“Tam Lin” is the seventh track on Fairport Convention’s 1969 album, Liege and Lief.
RIP Sandy Denny.
Enjoy!
Lyrics:
I forbid you maidens all
that wear gold in your hair
To travel to Carterhaugh
for young Tam Lin is there
None that go by Carterhaugh
but they leave him a pledge
Either their mantles of green
or else their maidenheads.
Janet tied her kirtle green
a bit above her knee
And she’s gone to Carterhaugh
as fast as go can she.
She’d not pulled a double rose,
a rose but only two
When up then came young Tam Lin
says “Lady pull no more”
“And why come you to Carterhaugh
without command from me?”
“I’ll come and go” young Janet said
“And ask no leave of thee”.
Janet tied her kirtle green
a bit above her knee
And she’s gone to her father
as fast as go can she.
Well up then spoke her father clear
and he spoke meek and mild
“Oh and alas Janet” he said
“I think you go with child.”
“Well if that be so” Janet said
“Myself shall bear the blame
There’s not a knight in all your hall
shall get the baby’s name.
For if my love were an earthly knight
as he is an elfin grey
I’d not change my own true love
for any knight you have.”
So Janet tied her kirtle green
a bit above her knee
And she’s gone to Carterhaugh
as fast as go can she.
“Oh tell to me Tam Lin” she said
“Why came you here to dwell?”
“The Queen of Fairies caught me
when from my horse I fell
And at the end of seven years
she pays a tithe to
I so fair and full of flesh
and fear’ed be myself
But tonight is Halloween
and the fairy folk ride,
Those that would their true love win
at mile’s cross they must hide.
First let pass the horses black
and then let pass the brown
Quickly run to the white steed
and pull the rider down,
For I’ll ride on the white steed,
the nearest to the town
For I was an earthly knight,
they give me that renown.
Oh they will turn me in your arms
to a newt or a snake
But hold me tight and fear not,
I am your baby’s father.
And they will turn me in your arms
into a lion bold
But hold me tight and fear not
and you will love your child,
And they will turn me in your arms
into a naked knight
But cloak me in your mantle
and keep me out of sight”.
In the middle of the night
she heard the bridle ring
She heeded what he did say
and young Tam Lin did win.
Then up spoke the Fairy Queen,
an angry Queen was she
“Woe betide her ill-farred face,
an ill death may she die
Had I known Tam Lin” she said
“This night I did see
I’d have looked him in the eyes
and turned him to a tree.”
Duration : 0:7:28
[youtube nN1AOamgrHk]
August 22nd, 2009 at 12:30 am
R J Stewart says …
R J Stewart says this is about becoming trapped in ‘elphame’ or the underworld. Wearing a green garter or any garment was an attempt to commune with the spirit world – earth spirits…
August 22nd, 2009 at 12:30 am
In the middle of …
In the middle of the night
she heard the bridle ring
She heeded what he did say
and young Tam Lin did win.
August 22nd, 2009 at 12:30 am
gives me goose …
gives me goose bumps….i can see it all happening in my minds eye.
August 22nd, 2009 at 12:30 am
awesome! haven’t …
awesome! haven’t heard this song in…. ahhhh … a long time
August 22nd, 2009 at 12:30 am
Does anyone have …
Does anyone have any recommendations for more/different versions of this ballad?
August 22nd, 2009 at 12:30 am
dont jealous me. …
dont jealous me. shett man
August 22nd, 2009 at 12:30 am
My favorite …
My favorite Fairport song – a true classic!
August 22nd, 2009 at 12:30 am
Great post.
No, …
Great post.
No, really. Great post.
August 22nd, 2009 at 12:30 am
Cock.
.
August 22nd, 2009 at 12:30 am
Plenty of ‘em if …
Plenty of ‘em if you look.
August 22nd, 2009 at 12:30 am
Btw, for those …
Btw, for those interested, there’s a short children’s novel, The Haunted Mountain by Mollie Hunter, that has a man and his son in a similar encounter with the sidhe. A very good book to have, if you’re into folk legends.
August 22nd, 2009 at 12:30 am
Great song! Thanks …
Great song! Thanks for posting it!
August 22nd, 2009 at 12:30 am
scurrie42
…
scurrie42
george bushie obviously loves the british more than his own people what a great president he was!
August 22nd, 2009 at 12:30 am
goosebumps all over …
goosebumps all over…where are the great voices today? Come back, Sandy.
August 22nd, 2009 at 12:30 am
That is amazing!… …
That is amazing!……….good on ya!. Mind you; folk is back on a roll ,what with Eliza Carthy etc.
August 22nd, 2009 at 12:30 am
Thanks for sharing …
Thanks for sharing this great song! Love Sandy Denny`s voice!
August 22nd, 2009 at 12:30 am
I was brought up on …
I was brought up on Steeleye Span, Fairport Convention, The Albion Band and more – this song is one of my favourites, always. And I’m 17.
August 22nd, 2009 at 12:30 am
I bought the album …
I bought the album back in ‘71. I still have it, it’s in great condition and I wouldn’t sell it for two thousand quid!!
August 22nd, 2009 at 12:30 am
Sounds like Del Boy …
Sounds like Del Boy. You know it makes sense……
August 22nd, 2009 at 12:30 am
yeh and for a …
yeh and for a country that hates al qaeda so much and refuses to believe that thier beloved government put the group together
August 22nd, 2009 at 12:30 am
Just like that …
Just like that clown george Bush, what a funny little elf he is…oh hang on he isn’t British is he? No, he was in charge of the worlds largest lunatic asylum for a short period. And that also explains the above post…
August 22nd, 2009 at 12:30 am
true, the gods …
true, the gods didnt have neaaarly as much groove as we do…
or the world’s biggest ball of yarn, now THATS an acomplishment
August 22nd, 2009 at 12:30 am
i wouldn’t quite …
i wouldn’t quite compare america to mount olympus!
August 22nd, 2009 at 12:30 am
My favorite 3 songs …
My favorite 3 songs as well!
August 22nd, 2009 at 12:30 am
I should have known …
I should have known ,in Danish a Kittle is a smock normally worn at work