British guitarist analyses Simon & Garfunkel's SPOOKY 'Scarborough Fair' (ft. Andy Williams)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 19 มิ.ย. 2021
- Tonight we're busting out the guitar for an oldie (very oldie!) but a goodie! It's 'Scarborough Fair'!
Original video - • Video
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I've listened to this a few times now and what has struck me is that it shows that Andy Williams respected the song and sang it the way S & G meant for it to be sung and didn't turn it into an "Andy Williams song." In doing so, his voice added a rich layer to an already gorgeous song and actually enhanced it. I remember those days when the older, old school, crooners would sing with young artists and it would almost always ruin the songs. Like, if Sinatra sang this he would have turned it into a Sinatra song, etc.. Respect to Andy Williams!
Wow, I thought that was Andy Williams.
He also had the Beachboys on his show and they did some nice soft rock and/or folk with great harmony.
I thought so as well. Simply stunning.
Wow, I just heard Sinatra doing it in my head and you're correct. I had to laugh a little.
Try the full and unsynchopated version..
No autotune here! These guys have honest, real talent!!
I totally agree
S&G are among the greatest singer/songwriters of all time. Add Andy Williams and i have goosebumps.
@@The-Dom Andy Williams is an excellent singer. Very polished tenor. His voice blends perfectly in this song.
Absolutely: Autotune is for LOSERS and these guys are WINNERS OF REAL HEART ♥️ 🌞⭐️♥️
I hope never to hear an autotuned version! I don't like autotune in general, but to do it to such an old folk tune would be beyond appalling.
I would like to argue that Simon & Garfunkle's original version is neither spooky nor ghostly but rather ethereal and incredibly fine. For this listener the words and the music speak of lost love, regret, perhaps remorse and the impossible tasks address the impossibility of regaining that time and that moment.
I agree, to me Simon and Garfunkel’s Scarborough Fair represents the duality of life. Love cannot exist without hate, Peace cannot exist without war. The song of unrequited love and a song of a death of an innocent child caught in the crossfire, doesn’t feel like they work well together but it works
Word. Other-worldly perhaps.
@@RedChaos1208 it was a stroke of genius taking a traditional and tacking a contemporary political issue to it.
If you want to find out about the history of the song and hear lots of different traditional variants, watch this video I uploaded!
th-cam.com/video/adlHgFxdoFw/w-d-xo.html
Lost Love and a Time Lost in Days gone by , Put in words to music, just Incredible ♥️❤️♥️⭐️🌞
I always loved how much Paul's poem Canticle contributed to this song. I always got chills when I heard the part saying "generals ordered their soldiers to kill and to fight for a cause they've long ago forgotten"
Thanks for pointing out what the video creator failed to mention! 👍🏼
It's a perfect fit. I went for years not realizing that it's actually two songs. It sounds like it's always been this way.
@@ralphnotaro9435 To be fair, explaining the history of both songs is a whole separate video. Fil's focusing on how it's played.
Is a polyphonic approach to it also. Thing is they took an somber old folk song which highlighted missing love... and combined it with a reason - relatable at the time the Vietnam war.
@@tommack9395it's from an earlier Paul Simon track called side of a hill
Andy Williams voice was PERFECT for this song. Wow!
Wow this is fantastic. Andy Williams fit right in and not only didn't take away from the original S & G version, I think he enhanced it.
I agree completely.
Garfunkel had a weightless blue sky of a voice, and Andy Williams had that honey-gold tenor. Very complementary, with Williams adding rich substance and melody.
It’s not just Scarborough Fair. It’s also a second song threaded with it. Canticle.
It's the adding/blending of the 2nd song into the traditional ballad that is likely what S&G were crediting themselves for on the record.
@@johnwatson2887 Simon said it was just "naivete", that he didn't know better with regard to crediting and copyright.
Three voices.. One guitar... Magic
How I love Art’s ethereal choir boy voice. Paul’s “ Canticle” arrangement was gorgeous. And his guitar playing!
I so agree!!
as simon once said .. 'at artie's bar mitzvah it was standing room only..'
Arts voice is one of an angel. I had been bitten by a tick a few years ago and a had 104 degree fever. Well I watched Mrs Robinson and those boys voices took me to another realm. True angels.
That was Artie's canticle arrangement. Paul wrote the words but Art did the arrangement.
Possibly they credited themselves with the song because their version wasn't just Scarborough Fair. It's the blending of Scarborough Fair with the Canticle, which was written by Simon and arranged by Garfunkle.
Andy Williams should ALWAYS be mentioned in the same breath as the modern greats...
RIP
Shout out to Andy Williams, a great singer.
Yes. What a voice!
Yes indeed. He wasn't just shoehorned in because it was his show. He fit perfectly.
You might have to shout a bit louder, he's dead. But to be serious, you are perfectly correct, Andy's voice was pure silk.
Weaving in the canticle makes it original enough to be worthy of authorship.
I love this naked version. the record is incredible with the instruments swirling all around with a aural climax around the 4th or 5th verse. but this version really let's you soak in the beautiful guitar work.kudos to the camera man and audio guys, so many tv shows hàd horrible sound. it's my favorite version. and as always excellent job 👏 Phil. really enjoyed this, think I'll watch it again.
Wow - I didn't think it could be improved but Andy Williams joining in really rounds it out.
I have always loved this song and Andy’s voice sounded great with theirs.
Andy Williams is blessed with eyes that always look like he is smiling.
The description is not ghostly, the description is ethereal. Art Garfunkle and Andy Wiilliams have the most beautiful and iconic voices of all time. C'mon don't try to minimize the talent of this trio collaboration. This is a landmark performance.
It’s not being minimized by being called ghostly. Part of the song is about a soldier killed in war…a ghost. If anything, both words apply…along with haunting.
@@Ypsiroselee Agreed. I've always thought of the song as ethereal. But I (also) love thinking of it as ghostly, because it very much is. This was a lovely description by Phil!
@@Ypsiroselee Yes. It's one of those deceased narrator songs, like Long Black Veil. I love those.
It's such a hauntingly beautiful song by itself and the reverb makes it even more haunting. What a beautiful performance it is.
Nice words about Andy, he's generally dismissed or scorned by the "serious" record hunters and collectors on TH-cam.
Which is a real shame because he had one of the most powerful voices of the 20th century.
I love his live version of “O Holy Night”, just stunning. I really wish I could have seen him in person.
My favorite version of Canticle. So beautiful and it still gives me chills. I had a crush on Andy Williams as a child, as my Mom loved “Moon River” and turned me on to his music. He was so handsome and talented. As for S & G, Paul’s fingerpicking is so beautiful and his and Art’s voices blend so perfectly. Iconic performance. ❤
A soldier on the battlefield, is basically writing to his love that he will not return home and die on the field. He wants her to prepare his death clothing he will wear at his burial, as added by Paul's canticle lyrics.
Wow...My Brother and I sang this,busking across Europe 83 to 86..he sang Paul's part,I sang Arts,the counter-melody....haunting ? Ohhhh yes...miss my Bro 💔awesome video!!
Thank you Fil for this great discussion!
Thanks for adding this! My generation was spoiled - so much music, so many varied artists.
I love how technically versatile and musically open-minded Phil is whatever the musical genre and style that he chooses to analyse. Hats off, my friend. Great work as usual 😉
Thanks!
Try suggesting a Led Zep video. A good one. He won’t do it…
@@uddielad that could be because of copyright issues
@rorygall-a-her8720
I’ve been subscribed to Fil for a while and find his analysis deep, comprehensive and insightful. One of the best.
Yet I see superficial youtube music critics who can’t detect auto tune with millions of subs and views.
As an American, I see a similar denial of facts and significancy in public awareness.
Never imagined Orwell’s sentiments encompassed music also: "It's frightful that people who are so ignorant should have so much influence." ~ George Orwell
Dystopia unfolding.
@@uddielad Led Zeppelin is getting way too much attention already. No one needs any more Led Zeppelin videos, and the Record Stores need to quit trying to sell Led Zeppelin CDs for $23 and higher like they are some rare Japanese import collectors item that only printed 100 copies. Same thing goes for the Beatles, and Motorhead CDs . It's no wonder that people prefer downloading songs. The Marketing scheme for Pop music in general is Suicidal. Raising prices on Dying Physical Media Formats is just plain idiotic
WOWWW... 1st time I'm seeing this AND I'm blown away. Beautiful guitar work...
Amazing voices ON POINT, so perfect..so haunting
I've always loved this song by Simon and Garfunkel. One of my favorites. The song and harmonies are just beautiful and Andy Williams brought a whole new dimension to the vocals. Thank you Fil. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Once again another great analysis and demonstration. I'd love to hear your version some day. 🤘🏻❤️✌🏻
Garfunkel’s voice is ethereal. Andy’s harmony adds warmth. I love your channel! You make me want to learn more. I’m 65. But music keeps us alive.
If you want to find out about the history of the song and hear lots of different traditional variants, watch this video I uploaded!
th-cam.com/video/adlHgFxdoFw/w-d-xo.html
Such a hauntingly beautiful song you can feel the sorrow reaching through the centuries with the verse- she once was a true love of mine.🖤🤘
Beautiful. Haunting. Powerful. This song is timeless. And Andy actually does a great job here. Awesome.
It doesn't get any better than that. Simon and Garfunkel were the soundtrack of my life. My high school boyfriend and later my husband had a three-inch thick book of all the poems of Paul Simon. I know they were made into songs but, they read like poetry. No one has ever put phrases together the way that Paul Simon did. "In the corner stands a boxer and a fighter by his trade, and he carries the reminder of every glove that laid him down or cut him till he cried out in his anger and his shame. I am leaving! I am leaving! But, the fighter still remains". This is forever music. Sincerely, Carly💜
As a Brit and someone who for some reason never hears the lyrics properly in songs, for many years I thought they were singing "and he carries the reminder of every bloke that laid him down and...."
@@CharlieMcowan 😊 I did that a lot when I was younger. When I love a song, now I can look up the words on a cellphone in seconds.☺carly
I sang the words to the boxer as I was reading your post! ☺️
@@debishaw9355 I know! You can't help yourself! I memorized that 30 years ago. Just by singing the song and now it's a permanent part of my memory.☺ Carly
I didn’t know Paul Simon wrote poetry. I will look into his work. That reminds me of Jim Morrison of the Doors; he was actually a poet first- who knew?
I never heard this version with Andy Williams before.
Absolutely beautiful!
You need to do a cover of this song, Fil.
That would be gorgeous with your accent !
Thanks for this post! 🥰
I know ..it blew me away when I heard it
I saw this when they originally did it on TV. I was blown away. My favourite song made even better with Andy's 3rd-part harmony! I have always remembered it and wanted so much to hear it again, so I was thrilled to find it on TH-cam. There is another video, with an excellent intro by Andy (2011?) at th-cam.com/video/c_T7HgZKZjo/w-d-xo.html
He has an American accent singing tho, I think
I have loved this song since I was a child. I had no idea that the song wasn't originally composed by Paul Simon. Learn something new everyday !
If you want to find out about the true history of the song and hear lots of different traditional variants, watch this video I uploaded!
th-cam.com/video/adlHgFxdoFw/w-d-xo.html
I love this version! Andy Williams' beautiful voice blends in perfectly!
The beauty of simplicity.
Sometimes you forget how good a singer Andy Williams was! Terrific analysis!
Check out Andy singing “o Holy Night” on his Christmas special. You’ll never forget again 🙂
Andy Williams...once heard, never question his singing abilities.
Never. We have seen him three times - so good.
You are brilliant with your observations of this song.
We learned in music class it was about a man who longed for love but made it virtually impossible to attain because of the perfection he was looking for. The ethereal sound comes from the grave after he passes alone.
Pretty deep but absolutely beautiful song and Andy Williams' voice melts butter!
It's actually Martin Carthy's arrangement which he taught Simon back in the sixties. The song itself is a truncated version of "The Elfin Knight" which is a much longer ballad which includes a riddle sequence which this song becomes.
The song Scarborough Fair is an English folk song which dates way back to the mid 17th century, the lyrics are of unrequited love ( a young man setting impossible tasks for his lover to be able to come back to him ) Paul Simon's version is just one of many modern day interpretations of this beautiful song.
Two of the best male singers ever Art Garfunkel and Andy Williams.
I was so pleasantly surprised to see that Williams did not impose his personality on Simon and Garfunkel's version, but blended his voice so beautifully with theirs, allowing the song to be in the forefront, rather than his own presence. Thank you for the singing demonstration, which shows the control and complexity of the performance. (And thank you for discussing the questionable writing credits--an unfortunate and continued practice. An artist's talent is not diminished when giving credit where it is due; in fact, it is respected even more for participating in an artistic conversation with the past!)
“Participating in an artistic conversation with the past”… Very nice sentence, Virginia. I’ll remember it. Don’t worry, I’ll keep the credits to you 😉
Krimson King The last thing I would ever associate with Andy Williams is imposing his style onto another artist's work. I have no idea where that idea about Williams could have come from, but I cannot for a moment imagine it to be true.
Yes, that's right.
The passing down and many recordings of this version makes the singers like modern day troubadours.
@@bluecollarman1000 Yes , but in my opinion they did the best version; this is why this is not well known
Andy joining them just added so much to the sound of this song. I loved it! Thank you!
I actually love Andy Williams. There was a quality of his voice that speaks to me.
I grew up hearing this version. I will always love this version+Paul’s Canticle.
This song is so beautiful gets goespumps
I came across this version a while back, and still think it`s the best i`ve heard, Andy Williams really adds to it. The harmonies are simply stunning
Songs of my youth. ✨
I'm floored by the sheer hypnotic beauty of this.... Haunting and so atmospheric. Wow
Andy Williams was so good; he could sing with anyone! Ask Julie Andrews, she'll tell you!
Those harmonies are fabulous! I had to listen to it more than once.
So glad you did this one. I think it’s one of the best, most unexpected gems on TH-cam.
One could cry over what was and is no more. Singer/ songwriters like Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel. Andy Williams is no lesser himself.
It's all well and good we have these clips and of course the recordings, but there will be no more to come.
I love this performance. It is so calming and beautiful. The sound wonderful together.
Beautiful!
The song actually recorded on the "Parsley, Sage" album was actually called "Scarborough Fair/Canticle". It was a combination of the traditional "Scarborough Fair" itself, and a Paul Simon penned anti-Vietnam war song called "The Side Of a Hill" (the "Canticle" part), with lines from the two songs being alternated.
Paul added the anti-war “ Canticle” which provided a beautiful layer.
Thanks for the background and info!
The "coolest" day in Andy Williams' life. He sounds like he belonged in that group.
A teacher I once had was trying to explain Renaissance musical forms to the class. When she got to the French "quodlibet" she described it as two existing songs performed in counterpoint. She then pointed out that a "quodlibet" was a top-40 hit in 1968. The piece was, of course, this one. it is interesting that the studio version includes a harpsichord backing track. Paul Simon's musical roots go very deep and very wide.
Listening to this I first realised this song uses the "impossible task" trope: -
"Tell her to make me a cambric shirt
Without no seams nor needlework".
Thanks for your scholarship, for when you mentioned "Elfin Knight" I looked it up and it is indeed an old tale involving impossible tasks.
I should have listened more closely back then, but my excuse is that I only had a little Sharp transistor radio about the size of a pack of cigarettes; cutting edge Japanese miniaturisation at the time. I will never forget it was a gift, thanks Gran.
If you want to find out about the history of the song and hear lots of different traditional variants, watch this video I uploaded!
th-cam.com/video/adlHgFxdoFw/w-d-xo.html
@@TheFolkRevivalProject What a marvellous link! I am making my way through its dense information. You have made a scholarly work that modern universities should be able to award degrees for.
@@flamencoprof Thank you :)
I grew up on Andy Williams,my mother loved him,watched all his shows I even have at least one CD of his.I also had the album of Simon and Garfunkle with this song on it.
Andy Williams was my first "crush" - I had every album he released & learned them straight away - He had such a soothing voice! Love this trio & i remember seeing it on tv when it aired!!!! Sush a great talent - LOVE THIS!!!! You can't go wrong with Simon & Garfunkel!!!!!!!
I forgot how good the harmony between Paul, Art and Andy was in this performance. This was another great analysis and guitar demo by you with the rundown on the origin of the song. 😊👍
This was so beautiful !! I have always love Andy Williams music ! Andy Williams voice is so smooth and he always excited me. Great analyses Fil as always !!🤟🏻 I love your voice too and all your songs !! You are the Best !!
3 beautiful voices and talented harmonizing
Andy Williams was a very good artist for his era and the style of music at the time. When I was very young he was at or just past the peak of his career. I remember enjoying his TV specials.
My mom's loved Andy. Thanks professor . 😃 🎸
Wow, Fil! A masterclass. Learnt more in 20 minutes about this song than in the last 45 years of listening to it. Fantastic stuff. Thank you.
No problem!
What a lovely presentation on the very first Simon and Garfunkel song I ever heard, and which instantly gave me chills and made me fall in love with them. I do wish you had talked about what, to me, is part of the magic of this composition, and which sets it apart from other iterations of the folk song: the combination of "Canticle" with "Scarborough Fair" and how it seamlessly (...) weaves in and out of the melody and the lyrics; and how Simon and Garfunkel parse and divide the burden of the dual lyrics between them so that everything flows. I would dearly love an in-depth discussion on how they made this magic work.
If you want to find out about the history of the song (including where Ewan McColl collected it) and hear lots of different traditional variants, watch this video I uploaded!
th-cam.com/video/adlHgFxdoFw/w-d-xo.html
What wonderful music you feature on your channel. Thank you.
Oh, Fil, I have always loved playing this song on my guitar. I have never seen this clip, but thought Andy Williams harmonized so well with Simon and Garfunkel. Thank you for straightening up us Americans because most of the people I grew up with thought that Simon and Garfunkel wrote it. It does have a UK type of spelling though. I enjoyed reliving this, melancholy as it is. Blessings to you Fil. You always make it interesting here on TH-cam.
If you want to find out about the history of the song and hear lots of different traditional variants, watch this video I uploaded!
th-cam.com/video/adlHgFxdoFw/w-d-xo.html
Wonderful. I loved the Andy Williams show and Simon and Garfunkle when I was a kid. A lovely blend of styles there and I thought Andy went with the feel of the song perfectly - those harmonies had me in a trance.
Nice discussion of a beautiful song. Thanks.
Had to sing this song in high-school choir.......thanks Fil
Hi Mark! I sure would have liked to hear that!!
@@lynndow3185 Hi Lynn..pretty cool really
Me too!
What an amazing compliment Andy Williams voice was to this.
Didn't know the background at the time but that its roots might go back to the black plague is intriguing.
I always loved the sound of this song as performed by Simon and Garfunkel.
Garfunkels' standout vocals and Simons' incredible overall musicianship and song writing made for great stuff. Oh my!
Art and Andy - two of the most gorgeous male voices ever. I have never seen Andy Williams sing with S&G. Thank you so much for this!
Two of my favourite things on TH-cam in one place! This song from The Andy Williams Show and Fil's astute and always respectful analysis. Andy Williams had a succession of brilliant artists on this shows - Ella Fitzgerald, Pearl Bailey, Judy Garland to name but three and his perfect pitch and long apprenticeship in harmonising with his brothers allowed him to complement any other singer's work, truly a generous host to all his guests. For those who have suddenly 'discovered' Andy Williams' work, I recommend his 'A Song for You' album - wonderful arrangements of contemporaneous songs from the late Sixties/early Seventies - His 'I'll Be There' is the highlight for me
WOW, what a performance. I love Simon and Garfunkel and have also been a huge fan of Andy Williams, so I hit thumbs up way before the analysis.
Chills abound....❤❤❤❤😊
Williams input worked wonderfully. Gave a chance for the haunting background singing.
Such a beautiful rendition of this song. Andy Williams is one of the best tenors ever.
Love their version of Scarborough fair, love playing it myself on the guitar, a hauntingly beautiful old song!
Another great video ✊
I had never seen this version. Absolutely beautiful! I’ll keep going back to this one!
On a side note, as child in the 7os I used to think Art was an ugly man because of his hair. How wrong was I? He has a classically beautifully handsome face and gorgeous eyes!
You can tell Andy is used to singing in a harmonizing group - having sung with his brothers. Lots of practice blending. Very nice - and thanks for the link. I must have seen it 'live' - I never missed any of the Andy Williams shows that were broadcast. I really love how you break down the music. I'm not a guitar player but I can still appreciate the mechanics of performing the music.
Andy Williams sounded great with Simon and Garfunkel. His voice fit in perfectly with Paul and Art.
Well, I am totally shocked. I had no idea of the background of this song. I am saddened by the fact the Garfunkel and Simon took credit for it. I still love the song and the way I have known it. Plus, Andy Williams is a favorite of mine and just adds greatly to the performance. Thank you for sharing.
My guess is Simon, who added his song Canticle to Scarborough Fair, needed to take credit for it or he wouldn't have the copyright to the song as it was recorded. But I could be wrong.
If you want to find out about the history of the song and hear lots of different traditional variants, watch this video I uploaded!
th-cam.com/video/adlHgFxdoFw/w-d-xo.html
TIME STAMPS -
0:30 PERFORMANCE
3:33 Analysis Start/Song Background
6:41 Lyrical Content
7:15 Vocal Delivery
8:14 Talking on Pitch
10:03 Guitar in Sections
17:23 Piecing it Together
May I suggest you sticky your post? Else your time stamps will disappear to the bottom of the comment section once more people post reactions ;-)
Best video about this wonderful song. No doubt about it.
Great singers. Wow!! 3 great singers
One of the most beautiful and memorable song ever recorded.
This is beautiful.
Wonderful to see your appreciation of how music and musicians were when it was magic and natural unlike most crap today.
Not an instructional video. Yet you just taught me how to play it. Thank you.
THANK you for this. An amazing performance from three expert singers. Thank you.
A wonderful duo and Andy as well it can't get much better!😆
Beautiful! Thanks Fil!
One of the most beautiful things I have ever heard!
Wow! This gave me chills. I loved those three singing together. I didn't know the background of this song. Love listening to you talk. You always know so much about these songs & singers 😊
My mom dearly loved Andy Williams and Simon and Garfunkel and I recall watching this performance at our family home all those years ago. My brother and I still perform several Simon and Garfunkel songs at local wineries. When we perform Sounds of Silence we get someone asking if we know any other songs by Disturbed!
Love this video as not only the song but ANDY WILLIAMS!! Was listening and trying to fall asleep .Well your beautiful guitar playing and smooth voice was very helpful.
Then I woke to let you know great job you have done.Asuch as I like electric guitar the acoustic guitar you played sounds lovely.🎸🇺🇸🤘💙