Peter Hollens's song Scarborough Fair is a rendition of a traditional English ballad that dates back to the medieval era. The original version of the song tells the story of a young man who asks his lover to complete impossible tasks in order to prove her love for him. In the song, the young man asks his lover to go to Scarborough Fair and convey his greetings to a woman who was once his true love. He then gives her a series of tasks to complete - to make him a cambric shirt without seams or needlework, to find him an acre of land between salt water and sea sand, and to harvest it with a sickle of leather and gather it in a bunch of heather. The tasks are impossible to complete, and the song is a metaphor for the young man's doubt about his lover's faithfulness. Hollens's version of the song is a beautiful a cappella rendition that conveys the haunting quality of the original ballad. His voice is rich and layered, and the harmonies are ethereal and otherworldly. The song is a testament to the enduring power of traditional folk music, and it showcases Hollens's incredible talent as a vocalist and musician.
