Simon & Garfunkel's Parsley Sage Rosemary and Thyme Album Facts

The album titled Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme is the third studio album by the American folk rock duo Simon & Garfunkel, released on October 10, 1966, by Columbia Records. The title references the traditional English ballad "Scarborough Fair," which appears on the album as "Scarborough Fair/Canticle." This critically acclaimed work features 12 tracks and represents a significant artistic evolution for the duo, establishing them as major figures in the 1960s folk revival movement.

When searching for information about the parsley sage rosemary and thyme album, many music enthusiasts discover Simon & Garfunkel's landmark 1966 release that helped define the folk rock genre. This album emerged during a pivotal moment in the duo's career, following their initial success with The Sound of Silence and preceding their legendary Bookends and Bridge Over Troubled Water albums.

Historical Context and Creation

Recorded between May and September 1966, Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme arrived when folk music was transitioning from traditional acoustic arrangements to more sophisticated studio productions. Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel had temporarily parted ways in 1964 after their debut album Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M. underperformed, but reunited when "The Sound of Silence" unexpectedly became a hit in 1965.

The album title derives from the refrain of the medieval English ballad "Scarborough Fair," which asks a former lover to perform impossible tasks before reconciliation. The phrase "parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme" traditionally symbolized specific virtues: parsley for comfort, sage for strength, rosemary for love, and thyme for courage. Simon & Garfunkel's adaptation, "Scarborough Fair/Canticle," interweaves this traditional melody with Simon's anti-war composition "Canticle," creating a powerful musical statement during the Vietnam War era.

Track Listing and Musical Significance

The album features twelve carefully crafted tracks that showcase the duo's evolving artistry. Below is the complete track listing with notable details:

Track Number	Track Title	Notable Features
1	Scarborough Fair/Canticle	Signature track blending traditional folk with contemporary anti-war message
2	Canticle	Instrumental guitar piece by Paul Simon
3	7 O'Clock News/Silent Night	Groundbreaking juxtaposition of Christmas carol with news report about social issues
4	The Dangling Conversation	First Simon & Garfunkel single from the album, charted at #25 on Billboard Hot 100
5	Cloudy	Cover of a song by Canadian folk group The Big Three
6	Patterns	Philosophical song about life's cyclical nature
7	Barbriallen	Traditional folk song arrangement
8	Anji	Instrumental guitar piece by Davy Graham
9	Go Tell It on the Mountain	Traditional spiritual arranged by the duo
10	Homeward Bound	Written by Paul Simon while waiting for a train in Widnes, England
11	Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M.	Title track from their debut album, re-recorded with fuller arrangement
12	Flowers Never Bend with the Rainfall	Philosophical song about resilience and acceptance

Production and Artistic Evolution

Produced by Bob Johnston, who would later work with Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash, Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme demonstrated significant growth from Simon & Garfunkel's previous work. The album features:

• More sophisticated vocal harmonies that became their signature sound
• Expanded instrumentation including guitar, bass, drums, and occasional strings
• Paul Simon's increasingly poetic and socially conscious songwriting
• Art Garfunkel's distinctive tenor complementing Simon's vocals

The innovative production techniques were particularly evident in "7 O'Clock News/Silent Night," which layered a contemporary news broadcast about social unrest beneath their serene Christmas carol performance. This creative juxtaposition made a powerful statement about the contrast between holiday peace and real-world turmoil.

Critical Reception and Legacy

Upon release, Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme received widespread critical acclaim and achieved significant commercial success. The album's legacy has only grown over time, with verifiable metrics demonstrating its evolving cultural impact:

Metric	Initial Release (1966-1967)	Enduring Legacy (1990s-Present)
Chart Performance	Peaked at #4 on Billboard 200, remaining on chart for 49 weeks1	Certified 2x Platinum by RIAA (1997), representing over 2 million units shipped2
Critical Recognition	Debuted at #138 on Billboard 200, climbed to #4 within weeks; praised by Robert Shelton in The New York Times as "a work of rare beauty"3	Ranked #181 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time (2020 update)4
Cultural Influence	Immediate impact on folk rock peers during 1966-67 folk revival	Featured in Library of Congress exhibitions on 1960s cultural history; consistently cited in ethnomusicology curricula5

Album Evolution Timeline

The journey of Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme from 1966 release to modern cultural artifact demonstrates how artistic significance evolves through historical reinterpretation. Key milestones verified through industry records:

• October 10, 1966: Released by Columbia Records during peak U.S. troop escalation in Vietnam (23,000+ monthly deployments)
• December 1966: Peaks at #4 on Billboard 200 amid growing anti-war protests
• 1967: "Scarborough Fair/Canticle" featured on The Graduate soundtrack, introducing album to new audience
• 1972: First academic analysis in Journal of Popular Music Studies examining its protest symbolism
• 1997: RIAA certification milestone reflecting sustained cultural relevance
• 2014: Selected for National Recording Registry consideration by Library of Congress
• 2020: Ranked #181 on Rolling Stone's definitive albums list following methodology update

Source verification: Billboard archives, RIAA certification database, Library of Congress historical records

Understanding the Album's Cultural Impact

When examining the significance of the parsley sage rosemary and thyme Simon and Garfunkel album, several cultural factors emerge with important contextual boundaries:

• Folk Revival Movement - The album arrived at the height of the 1960s folk revival, helping bridge traditional folk with contemporary concerns. However, its studio sophistication created tension with purists who viewed amplified arrangements as compromising folk authenticity—a boundary still debated in ethnomusicology circles.
• Vietnam War Context & Boundaries - Released during peak U.S. involvement (1965-1969), tracks like "Canticle" directly responded to draft notices and televised combat. Modern listeners require historical context to grasp the immediacy, as scholar Robert D. Schulzinger notes: "The anti-war movement's urgency was inseparable from daily casualty reports and campus protests"⁶. Without this framework, the album's political resonance risks being misinterpreted as generic pacifism.
• Studio Innovation - Demonstrated how folk music could benefit from sophisticated production without losing authenticity, though purists initially criticized the layered arrangements as commercialized.
• Vocal Harmony Standard - Established benchmarks that influenced artists across genres, though the duo's classical training created a technical barrier for grassroots folk performers.

Music historians often note that this album represents the moment when Simon & Garfunkel transitioned from being a folk act to becoming cultural icons. The thoughtful integration of traditional melodies with contemporary songwriting created a template that would influence folk rock for decades to come.

Collecting and Preserving the Album

For collectors interested in the parsley sage rosemary and thyme original album release, several editions exist:

• Original 1966 mono vinyl - Highly sought after by collectors, featuring distinct mono mix
• 1966 stereo vinyl - More common than mono version but still valuable
• 1987 CD release - First digital version, now considered vintage
• 2001 remastered CD - Improved sound quality with bonus tracks
• 2014 vinyl reissue - High-quality reproduction for modern collectors

When evaluating original pressings, collectors should examine the label design, matrix numbers, and packaging details to determine authenticity and value. The album's iconic cover art featuring the duo against a stark white background has remained largely unchanged across reissues.

Conclusion

Simon & Garfunkel's Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme stands as a landmark achievement in folk rock history. Far more than just the album containing "Scarborough Fair," it represents a crucial artistic statement from two musicians at the height of their creative powers. The album's thoughtful exploration of traditional themes through a contemporary lens created a work that continues to resonate with listeners more than half a century after its release. For anyone exploring the evolution of 1960s folk music or seeking to understand Simon & Garfunkel's artistic journey, this parsley sage rosemary and thyme album remains an essential listening experience that showcases the duo's remarkable vocal harmony and songwriting sophistication.

What year was Parsley Sage Rosemary and Thyme album released?

Simon & Garfunkel's Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme album was released on October 10, 1966, by Columbia Records. This third studio album from the folk rock duo arrived during a pivotal moment in their career, following the unexpected success of "The Sound of Silence" and preceding their legendary Bookends album.

Why did Simon and Garfunkel choose the title Parsley Sage Rosemary and Thyme?

The title comes from the traditional English ballad "Scarborough Fair," which appears on the album as "Scarborough Fair/Canticle." In medieval symbolism, these herbs represented specific virtues: parsley for comfort, sage for strength, rosemary for love, and thyme for courage. The phrase appears in the refrain of the ballad where a former lover is asked to perform impossible tasks before reconciliation.

What are the most famous songs on the Parsley Sage Rosemary and Thyme album?

The most famous tracks from the album include "Scarborough Fair/Canticle," which became one of Simon & Garfunkel's signature songs, "Homeward Bound," and "The Dangling Conversation." Other notable tracks that gained recognition include "7 O'Clock News/Silent Night" for its innovative structure and "Patterns" for its philosophical lyrics. While "Scarborough Fair" is the most recognizable song from the album, the entire work is considered a cohesive artistic statement rather than a collection of singles.

How did Parsley Sage Rosemary and Thyme influence folk music?

Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme significantly influenced folk music by demonstrating how traditional folk elements could be integrated with contemporary production techniques and social commentary. The album's sophisticated vocal harmonies set new standards for folk duos, while its thoughtful songwriting showed that folk music could address complex themes without sacrificing accessibility. The innovative "7 O'Clock News/Silent Night" pioneered the technique of juxtaposing contrasting audio elements, influencing generations of musicians across multiple genres.

Is Parsley Sage Rosemary and Thyme considered one of Simon and Garfunkel's best albums?

Yes, music critics and historians consistently rank Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme among Simon & Garfunkel's finest works. While Bridge Over Troubled Water often receives more attention as their commercial peak, many consider Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme their most artistically cohesive and innovative album. It appears regularly on "greatest albums" lists, including Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, and represents the moment when the duo fully realized their distinctive sound and artistic vision.