"Scarborough Fair" with added harmony & canticle

Glennwillow · #1 03-21-2019, 07:34 PM

On THIS THREAD Carmel Cedar suggested that it might be an interesting experiment if I took my solo version of "Scarborough Fair" from a few days ago and added harmony and the canticle that Simon & Garfunkel used. The above video does that.

I think it does make an interesting experiment. I like this okay, but I think I prefer the solo version. There sure is a lot more going on in this version.

I kept the instrumentation simple with only the solo guitar, so only voices were added to the original recording and video. I just brought the new audio with added harmony and the sung canticle into the original video program and replaced the original audio, then I added some of the video shots of me singing the harmony and canticle.

Thanks for listening and checking this out.

- Glenn

PS: Below are the words from Paul Simon's website.

Scarborough Fair/Canticle

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

On the side of a hill in the deep forest green
Tracing of sparrow on snow-crested brown
Blankets and bedclothes the child of the mountain
Sleeps unaware of the clarion call

Tell her to make me a cambric shirt
Parsley sage rosemary and thyme
Without no seams nor needle work
Then she’ll be a true love of mine

On the side of a hill in the sprinkling of leaves
Washes the grave with silvery tears
A soldier cleans and polishes a gun
Sleeps unaware of the clarion call

Tell her to find me an acre of land
Parsley sage rosemary and thyme
Between the salt water and the sea strands
Then she’ll be a true love of mine

War bellows blazing in scarlet battalions
Generals order their soldiers to kill
And to fight for a cause they have long ago forgotten

Tell her to reap it with 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

Carmel Cedar · #2 03-21-2019, 08:11 PM

WOW!!!. Glenn, that was just awesome - thank you for doing this second rendition. The richness of the harmony added drama and depth that changed the feel of the performance. I liked this one better in many ways - really creates a more fully dimensional treatment. So cool to hear both! Interestingly, after listening to this version and going back to the prior, the first one seems even more lean, spare and deliberate, but oddly, I enjoyed it more because of the contrast! Must confess though, version 2 is my fave of the two.

What a wonderful experiment - thank you Glenn for so kindly indulging a wild suggestion!

Glennwillow · #3 03-21-2019, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carmel Cedar

WOW!!!. Glenn, that was just awesome - thank you for doing this second rendition. The richness of the harmony added drama and depth that changed the feel of the performance. I liked this one better in many ways - really creates a more fully dimensional treatment. So cool to hear both! Interestingly, after listening to this version and going back to the prior, the first one seems even more lean, spare and deliberate, but oddly, I enjoyed it more because of the contrast! Must confess though, version 2 is my fave of the two.

What a wonderful experiment - thank you Glenn for so kindly indulging a wild suggestion!

HI Carmel Cedar!

It was very nice of you to dive in here so quickly and provide some support and encouragement for this little experiment! I'm glad you like this!

I went back and forth about on how to balance the harmony and canticle levels against the original melody line in the audio mix, but I think I finally get a compromise that is not too bad.

I am so pleased that you like this.

Thanks so much again for the suggestion and for your kind words here!

- Glenn

rokdog49 · #4 03-22-2019, 06:30 AM

Wow Glenn, that added a lot.
You certainly did a great job of capturing the overall feel of the original.
Selfishly, I wish Paul Simon would have continued in the vein of his early stuff.
I understand the desire to "spread your wings" musically. Most gifted people who have success do so. It's just that for me, songs like "Me and Julio Down By the Schoolyard" next to "Scarborough Fair"...

Glennwillow · #5 03-22-2019, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rokdog49

Wow Glenn, that added a lot.
You certainly did a great job of capturing the overall feel of the original.
Selfishly, I wish Paul Simon would have continued in the vein of his early stuff.
I understand the desire to "spread your wings" musically. Most gifted people who have success do so. It's just that for me, songs like "Me and Julio Down By the Schoolyard" next to "Scarborough Fair"...

Hi Jamie!

Thank you! I appreciate your thoughts and comments!

I think a lot of us wish that Simon & Garfunkel could have continued as they were, but it was not to be. I think Art Garfunkel was the one who wanted to branch out, pursue his acting career, not just sing 2nd fiddle to Paul Simon all the time. So I think Paul Simon was left on his own and decided to pursue that.

I do think Paul Simon's solo work was pretty impressive, but it was also going to be different.

Even the Everly Brothers, actual brothers, broke up after a while. It's hard when you became famous and are worth a pile of money and can have pretty much anything that you want, then you have to continue to have to compromise in the most personal way with someone else in making music. I remember reading comments from Paul Simon along that line.

I hope you are recovering well and feeling good! And thanks for taking the time to comment here!

- Glenn

SpruceTop · #6 03-22-2019, 10:16 AM

Glenn, that is a very fine rendition you've recorded for us! Thanks!

MaurysMusic · #7 03-22-2019, 10:59 AM

Very, VERY nice!

Glennwillow · #8 03-22-2019, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

Glenn, that is a very fine rendition you've recorded for us! Thanks!

Thank you very much Spruce Top!

I'm so glad to know you are out there watching and listening! I hope all is well for you in Rochester!

Speaking of Rochester, I have seen Tommy Emmanuel perform in Rochester twice now, once in 2007 and again in 2008, both in May, I think.

Thanks again for the kind words of support!

- Glenn

hotroad · #9 03-22-2019, 11:15 AM

Very delicate and beautiful in all ways. Great harmonies that still capture the essence of the song. Thank you for giving us a true work of art here.

Glennwillow · #10 03-22-2019, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaurysMusic

Very, VERY nice!

Hi Maury!

How nice to hear from you and for you to take the time to listen and then comment here! Thank you! I'm very pleased that you like this rendition!

I hope all is well for you!

- Glenn

Glennwillow · #11 03-22-2019, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hotroad

Very delicate and beautiful in all ways. Great harmonies that still capture the essence of the song. Thank you for giving us a true work of art here.

Hi Hotrod!

Thanks so much! What kind and supportive comments! Thank you for taking the time to listen and comment!

I'm so glad you like how this came out!

Bend, OR is such a great area! I hope you are liking it there!

- Glenn

62&climbing · #12 03-22-2019, 07:41 PM

I am normally a bare bones guitar guy. Attended and Arlo Guthrie concert years ago. Just him, a stool and his guitar. Awesome.

But Glen, as far as I am concerned, this one wins! Superb.

The only way to improve on this is to add some dark haired beauty playing on a cello.

Glennwillow · #13 03-22-2019, 11:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 62&climbing

I am normally a bare bones guitar guy. Attended and Arlo Guthrie concert years ago. Just him, a stool and his guitar. Awesome.

But Glen, as far as I am concerned, this one wins! Superb.

The only way to improve on this is to add some dark haired beauty playing on a cello.

Hi '62!

I'm glad to read that you thought this worked okay! Thank you for taking the time to listen and for your thoughts and comments here! I sure appreciate it!

If I had a dark haired beauty to play cello on this, well, that would have been wonderful! I have a 13-year-old grandson that is getting pretty good on the cello, but it never occurred to me to ask for his help. I'll have to keep that in mind for the future.

I am guessing, though, that this is not the kind of dark haired beauty you had in mind.

Thank you again, '62!

- Glenn

PS: I did get my 15-year-old grand daughter to sing harmony with me last summer on one of my videos. You may have seen this:

62&climbing · #14 03-23-2019, 06:51 PM

Absolutely beautiful Glen. Keep her around. Does she get any of the royalties?

And something about apples falling from trees.

Glennwillow · #15 03-23-2019, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 62&climbing

Absolutely beautiful Glen. Keep her around. Does she get any of the royalties?

And something about apples falling from trees.

Hi '62!

Thank you! But no, there are no royalties in this business! I really tried to get her interested in singing the harmony and canticle on "Scarborough Fair," which would have been cool and I think a huge improvement over what I did. But she just has too many things going on right now. So I decided not to push her on this. Hopefully, she will be willing to do some more music with me when things are less demanding, maybe this summer again.

Thanks for the good thoughts!

- Glenn