SCARBOROUGH FAIR

Traditional English ballad in 3/4 time
Fingerstyle version for single acoustic guitar
Scarborough Fair on: Wikipedia | Lyrics

This balad from the 17th century MUST be performed by a male and female singer alternately. It tells the story of a man and woman, that once were (maybe still are) in love with each other, but now, for reasons unknown, live separate lifes. Each one asks his ex-partner to have a go at (three) unsolvable tasks as a sign of true love. It's a funny satire, that lost it's wit in Paul Simon's version completely. Maybe Art Garfunkel should have been given the female part. And the moral is: The accomplishment isn't important, but the willingness to face the impossible.
thumb: x          Hammer on: h                Bend up: V
index: a          Pull off: p                 Bend down: Λ
dirty: b          Slide up: /                 Fret but don't pick: !
ring: c           Slide down: \               Staccato: :
pinky: d          Arpeggio: ~~~               Mute: m

To stabilize your picking hand, put your ring on the e-string in the red marked parts
The red colored exclamation marks offer additional fretting information
Keep 2b pressed in the green marked parts

chord image legend: x = fretted and played
                    o = fretted but not played

The prevailing picking pattern of this song is x - c - a - x - b - a
Keep practising it until you can do it in your sleep without thinking twice
It will take some time to get into a flow

INTRO

    Am7add6                            Asus2
e-------0--------------------------|-------0--------------------------|  picking pattern:
b----------------------3a----------|----------------------0-----------|  x - c - a - x - b - a (2x)
g------------0--------------0------|-----------2c-------------2c------|
D----------------4b------------\---|----------------2b------------/---|
A---0------------------------------|---0------------------------------|
E----------------------------------|----------------------------------|  repeat tab 3x
 
1ST VERSE

... Are you going to ...
    Am7add6                            Asus2
e-------0--------------------------|-------0-----------------------|  picking pattern:
b----------------------3a----------|----------------------0--------|  x - c - a - x - b - a (2x)
g------------0--------------0------|-----------2c-------------2c---|
D----------------4b------------\---|----------------2b-------------|
A---0------------------------------|---0---------------------------|
E----------------------------------|-------------------------------|

... Scarborough ...
    G              Am/G  G
e-------------------------------|  picking pattern:
b---0--------------1a----0------|  xb - a - x - xab - xab
g--------0---------0-----0------|
D-------------0----2b----0------|
A-------------------------------|
E---3d--------------------------|  info
                         ¼

... Fair? ...
    Am7add6                            Asus2
e-------0--------------------------|-------0-----------------------|  picking pattern:
b----------------------3a----------|----------------------0--------|  x - c - a - x - b - a (2x)
g------------0--------------0------|-----------2c-------------2c---|
D----------------4b------------\---|----------------2b-------------|
A---0------------------------------|---0---------------------------|
E----------------------------------|-------------------------------|

... parsley, sage, rose- ...
    C                               Asus2
e-------0-----------------------|-------0-----------------------|  picking pattern:  
b----------------------1a-------|----------------------0--------|  x - c - a - x - b - a (2x)
g------------0--------------0---|-----------2c-------------2c---|
D----------------2b-------------|----------------2b-------------|  
A---3d--------------------------|---0---------------------------|
E-------------------------------|-------------------------------|

... mary and ...
    C         D
e----0--------2b-------------------|  picking pattern:
b------------------------3c--------|  xc - a - xc - a - xb - a
g--------0---------2a---------2a---|
D-------------0----------0---------|
A---3d-----------------------------|
E----------------------------------|

... thyme ... 
    Am7add6                            Asus2
e-------0--------------------------|-------0--------------------------|  picking pattern:
b----------------------3a----------|----------------------0-----------|  x - c - a - x - b - a (2x)
g------------0--------------0------|-----------2c-------------2c------|
D----------------4b------------\---|----------------2b------------/---|
A---0------------------------------|---0------------------------------|
E----------------------------------|----------------------------------|

... re- ...
    Am7add6                            Asus2
e-------0--------------------------|-------0-----------------------|  picking pattern:
b----------------------3a----------|----------------------0--------|  x - c - a - x - b - a (2x)
g------------0--------------0------|-----------2c-------------2c---|
D----------------4b------------\---|----------------2b-------------|
A---0------------------------------|---0---------------------------|
E----------------------------------|-------------------------------|

... member me to ...
    Asus2                           C
e------0------------------------|-------0-----------------------|  picking pattern: 
b------------0------------------|----------------------1a-------|  x - c - b - a - x - x 
g----------------2c-------------|-----------0--------------0----|  x - c - a - x - b - a
D-------------------------------|----------------2b-------------|
A---0------------------0---2b---|---3c--------------------------|
E-------------------------------|-------------------------------|

... one who lives ...
    C         G/B        Am7
e---0-------------------------------|  picking pattern:
b-------------3d---------1a---------|  xc - a - xb - a - xb - a
g--------0----------0----------0----|
D-----------------------------------|
A---3c--------2b---------0----------|
E-----------------------------------|

... there ...
    G                  Am7  G       Am7
e-------------------------------|------------------------|  picking pattern:
b---0------------0-----1a---0---|---1a-----0h1ap0--------|  xb - a - x - b - xab - xab - xab - b - b
g-------0--------------0----0---|---0----------------0---|
D------------0---------2b---0---|---2b-------------------|
A-------------------------------|------------------------|
E---3d--------------------------|------------------------|  info
                                    ¼       ¼      ¼
... she once ...
    Am
e-------0------------------------|  picking pattern: 
b----------------------1a--------|  x - c - a - x - b - a
g------------2c-------------2c---|
D-----------------2b-------------|
A---0----------------------------|
E--------------------------------|

... was ... a true love of ...
    G                  G    Am7      G
e--------------------------------|------------------------|  picking pattern:
b---0------------0-----0----1a---|---0------0h1ap0--------|  xb - a - x - b - xab - xab - xab - b - a 
g-------0--------------0----0----|---0----------------0---|
D------------0---------0----2b---|---0--------------------|
A--------------------------------|------------------------|
E---3d---------------------------|------------------------|  info
                                     ¼       ¼      ¼
... mine ...
    Am7add6                            Asus2
e-------0--------------------------|-------0--------------------------|  picking pattern:
b----------------------3a----------|----------------------0-----------|  x - c - a - x - b - a (2x)
g------------0--------------0------|-----------2c-------------2c------|
D----------------4b------------\---|----------------2b------------/---|
A---0------------------------------|---0------------------------------|
E----------------------------------|----------------------------------|  repeat tab 3x

2ND VERSE (same tab as 1st verse)

... Tell her to make me a ... 
... cambric ...
... shirt ...
... parsley, sage, rose- ...
... mary and ...
... thyme ... with ...
... neither seams ...
... nor needle...
... work ...
... then she'll ...
... be a ...
... true love of mine ...

3RD VERSE (same tab as 1st verse)

... Tell her to wash it in ...
... yonder dry ...
... well ...
... parsley, sage, rose- ...
... mary and ...
... thyme ... where ...
... never sprung water ...
... rain never ...
...  fell ...
... then she'll ...
... be a ...
... true love of mine ...

All other verses are played in the same way.

OUTRO

    Am7add6                         D9add11
e-------0-----------------------|-------0---------------------------|  picking pattern:  
b----------------------3a-------|----------------------3a-----------|  x - c - a - x - b - a (2x)
g------------0--------------0---|-----------0---------------0-------|
D----------------4b-------------|----------------4b-----------------|
A---0---------------------------|---5d--------------------------\---|
E-------------------------------|-----------------------------------|

    C6maj9                            
e-------0-----------------------|  picking pattern:
b----------------------0--------|  x - c - a - x - b - a
g------------0--------------0---|
D----------------0--------------|
A---3d--------------------------|
E-------------------------------|

Finish the song with a strummed Am chord