Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme
Studio album by Simon & Garfunkel
Released October 10, 1966
Recorded December 1965 – August 1966
Genre Folk rock
Length 29:14
Label Columbia
Producer Bob Johnston
Professional reviews
* Allmusic 4.5/5 stars link
* BBC (favourable) link
Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme is an 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.
"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 an the overlaid sound of a news bulletin describing murders and the calling out of the National Guard in the United States, containing also clips from a news broadcast about the Vietnam War. Based on the fact that the broadcast carries the news of the death of comedian Lenny Bruce that day, it can be dated from August 3, 1966.
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.
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
7. "The Dangling Conversation" – 2:37
Recorded: June 21, 1966
8. "Flowers Never Bend with the Rainfall" – 2:10
Recorded: December 22, 1965
9. "A Simple Desultory Philippic (Or How I Was Robert McNamara'd into Submission)" – 2:12
Recorded: June 13, 1966
10. "For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her" – 2:04
Recorded: August 22, 1966
11. "A Poem on the Underground Wall" – 1:52
Recorded: June 13, 1966
12. "7 O'Clock News/Silent Night" (Josef Mohr, Franz Gruber) – 2:01
Recorded: August 22, 1966
Personnel
* Paul Simon – lead vocals, guitar
* Art Garfunkel – lead vocals, piano
* Joe South - guitar[citation needed]
* Carol Kaye - bass guitar on Scarborough Fair/Canticle and Homeward Bound[3]
* Eugene Wright (bassist) and Joe Morello (drummer) of the Dave Brubeck Quartet played on The 59th Street Bridge Song
* Roy Halee - producer and recording engineer[4]
* The voice of the newscaster on 7 O'Clock News/Silent Night was that of Charlie O'Donnell, then a New York disc jockey.