The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #110369 Message #2314906
Posted By: Roberto
14-Apr-08 - 03:57 AM
Thread Name: Tam Lyn: any 'source singer' recordings?
Subject: Lyr Add: TAM LIN
The button, I would say these four are the recordings of Tam Lin from source singers available, two on CD and two on cassette: Betsy Johnson; Willie Whyte; Duncan Williamson; Eddie Butcher. If you are interested in the two that were on cassette, possibly not available at the moment, PM me, I've put them on CD and I'd send them to you. R
Tam Lin Betsy Johnston, on The Muckle Sangs, Classic Scots Ballads, School of Scottish Studies, University of Edinburgh, Greentrax recordings, CDTRAX 9005
Lady Margaret, Lady Margaret Been sewing at a seam She lookèd East, she lookèd West And she saw those merry green woods growing green She saw those merry green woods
For she kiltit up her petticoats It's up to them she ran And when she came to those merry green woods She pulled those branches down, my dear She pulled those branches down
For it's there she spied a gentleman Coming through the wood by her side: Oh, it's who gave you, oh, leave, my dear To pull those branches down, my dear It's who gave you, oh, leave?
For it's onst I could pull those trees, those trees It's onst I could pull those trees It's onst I could pull those trees, those trees All without the leave of you, my dear All without the leave of you
For he catched her by the middle small He gently laid her down - It's since you've got your will of me Come tell to me your name, kind sir Come tell to me your name
For tomorrow it is new Halloween And the quality's goin to ride You'll pass them by at the old millbridge As they go ridin by, my dear As they go ridin by
For the first will be is a white milk-steed And it's then there'll be a black You hold his head, you'll fear no ill He's the father of your child, my dear He's the father of your child
For the next will be Is into a snake so large You hold his head, you'll fear no ill He's the father of your child, my dear He's the father of your child
For the next will be Is into a naked man You'll throw your mantle all around And cry – You're won, my dear, you're won You're the father of my child
***
Tam Lin Willie Whyte, on The Muckle Sangs, Classic Scots Ballads, School of Scottish Studies: University of Edinburgh, Greentrax CDTRAX 9005, 1992 (first issued 1975)
Oh for the sea may run dry, and fishes fly And the rocks melt wi' the sun And if ever I prove false unto you It's my heart's blood it may run, ma dear Is It's my heart's blood it may run
When I am on the sea, oh pray think of me When I'm far on a foreign shore For it's hold me fast, forget me not I'm the father of your child, ma dear I'm the father of your child
For the very first thing that you may turn me into May it be a lion so fierce But hold me fast and fear me not I'm one of God's own make, ma dear I am one of God's own make
***
Lady Margaret Duncan Williamson, Put another log in the fire, Songs and tunes from a Scots Traveller, Veteran Tapes VT128 (cassette)
O Lady Margaret she sat in her high chamber She was sewing her silken seams For she luikit east and she luikit west And she saw those woods grow green, grow green She saw those woods grow green
So picking up her petticoats Beneath a harlin gown And when she came to this merry green wood There she laid them down, down There she laid them down
For she had not pulled one nut, one nut One nut nor scarcely three When the highest lord in all the countryside Came a-riding through the trees, the trees Came a-riding through the trees
How dare you pull those nuts, those nuts How dare you bend my trees How dare you come to my merry green wood Without the leave of me?
But Sir, once on time those woods were mine Without the leave of yours And I can pull thjose nuts, those nuts And I can bend those trees, those trees I can bend those trees
So he took her gently by the hand And he gently laid her down And when he had his will of her He rose her up again
She said - Now you've had your will of me Come tell to me your name And if a baby I should have I will call it the same
He said - I'm an earl's son from Carlyle And I own all those woods so green But I was taken when I was small By an evil fairy queen
But tomorrow night is Hallo'een And all those nobles you could see If you will to come to the five mile gate There you could set me free, O free There you could set me free
O first they will come some dark, some dark Then they will come some brown But when there comes a milkwhite steed You may pull the rider down, down You may pull its rider down
O first I'll turn to a wicked snake And then to a lion so wild But hold me fast and fear me not I may be the father of your child
Then I'll turn to a naked man O an angry man I'll be Just throw your mantle over me And then you shall have me free, O free then you shall have me free
So that night at the midnight hour Lady Margaret made her way And when she came to the five mile gate She waited patiently, O ly She waited patiently
O first there came some dark, some dark Then there came some brown But when there came a milkwhite steed She pulled the rider down, down She pulled the rider down
O first he turned to a wicked snake And then to a lion so wild She held him fast for she feared him not He may be the father of her child
Then he turned to a naked man O an angry man was he But she threw her mantle over him Then she had him free, O free Then she had him free
Then cried a voice of the fairy queen O an angry queen was she Saying - If I had have known yesterday what I know today I'd took out your very heart's blood And put in a heart of clay, of clay And put in a heart of clay
So Lady Margaret on the white milk steed Lord William on his dappled grey With a bugle and horn hangin down by the side It's merrily they rode away, away It's merrily they rode away
***
Saturday Night Is Hallowe'en Night Eddie Butcher, co. Derry, on Early Ballads in Ireland 1968-1985, edited by Hugh Shields & Tom Munnelly, European Ethnic Oral Traditions, cassette; recording made in 1975
This man lost his wife. And he went to the fairies to see how, what he would dae or how he would get her back again. And they told him:
Saturday Night is Hallowe'en night The quality's all to ride And he who has his bride to meet At the Five-Mile Brig he'll bide
First you'll meet the black And second you'll meet the brown And catch thew bay by the bridle rein And pull the rider down
And he pulled down his ain wife. The fairies, you know, knows a lot.