditional Tunes: A Collection of Ballad Airs"。

"Scarborough Fair" - Traditional Folk Song 傳統民歌

1955 - SCARBOROUGH FAIR - Gordon Heath & Lee Payant 
Say, all you going to Scarborough Fair
Savoury sage, rosemary and thyme
Remember me to a lass live there
For once she was a true love of mine

Tell her to make me a cambrick shirt,
Savoury, sage, rosemary and thyme
Without any seam or needle work?
And then she shall be a true love of mine

Tell her to wash it in yonder well,
Savoury sage, rosemary and thyme
When no water sprung no a drop of rain fell?
And then she shall be a true love of mine

Tell her to dry it on yonder thorn,
Savoury sage, rosemary and thyme
Which never bore blossom since Adam was born
And then she shall be a true love of mine

Or will you find me an acre of land
Savoury sage, rosemary and thyme
Between the sea foam and mostly sea sand
And never be a true love of mine

Ewan MacColl (1915-1989) 首次把 "Scarborough Fair" 收錄在一張1956年的專輯 Ewan MacColl & A.L. Lloyd, "The English and Scottish Popular Ballads, Volume IV", 二十首歌曲當中有八首由 A.L.Llyod 演繹, 亦包括了 "Scarborough Fair"。

1956 - SCARBOROUGH FAIR - A.L. Lloyd
 
翌年, Ewan MacColl 的專輯 "Matching Songs of the British Isles and America" 亦收錄了 "Scarborough Fair", 但曲調已不一樣, 據他解釋, 在1947年, 當時的妻子 Joan Littlewood 是BBC電台的下午兒童節目主持, 為了找尋一些兒歌民謠的故事和資料, 托他前往英格蘭東北部 County Durham 對衡郡 Middleton-in-Teesdale 找訪一位退休的鑛工 Mark Anderson (1874-1953); Ewan 在見面訪談之中, Mark 回憶起年青時, 工餘時間常在一些酒吧以民謠歌曲賣唱, 換來酒客幾杯麥酒的打賞; 他又把 "Scarborough Fair" 用結他彈唱出來, 而 Ewan 把歌曲調子筆錄下來。 
 
1957 - SCARBOROUGH FAIR - Ewan MacColl
Are you going to Scarborough Fair?
    Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme;
Remember me to one that lives there,
    For once she was a true love of mine.

Tell her to make me a cambric shirt,
    Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme;
Without a stitch of needlework,
    For once she was a true love of mine.

Tell her to wash it in yonder dry well,
    Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme;
Where water ne'er sprung, nor drop of rain fell,
    For once she was 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.

O, will you 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.

O, will you plough it with a lamb's horn,
    Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme;
And sow it all over with one peppercorn,
    Or never be a true love of mine.

O, will you reap it with a sickle of leather,
    Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme;
And tie it all up with a peacock's feather,
    Or never be a true love 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 you shall be a true lover of mine.
 
John A. Lomax (1867-1948), 兒子 Alan J. Lomax (1915-2002) 亦是研究民謠歌曲學者, 他指出 Ewan MacColl 1857年演繹的版本, 與 Cecil J. Sharp 在1916年出版的民歌集 "One Hundred English Folk Songs - Volume 1", 當中 "Scarborugh Fair" 的樂譜調子極為相近; 他強調, 這版本於1956年已收錄在 Audrey Coppard 的唱片專輯 "English Folk Songs", 他不知道 Mark Anderson 是從那裡學來這首民謠, 但肯定這曲調是來自上世紀英格蘭東北部一帶, 各郡市鎮的傳統民謠歌曲。
 
這些傳統民謠歌曲, 從坊間耳聞口傳的歴史, 正是引人入勝之處, 由於不少作品是始於民間傳唱, 至後來的歌詞和曲調不停演變下去, 除了欣賞歌曲之外, 每每能引起樂迷的好奇和興趣去查究一番。民謠歌曲是不分國家和地域, 祇要繼續保存傳統歌曲的歴史文獻, 亦是生活文化的承傳。
1956 - SCARBOROUGH FAIR - Audrey Coppard 
Oh, are you going to Scarborough Fair?
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme;
Remember me to one who lives there,
For once he was a true love of mine.

Tell him to find him an acre of land,
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme;
Between the sea foam and the salt seastrand
Or never be a true love of mine.

Tell him to plough it with a lamb's horn,
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme;
And sow it all over with one peppercorn,
Or never be a true love of mine.

Tell him to reap it with a sickle of leather,
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme;
And tie all up with a peacock's feather,
Or never be a true love of mine.

When he has done these things without fail
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme;
He can come and claim me for himself
And then he may be a true love of mine

COVER VERSIONS - Youtube Links
1959 - Shirley Collins
1964 - Jacqueline and Bridie
1965 - Marrianne Faithfull
1965 - Martin Carthy