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 maidenhead.
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 dear,
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 hell,
I so fair and full of flesh,
and fear it be myself.
But tonight is Halloween,
and the fairy folk ride,
Those that would let true love win,
at Mile's Cross they must bide.
So 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-far'd face,
an ill death may she die.
Oh, had I known, Tam Lin, she said,
what this night I did see,
I'd have looked him in the eyes,
and turned him to a tree.
[Traditional song of Scottish derivation - 1549]
(Copyright © exists)
Click to play, and sing along
Sandy Denny lyrics for Tam Lin, from the original Sandy Denny music website.
About the song
"Tam Lin"
Tam Lin was adapted by Sandy Denny and Fairport Convention.
The song “Tam Lin” is a story of a woman who takes charge of her body and her fate. “Tam Lin” tells of a girl named Janet whose lover is a fairy knight named Tam Lin.
Janet finds that she is pregnant, so on Halloween she goes out, lifting her skirt (kirtle green) intent on picking herbs to induce an abortion. The use of the name is
significant, as many Scottish witches were called Janet. Carterhaugh is near Selkirk, Scotland. It's said the three rings where grass will not grow mark the spot where
three containers of magic milk stood, into which Janet dipped her lover to change him back into human form.
Sandy sang it with Fairport Convention on their 1969 album Liege & Lief, recorded at Sound Techniques, London.
Produced by Joe Boyd.
Sandy Denny - lead vocals.
Dave Swarbrick – fiddle, viola.
Richard Thompson – electric & acoustic guitars.
Simon Nicol – guitars.
Ashley Hutchings – bass guitar.
Dave Mattacks – drums.
Song length - 7m 13s.
Tam Lin is on the albums
Who Knows Where the Time Goes : Box set of 3 discs
Liege and Lief
The Best of Sandy Denny
A Boxful of Treasures
Sandy Denny (Box Set)
Buy Sheet Music for Sandy Denny songs at Sheet Music Plus and Musicroom.
