> Sandy Denny > Songs > Fairport Convention: Tam Lin
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> A.L. Lloyd > Songs > Tamlyn
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> Steeleye Span > Songs > Tam Lin

Tam Lin

[Child #39; trad.]

For much more information about this ballad than can be shown here, see Abigail Acland's comprehensive Tam Lin web pages.

This is a truly magical ballad. It was first mentioned in The Complaynt of Scotland in 1549 but no words were published until Herd put a fragment into his Ancient and Modern Scots Songs in 1769. It never seems to have been collected outside Scotland, though a possible relative of Tam's, Brian O'Lynn (who may be a burlesqued son of the Irish god-mother Danu) crops up in comic songs in Ireland, Scotland and America, and the first printed version of Brian's song in 1568, called him Tom a Lin.

Janet is a puzzle; on the one hand she is clearly a virgin, by virtue of the gold she wears in her hair, and the threat in the first verse is like the warning to the maiden in the analogous Broomfield Wager. But like that maiden, she may have had magical powers herself to deal with the Fairy Queen, for more than half the convicted witches in Scotland in 1590 and 1697 were called Janet.

Carterhaugh is near Selkirk in Scotland, and it is said the three rings where grass will not grow mark the spot where three containers of magic milk or water stood, into which, in one old version of the ballad, Janet dipped her protean lover to change him back to human shape.

Fairport Convention recorded Tam Lin with Sandy Denny singing on October 29, 1968. The band play rhythm games on this song, which is mainly in 3/4 time, with the odd bar of 4/4 appearing now and then. The recording originally appeared on Liege and Lief, and made later appearances on the double CD compilation Meet on the Ledge: The Classic Years 1967-1975, on the famous anthology The Electric Muse, and on the Sandy Denny compilations Who Knows Where the Time Goes?, The Best of Sandy Denny, and A Boxful of Treasures.

An early version, taken at a quicker pace, was recorded by Fairport live on September 23, 1969 in in Studio 4, Maida Vale, for the Top Gear / John Peel radio show and broadcast on September 27, 1969 with a repeat on December 13, 1969. This version is much closer to the way the band would have performed the song live. For ten years, this recording was available on the 1992 semi-bootleg From Past Archives only, but then in 2002, it was suddenly reissued three (!) times: on Ashley Hutching's CD 5 from the Guv'nor series, on the Island CD re-release of Heyday and on the Fairport unConventioNal 4CD set.

More live versions: Dave Swarbrick sang Tam Lin on Fairport's Stockholm gig in 1971; this was included in the Dave Swarbrick anthology Swarb! in 2003. Tam Lin also appears on Fairport's cassette The Boot - 1983 Fairport Reunion and, with the near-original lineup (Vikki Clayton replaces Sandy Denny), on their CD 25th Anniversary Concert.

In 1971, Anne Briggs sang this ballad as Young Tambling unaccompanied on her first solo album Anne Briggs. This recording was reissued on her Fellside and Topic compilation CDs, Classic Anne Briggs and A Collection. A.L. Lloyd wrote in the original album's sleeve notes:

Better known through Child's English and Scottish Popular Ballads as Tam Lin. It was thought to have disappeared from tradition but of recent years a number of versions, mostly fragmentary, have turned up among country singers, particularly Scottish travelling people. I cobbled this set together, in part from Child, in part from recent collection; the tune is derived from one used for this ballad by travellers. Many consider it the best of all English-language ballad stories.

A.L. Lloyd sang Tamlyn (Young Tambling) live at the Top Lock Folk Club, Runcorn, on November 11, 1972. This recording is on his anthology Classic A.L. Lloyd.

Mike Waterson sang Tamlyn unaccompanied on his 1977 album Mike Waterson. It was added to the Watersons' 1993 CD reissue of For Pence and Spicy Ale and in 2004 to the Watersons' 4CD anthology Mighty River of Song. A.L. Lloyd commented in the original recording's sleeve notes:

We haven't all that many fairy ballads, and this is by far the finest. It's fairly venerable, it was already printed on a broadside in 1558, and it wasn't new then. It seems to be uniquely Scottish, though there are international folk tales that come near its story; a Greek tale considerably more than two thousand years old tells how Peleus, wanting to mary the sea-nymph Thetis, lay in wait for her in a cave and seized here as she came riding in naked on a harnessed dolphin. She turned herself successively into fire, water, a lion, a snake, even to an ink-squirting cuttlefish, but Peleus “held her tight and feared not”, and in the end she gave in and the Olympian gods all came to the wedding. Tamlyn is a long ballad but the story moves swiftly. Mike says that he got his version “from A. L. Lloyd and Child”. So be it.

Steeleye Span recorded Tam Lin live during their 1991 tour. This recording was released on their CD Tonight's the Night... Live. Another live recording from St. David's Hall, Cardiff on December 6, 1994 was included on the video 25 Live: The Classic Twenty Fifth Anniversary Tour Concert.

A reel of this name, Tam Lin, which was written by Davey Arthur, can be found on Steeleye Span's album Time.

Frankie Armstrong's serveral version of Tam Lin can be found on her albums I Heard a Woman Singing and Tam Lin, and on the Fellside compilation Ballads. The latter album's sleeve notes comment:

Tam Lin has been Frankie's tour-de-force for several years now. Her stunning performance here, full of passion and drama, clearly illustrates why she is a ballad singer par excellence. This is the classic “Elfland” ballad and contains a considerable amount of ancient folklore: Tam Lin is a human abducted by the elves and when he returns to the human world at the end the Elf Queen's wish that she had “put out his eyes” is not borne out of vindictiveness, but because he has seen the secrets of Elfland and will take them to the human world.

Frankie notes: “Given that I've sung this more than any other ballad, that it is the most requested and consistently touches me to the core, it's strange that I find it difficult to know what to say about it. There are scholarly things that can be said - they are interesting but do not illuminate the story or its effect. At its heart there is a mystery and I have no desire to analyse this away - even were it possible - I simply know that its power lies somewhere in the glorious weaving of words, images, story and tune an in something magical about tales of transformation. This song has lived with me for thirty years now and inspired the song-cycle based on the themes and characters that I devised and recorded with Brian Person in the early eighties. Singing it still thrills me.”

Lyrics

Fairport Convention: Tam Lin

[The words are different from the original (Child) version but this is a very close approximation of the song as performed by Sandy Denny.]

“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”

Anne Briggs: Young Tambling

Lady Margaret, Lady Margaret, was sewing at her seam
And she's all dressed in black.
And the thought come in her head to run in the wood
to pull flowers to flower her hat, me boys,
to pull flowers to flower her hat.
So she hoisted up her petticoats a bit above the knee
And so nimbly she'd run o'er the ground.
And when she come in the merry greenwood,
Well, she pulled them branches down, me boys,
Well, she pulled them branches down.
Suddenly she spied a fine young man,
He's standing by a tree.
He says, “How dare you pull them branches down
Without the leave of me, my dear,
Without the leave of me?”
Well, she says, “This little wood, oh, it is me very own,
Me father gave it to me.
I can pull these branches down
Without the leave of thee, young man,
Oh, without the leave of thee.”
And he took her by the milk-white hand
And by the grass-green sleeve,
He pulled her down at the foot of a bush,
And he never once asked her leave, me boys,
No, he never once asked her leave.
And when it was done she twist about
To ask her true-love's name.
But she nothing heard and she nothing saw
And all the woods grew dim, grew dim,
And all the woods grew dim.
There's four and twenty ladies all in the land
and they're all playing at chess.
Except it was the Lady Margaret
And she's green as any glass, me boys,
Oh, she's green as any glass.
And there's four and twenty ladies all in the land
Grow as red as any rose.
Except it was the Lady Margaret,
She's pale and wan, me boys,
Oh, pale and wan she goes.
Up then spoke the little servant girl,
She lift her hand and smiled,
Says, “I think my lady has loved too long
And now she goes with child, me dears,
Oh, and now she goes with child.”
Up then spoke the second serving girl
“Oh, ever and alas,” said she,
“But I think I know a herb in the merry greenwood,
It'll twine thy baby from thee, madam,
It'll twine thy baby from thee.”
So Lady Margaret she got her silver comb,
Made haste to comb her hair,
And then she's away to the merry greenwood
As fast as she can tear, me boys,
Oh, as fast as she can tear.
And she hadn't pulled in the merry greenwood
A herb but barely one
When by her stood the young Tambling,
He says, “Margaret, leave it alone,
Oh Margaret, leave it alone.”
“Why d'you pull that bitter little herb,
The herb that grows so grey,
For to destroy that fine young babe
That we got in our play, my dear,
That we got in our play?”
“Well, come tell me now, young Tambling,” she says,
“If an earthly man you be.”
“I'll tell you no lies,” says young Tambling,
“I was christened as good as thee, me dear,
I was christened as good as thee.”
“But as I rode a-hunting on a bitter, bitter night,
It was from my horse I fell,
And the Queen of Elfland she caught me
In yonder green hill to dwell, to dwell,
Oh, in yonder green hill to dwell.”
“But tonight is Halloween, lady,
The Elven Court will ride.
And if you would your true love win,
By the mill bridge you must hide, me dear,
By the mill bridge you must hide.”
“And first will run the black horse and then will run the brown,
And then race by the white.
You hold him fast and you fear him not,
For he's the father of your child, my love,
Oh, he's the father of your child.”
“They'll turn me all in your arms, lady,
Into many's the beasts so wild.
But you'll hold on fast and you fear no ill,
For it's the father of your child, my love,
It's the father of your child.”
So Lady Margeret she got her silver comb,
She made haste to comb her hair.
Then she's away to the old mill-bridge
As fast as she could tear, me boys,
Oh, as fast as she could tear.
And about the dead hour of the night
She heard the bridles ring.
And oh, me boys, it chilled her heart
More than any earthly thing it did,
More than any earthly thing.
And first run the black horse and then run the brown
And then race by the white.
Well, she hold it fast and feared it not,
For it's the father of her child,
Oh, it's the father of her child.
The thunder rolled across the sky,
The stars blazed bright as day.
The Queen of Elven gave a thrilling cry,
“Young Tambling's away, brave boys,
Young Tamblings's away.”
And the very first thing they turned him into
Was a lion that runs so wild.
But she held him fast, she feared him not,
For he's the father of her child, me boys,
Oh, he's father of her child.
And the very next thing they turned him into,
It was a loathesome snake.
He says, “Hold me fast and fear me not,
For I'm one of God's own make, my love,
Oh, I'm one one of God's own make.”
And again they changed him all in her arms
To a red hot bar of iron.
But she held it fast, she feared it not,
And it did to her no harm, no harm,
And it did to her no harm.
And the very last thing they changed him into
Was like any naked man.
She flung her mantle over him,
She cried, “Me love I've won, I've won,”
Oh, she cried, “Me love I've won.”
And the Queen of Elven she called from a bush,
She's red as any blood.
“I should have tore out your eyes, Tambling,
And put in two eyes of wood, of wood,
And put in two eyes of wood.”

Mike Waterson: Tamlyn

Come all you maids, and you very pretty maids
And a warning take by me
Don't go down to the Chaser's wood
If a maid you want to return and return
If a maid you want to return.
Lady Margaret, Lady Margaret, she was sitting in her bower
She was red as any rose
But she longed to go the Chaser's woods
To pull them flowers that grows and grows
Oh, to pull the flowers that grows
And she taken out her silver comb
Made in haste to comb her hair
Then she away to the Chaser's wood
As fast as she could tear and could tear
Aye, as fast as she could tear
And she hadn't pulled but the one red rose
The rose that grows there in the green
When a voice said, “Lady, how dare you pull a rose
Without no leave of me, and of me,
Aye, without no leave of me?”
“This little wood,” she says “it is me very own
Me father he given it to me.
I will pull, pluck, break, I'll bend the branch
And I won't ask leave of thee, and of thee,
No I won't ask leave of thee.”
Oh, he's taken her by the middle so small
Down to where the grass it grows so green
And what they've done, well I just couldn't say
Oh, the green grass grew between and between
Aye, the green grass grew between
Aye, he's taken her by the lily-white hand
Down to where the grass it grows so green
And it's what they done, well I just couldn't say
But he never once asked her leave, her leave
No he never once asked her leave.
It's four and twenty ladies, they're all sitting in the hall
Playing at the chess
All except for young Margaret
She's green as any grass, any grass,
And she's green as any grass.
Aye, there's four and twenty ladies, they're all sitting in the hall
All as red as the rose
All except for young Margaret
And pale and wan she goes, and she goes
Aye, pale and wan she goes.
Up there spake one of them little girls
And on her face there was a smile
She says, “I think my lady's loved a little long
And now she goes with child, and with child
Aye, and now she goes with child.”
Up there spake another of them girls
A pretty little girl was she
She says, “I know a herb growing in the Chaser's woods
As'll twine the babe from thee, and from thee
As'll twine the babe from thee.”
Lady Margaret, she picked up her silver comb
Made in haste to comb her hair
Then she away to the Chaser's wood
As fast as she could tear, and could tear
Aye, as fast as she could tear.
And she hadn't pulled but the one bit of herb
The herb that grows there in the loam
When up there spake young Tam o' the Lyn
Saying, “Margaret, leave it alone
Oh, sweetheart, Margaret, leave it alone.”
“Why do you want that bitter, bitter herb
The herb that grows so grey
Except for to twine away the pretty little baby
We got in our play, our play,
Mark, we got in our play.”
“Oh tell me this, young Tam-'o-Lyn,” she says
“If a mortal man you be.”
“Well, I'll tell you truth without a word of a lie
I got christened as good as thee, as thee
I got christened as good as thee.”
“But as I rode out on a bitter, bitter day
'Twas from me horse I fell
And the Queen of the Elvens did take me
In yonder greenwood for to dwell, and to dwell
Aye, in yonder greenwood for to dwell.”
“And it's every seventh seventh year
We pay a toll to hell
And the last one here is the first to go.
And I fear the toll, it's meself, it's meself
Aye, I fear the toll's meself.”
“Oh, tonight it is the Halloween
When the Elven Court shall ride
If you would your true lover save
By the old mill-bridge you must hide, you must hide
By the old mill bridge you must hide.”
“And it's first there'll come this black horse
And it's then there'll come the brown
And they're both raced by the white
You must throw your arms up around my neck
And I will not you afright, and afright
No, I will not you afright.”
“And they'll change me then, and it's all in your arms
Into many's the beast so wild
You must hold me tight, you must fear me not
I'm the father of your child,
Oh you know that I'm the father of your child.”
And the woods grew dark, and the woods grew dim
Tam o' the Lyn was gone.
She picked up her lily-white feet
And to the mill-bridge run, now she run
Aye, and to the mill-bridge run.
She looked high, and she looked low
She encompassed all around
But she nothing saw, she nothing heared
She heard no mortal sound, no sound
No, she heard no mortal sound.
Till about the dead hour of the night
She heard them bridles ring
It chilled her heart, it's given her a start
More than any mortal thing, any thing
More than any mortal thing.
Then it's first there come this black horse,
and it's then there come the brown
They both raced by the white
And she's thrown her arms up 'round his neck
And he didn't her afright, and afright
No, he didn't her afright.
And the thunder roared across the sky
And the stars they burned as bright as day
And the Queen of the Elvens give a stunning ? cry,
Saying, “Young Tam-a-Lyn is away, is away
Aye, Young Tam-a-Lyn is away.”
And they changed him then - it were all in her arms
To a lion roaring so wild
But she held him tight and she feared him not
He was the father of her child, oh she knew he was
The father of her child.
Soon they changed him again - it were all in her arms
To a big black hissing snake
But she held him tight and she feared him not
He was one of God's own make, oh she knew that he
Was one of God's own make.
And they changed him again - it were all in her arms
To a big black dog to bite
But she held him tight and she feared him not
He didn't her afright, and afright
No, he didn't her afright.
So they changed him again - it were all in her arms
To a white-hot bar of iron
But she held him tight and she feared him not
He'd done to her no harm, no harm
No, he'd done to her no harm.
Then they changed him again - it were all in her arms
To a mother-naked man
And she throwed her cloak up around his shoulders,
Saying, “Tam o' the Lyn, we've won, oh, we've won,”
Saying, “Tam o' the Lyn, we've won.”
Then the Queen of the Elvens, how she cursed young Tambalyn
Oh, well she cursed him good
She said, “I should have torn out your eyes young Tam-a-Lyn
I should have put in two eyes of wood, of wood
I should have put in two eyes of wood.”
“And it's curses on you, Tam-a-Lyn,” she says
“You once was my very own.
And when you was, I should have torn out your heart
And put in a heart of stone, cold stone
I should have put in a heart of stone.”

Steeleye Span: Tam Lin

Oh, I forbid you maidens all
That wear gold in your hair
To come or go by Carterhaugh
For young Tam Lin is there
If you go by Carterhaugh
You must leave him a wad
Either your rings or green mantle
Or else your maidenhead
She's away o'er gravel green
And o'er the gravel brown
She's away to Carterhaugh
To flower herself a gown
She had not pulled a rosy rose
A rose but barely one
When by came this brisk young man
Says, lady let alone
How dare you pull my rose, Madam?
How dare you break my tree?
How dare you come to Carterhaugh
Without the leave of me?
Well may I pull the rose, she said
Well may I break the tree
For Carterhaugh it my father's
I'll ask no leave of thee

Oh, in Carterhaugh, in Carterhaugh
Oh, in Carterhaugh, in Carterhaugh
He's taken her by the milk-white hand
And there he's laid her down
And there he asked no leave of her
As she lay on the ground.
Oh tell me, tell me, then she said
Oh tell me who art thee
My name it is Tam Lin, he said
And this is my story
As it fell out upon a day
A-hunting I did ride
There came a wind out of the north
And pulled me betide
And drowsy, drowsy as I was
The sleep upon me fell
The Queen of Fairies she was there
And took me to herself

Oh, in Carterhaugh, in Carterhaugh
Oh, in Carterhaugh, in Carterhaugh
At the end of every seven years
They pay a tithe to Hell
And I'm so fair and full of flesh
I'm feared 'twill be myself
Tonight it is good Halloween
The fairy court will ride
And if you would your true love win
At Miles Cross, you must bide

Oh, in Carterhaugh, in Carterhaugh
Oh, in Carterhaugh, in Carterhaugh
Gloomy was the night
And eerie was the way
This lady in her green mantle
To Miles Cross she did go
With the holy water in her hand
She cast the compass round
At twelve o'clock the fairy court
Came riding o'er the mound
First came by the black steed
And then came by the brown
Then Tam Lin on the milk-white steed
With a gold star in his crown
She's pulled him down into her arms
And let the bridle fall
The Queen of Fairies she cried out
Young Tam Lin is away
They've shaped him in her arms
An adder or a snake
She's held him fast and feared him not
To be her earthly mate
They've shaped him in her arms again
Fire burning bold
She's held him fast and feared him not
Till he was iron cold
They've shaped him in her arms
To a wood black dog so wild
She's held him fast and feared him not
The father of her child
They've shaped him in her arms at last
Into a naked man
She's wrapped him in the green mantle
And knew that she had him won
The Queen of Fairies she cried out
Young Tam Lin is away
Had I known, had I known, Tam Lin
Long before, long before you came from home
Had I known, I would have taken out your heart
And put in a heart of stone
Had I known, had I known, Tam Lin
That a lady, a lady would steal thee
Had I known, I would have taken out your eyes
And put in two from a tree
Had I known, had I known, Tam Lin
That I would lose, that I would lose the day
Had I known, I would have paid my tithe to hell
Before you'd been won away

Music Transcription

Fairport Convention: Tam Lin

Transcription by Dino Agate.

This song is based on two parts: a little instrumental bridge (in 3/4 time, usually two measures long) and a verse (whose eight measures are 3/4 3/4 4/4 3/4 and again the same time progression); this “pattern” (bridge+verse) is repeated throughout the song (except for three instrumental solos).

Bridges' chords are Em and D, while guitar's lines, although very alike, are almost all different, so I wrote the tablature for each. All these “bridges” could be useful to some bands; a single guitar player would probably repeat the first or second bridge or play the following to join chords and melody:

E --0--------!-------------
B --0--3--0--!-----0--2----
G --0--------!--2----------
D --2--------!--0----------
A --2--------!-------------
E --0--------!-------------

The verse's chord progression is very simple, but the guitar strummings are very peculiar. There are three kinds of guitar strummings and the main one is the following (related to the movement's measures of the verse):

1   2   3     1   2   3     1   2   3   4     1   2   3
Em            D             G   Em            D

The second strumming has the same accents as the first, but each chord is doubled (each strum is a quaver of the same movement) and it is played in verses 5 and 14:

1   2   3     1   2   3     1   2   3   4     1   2   3
Em/           D/            G/  Em/           D/

Last strumming is played only in verse 18:

1   2   3     1   2   3     1   2   3   4     1   2   3
Em            D       D     G   Em      Em    D       D

1   2   3     1   2   3     1   2   3   4     1   2   3
Em      Em    D       D     G/  Em/           D/

If the song is played with a guitar only, it will of course sound better if some more strumming is added to these main accents. In verses 12 and 13, a guitar plays a melody instead of playing chords (tablatures are under those verses).

Three guitars are played on this song (as far as I can hear): a clean electric guitar on the left channel (the violin is on the left channel too, starting from the 6th verse), a distorted and an acoustic guitar on the right.

The clean guitar (left) plays the following bridge (except where otherwise indicated):

E ------------!-------------
B ------------!-------------
G ------------!-------------
D ---2--0-----!-------------
A ---------2--!--0----------
E ------------!-----3--2----

All right channel guitar's bridges are shown after each verse.

Besides this, the guitars play “sharp” or “loose” (I mean the strings are stopped soon after they've been strum or they vibrate until the other chord is played) or “stopped” (only the lower strings are strum, almost muted). As each guitar plays differently, I indicated the “mood” that mainly stands out in each verse.

No panic, please. All you need to know to play this song is written above; the other details I wrote about are in the following lines.

It is interesting to notice how arrangements turns delicate or hard according to the meaning of the verse's words. H and P in the tablature are for hammer on and pull off.

Intro (repeat twice)

E--------------!-------------
B--------------!-------------
G--------------!-------------
D---2--2P0-----!----------0--
A-----------2--!--0--0H2-----
E--------------!-------------

1. “I forbid you maidens all that wear gold in your hair
To travel to Carterhaugh for young Tam Lin is there.

RHYTHM GUITAR SHARP

Bridge as Intro

2. None that go by Carterhaugh but they leave him a pledge
Either their mantles of green or else their maidenhead.”

SHARP

E------------!-------------
B---5--3-----!----------3--
G---------4--!--2--2P4-----
D------------!-------------
A------------!-------------
E------------!-------------

3. Janet tied her kirtle green a bit above her knee
And she's gone to Carterhaugh as fast as go can she.

LOOSE

E------------!-------------
B------------!-------------
G---------0--!--2--2P0-----
D---2--4-----!----------4--
A------------!-------------
E------------!-------------

4. She'd not pulled a double rose, a rose but only two
When up then came young Tam Lin says “Lady pull no more”

StopPED

(muted notes):                        Left guitar bridge:

E-----------------!----------------   E-----------!-----------
B-----------------!----------------   B-----------!--------3--
G-----------------!----------------   G-----------!--2--4-----
D-----------------!----------------   D--2--4--5--!-----------
A-----------------!----------------   A-----------!-----------
E--0-0--0-0--0-0--!--0-0--0-0--0-0-   E-----------!-----------

5. “And why come you to Carterhaugh without command from me?”
“I'll come and go,” young Janet said “And ask no leave of thee”.

SHARP (double chords)

Guitar solo - 16 measures in 3/4 time (rhythm guitar Em7 - EM6):

E-------------!---------------!--------!---------------!---------------!
B-------------!---------------!--------!---------------!---------------!
G-------------!---------------!--------!--4--4P2--0H2--!--2P0----------!
D--2--2P0-----!----------0H2--!--2--2--!---------------!-------4--0H2--!
A----------2--!--0--0H2-------!--------!---------------!---------------!
E-------------!---------------!--------!---------------!---------------!


E---------!----0------------2P0--!--------------------!--------------------!
B------3-3P2------3P2P0--2-------!--3--2H3P2P0--2-----!--------------------!
G---------!----------------------!-----------------2--!--2--0--------------!
D--2------!----------------------!--------------------!--------4--0--2--4--!
A---------!----------------------!--------------------!--------------------!
E---------!----------------------!--------------------!--------------------!


E-----------!-----------------!--------------------!-----------!
B-----------!-----------------!--------------------!-----------!
G-----------!-----------------!--------------------!-----------!
D-----------!-----------------!--------------------!-----------!
A--2--2--0--!-----------------!-----0--2--0-----0--!--2--2--0--!
E-----------!--3--0--0--0--2--!--3-----------3-----!-----------!


E--------------------!-------------!-----------------!-------------!
B--------------------!-------------!-----------------!-------------!
G--------------------!-------------!-----------------!-------------!
D-----------------0--!-------------!--0H2--2H4--2H4--!--2--0--0H2--!
A--2--4--0--2--4-----!--2--0--0H2--!-----------------!-------------!
E--------------------!-------------!-----------------!-------------!


E-----------------!-------------!-------------!-------------!-------------!
B-----------------!-------------!-------------!-------------!-------------!
G-------2P0-------!-------------!-------------!-------------!-------------!
D--2H4-------2H4--!--2--2P0-----!----------0--!--0H2--0-----!----------0--!
A-----------------!----------2--!--0--0H2-----!----------2--!--0--0H2-----!
E-----------------!-------------!-------------!-------------!-------------!

6. Janet tied her kirtle green a bit above her knee
And she's gone to her father as fast as go can she.

SHARP

Bridge as Intro

7. 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.”

SHARP

E------------!-------------
B---5--3-----!-------------
G---------4--!--4P2--0-----
D------------!----------4--
A------------!-------------
E------------!-------------

8. “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.

SHARP

Bridge as Intro

9. 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.”

LOOSE

E--------------!-------------
B--------------!-------------
G------4--4P2--!--2P0--------
D---2----------!-------4--0--
A--------------!-------------
E--------------!-------------

(Violin solo - 12 measures in 3/4 time)

E--------------!---------------!-------------!----------
B--------------!---------------!-------------!----------
G--------------!---------------!-------------!----------
D---2--2P0-----!------------0--!--2--2P0-----!----------
A-----------2--!--2H0--0H2-----!----------2--!--0-------
E--------------!---------------!-------------!-----3--2-

Left guitar bridge:

E------------!-----------!-----------!------------
B------------!-----------!-----------!--------3---
G------------!-----------!-----------!--2--4------
D---2--0-----!--------0--!--2--4--5--!------------
A---------2--!--0--2-----!-----------!------------
E------------!-----------!-----------!------------

10. So Janet tied her kirtle green a bit above her knee
And she's gone to Carterhaugh as fast as go can she.

LOOSE

Bridge as 4-5. (Left guitar bridge: standard)

11. “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

StopPED

E-------------!---------------!
B-------------!---------------!
G-------------!---------------!
D--2--2P0-----!----------0H2--!
A----------2--!--0--0H2-------!
E-------------!---------------!

12. And at the end of seven years she pays a tithe to hell
I so fair and full of flesh and feared it be myself

SHARP

Right guitar plays the following twice:

E-----!-------------!-----------------!---------------!
B-----!-------------!-----------------!---------------!
G-----!-------------!-----------------!---------------!
D-----!-------------!-----------------!-------0--2H4--!
A--2--!--4H5--4--0--!--0H2--0H2--0H2--!--0H2----------!
E-----!-------------!-----------------!---------------!

Bridge as the last one

13. But tonight is Halloween and the fairy folk ride,
Those that would their true love win at Miles Cross they must bide.

LOOSE

Right guitar plays the same melody as last verse.

Bridge as Intro

14. First let pass the horses black and then let pass the brown
Quickly run to the white steed and pull the rider down,

SHARP (double chords)

E------------------!-----------------
B------------------!-----------------
G------------------!-----------------
D---2-2--2-2--2-2--!--2-2--2-2--2-2--
A------------------!-----------------
E------------------!-----------------

15. For I'll ride on the white steed, the nearest to the town
For I was an earthly knight, they give me that renown.

SHARP

E--------------!-----------------
B--------------!-----------------
G---4--4P2--0--!-----2P0---------
D--------------!--4-------4P2P0--
A--------------!-----------------
E--------------!-----------------

16. 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.

LOOSE

Right guitar doesn't play this bridge

17. 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,

SHARP

E---------------!----------------------
B------3--------!--3--3P0--------------
G---4-----4--4--!----------2P0---------
D---------------!---------------4P2P0--
A---------------!----------------------
E---------------!----------------------

18. And they will turn me in your arms into a naked knight
But cloak me in your mantle and keep me out of sight”.

StopPED (other strumming)

Bridge as 2-3

(Guitar-violin solo - 16 measures in 3/4 time)

Bridge as before verse 10

Left guitar bridge:

E------------!-----------!-----------!----------
B------------!-----------!-----------!----------
G------------!-----------!-----------!----------
D---2--0-----!--------0--!--2--0-----!----------
A---------2--!--0--2-----!--------2--!--0-------
E------------!-----------!-----------!-----3--2-

19. In the middle of the night she heard the bridle ring
She heeded what he did say and young Tam Lin did win.

SHARP

Bridge: guitar strums on Em.

Left guitar bridge:

E------------!-----------
B------------!-----------
G------------!-----0--2--
D---2--0-----!--4--------
A---------2--!-----------
E------------!-----------

20. Then up spoke the Fairy Queen, an angry Queen was she
“Woe betide her ill-farred face, an ill death may she die

SHARP

Bridge as Intro

21. 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.”

LOOSE

Ending

E--------------!-------------!-----------!-------------!
B--------------!-------------!-----------!-------------!
G--------------!-------------!--------0--!--2--2P0-----!
D---2--2P0-----!----------0--!--2--4-----!----------4--!
A-----------2--!--0--0H2-----!-----------!-------------!
E--------------!-------------!-----------!-------------!


E----------------------!----------------------!
B---3--3P0-------------!----------------------!
G-----------2--0--2P0--!-----0-----------2P0--!
D----------------------!--4-----0--2--4-------!
A----------------------!----------------------!
E----------------------!----------------------!


E------------!----------------------!-----------!-----------!--0-
B------------!----------------------!-----------!-----------!--0-
G------------!----------------0--2--!-----------!-----------!--0-
D---2--0-----!-------0--2--4--------!--2--0-----!--------0--!--2-
A---------2--!--0P2-----------------!--------2--!--0--2-----!--2-
E------------!----------------------!-----------!-----------!--0-

Acknowledgements

Garry Gillard thanks Jesse Kirchner for the Mike Waterson transcription. Tamlyn's name is spelt differently on this page in an attempt to represent the different ways Mike Waterson sings it on his recording, not out of carelessness (I hope).