Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme

Untitled

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic
BBC	(favourable)

Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme is the third album by Simon & Garfunkel, released in the United States on October 10, 1966. Its name comes from the second line of the album's first track, "Scarborough Fair/Canticle", an English folk song from the 16th century, paired with a counter-melody and text about a soldier. It peaked on the U.S. charts at #4. The album was produced by Bob Johnston as Columbia Records LP CL 2563 (mono); CS 9363 (stereo); CD CK 9363; Remastered CD CK 66001. Rolling Stone magazine co-founder Ralph Gleason provided the liner notes.

"Homeward Bound" – appearing as the fourth song in the American version – was excluded from the album upon its release in the United Kingdom, since it had already appeared on the UK release of Sounds of Silence.

The album can be seen as having a protest element in it: the closing song, "7 O'Clock News/Silent Night" featured a news bulletin recording mixed in with the music. The bulletin reported murders and the calling out of the National Guard in the United States, and contained clips from a news broadcast about the Vietnam War. The bulletin was broadcast on August 3, 1966, the day of comedian Lenny Bruce's death.

In 2003, the album was ranked number 201 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

Track listing

All songs by Paul Simon except where noted.

Side one

1. "Scarborough Fair/Canticle" (Traditional, arranged by Paul Simon, Art Garfunkel) – 3:10
   ^{Recorded: July 26, 1966}
2. "Patterns" – 2:42
   ^{Recorded: June 8, 1966}
3. "Cloudy" (Paul Simon, Bruce Woodley) – 2:10
   ^{Recorded: June 10, 1966}
4. "Homeward Bound" – 2:30
   ^{Recorded: December 14, 1965}
5. "The Big Bright Green Pleasure Machine" – 2:44
   ^{Recorded: June 15, 1966}
6. "The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)" – 1:43
   ^{Recorded: August 16, 1966}

Side two

1. "The Dangling Conversation" – 2:37
   ^{Recorded: June 21, 1966}
2. "Flowers Never Bend with the Rainfall" – 2:10
   ^{Recorded: December 22, 1965}
3. "A Simple Desultory Philippic (Or How I Was Robert McNamara'd into Submission)" – 2:12
   ^{Recorded: June 13, 1966}
4. "For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her" – 2:04
   ^{Recorded: August 22, 1966}
5. "A Poem on the Underground Wall" – 1:52
   ^{Recorded: June 13, 1966}
6. "7 O'Clock News/Silent Night" (Josef Mohr, Franz Gruber) – 2:01
   ^{Recorded: August 22, 1966}

Bonus tracks (2001 CD reissue)

1. "Patterns" (Demo) – 2:53
   ^{Recorded: June 7, 1966}
2. "A Poem on the Underground Wall" (Demo) – 1:51
   ^{Recorded: June 12, 1966}

Charts

Chart (1966)	Peak position
Australian Albums Chart	14
UK Album Charts	15
US Album Charts	4

Personnel

• Paul Simon – lead vocals, guitar
• Art Garfunkel – lead vocals, piano
• Joe South – guitar
• Carol Kaye – bass guitar on Scarborough Fair/Canticle and Homeward Bound
• Eugene Wright (bassist) and Joe Morello (drummer) of the Dave Brubeck Quartet played on The 59th Street Bridge Song
• John Meszar – harpsichord on Scarborough Fair/Canticle
• Roy Halee – producer and recording engineer
• The voice of the newscaster on 7 O'Clock News/Silent Night was that of Charlie O'Donnell, then a New York disc jockey.
• Bob Cato – cover photograph.

See also

• Rolling Stone's The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time