I am always relieved and surprised to find that pop tunes are being made with passable or even superior lyrics and tunes. Hey There Delilah has a really folksy, lovely melody, which reminds me of that age-old song Are You Going to Scarborough Fair. The band name Plain White T's is a bit of a disappointment, though.
I've never liked Simon and Garfunkel's breathy version of Are You Going to Scarborough Fair. I have below a version of Scarborough Fair sung by someone called "Anglo Saxon". I don't know who Anglo Saxon is, I found his rendition through an internet search, but his website says: "Anglo Saxon intends to write, record and release songs with a distinctly patriotic feel and a celebration of English/British culture."
I think he sings Scarborough Fair way better than than the Simon and Garfunkel duo. He puts force and energy behind the song, and crisp vocals. I also really like the arrangement. It sounds electronic, but he kept the gentle mood of the song with what sounds like a dulcimer accompaniment, and the later base guitar and violins give the song a full sound.
More songs by Anglo Saxon here, including one called This is England.
Just one sad note. Why does he have to qualify his name "Anglo Saxon" with this:
We are not remotely racist…. just extremely proud of our race (the Northern European mix) who’s ancestors built Stonehenge, Hadrian’s Wall, York Minster, signed the magna carta and are the major contributor to today’s western culture.I know of no other race which says "we are proud of our race, but we're not racist". Obama doesn't do it. Michelle certainly not. And look at what the Chinese are doing in Calgary.
