Tam Lin - Steeleye Span

[NAAWbLoneWolfWoman]

I named my wolf hybrid Tam Lin after the movie with Ava Gardner because the song was so pretty in the movie. this version is a little disappointing.

[eatmorebananaz]

I think I prefer Tricky Pixie's version, though I love Maddy's voice!

[PaulR986]

I've heard various versions of this.

I have to say this is the best. It goes through the entire story.

Others - Fairport Convention for example do a "cut to the quick" version. Very good but they leave bits out.

Do have a look at Benjamin Zephania's (with Eliza Carthy's addition) though.

[bogwoppet1]

Blimey! Maddy you sure know how to murder a great song. Hint... Take a listen to Sandy's version, pure bliss.

[1709esmeralda]

I had never even heard of Steeleye Span before, until I heard it on a Blogsite. I love it!!!!!

[aasmundolsen]

this is = 42

[LordBizarre112233]

This is the bomb.

[billybareblu]

@LordBizarre112233 yes indeed...some forty odd years thence and still, it is most certainly the bomb

[tracy070991]

Thanks for posting this.  I have always loved this song and with your upload it looks great too. Very enjoyable.

[BritishTokuFan]

that bass reminds me of the stone roses

[mickb44]

steeleye will always rule folk rock,so them on numerous occasions in the late seventies, fantastic, thanks guys and maddy for all the greats and memories x

[neocritic422]

As someone who began listening to FP based on an incessant drumbeat of 'Sandy Denny is the greatest human of all time - you should listen to Fairport Convention', I was surprised at how low my desire to ever hear anything (Except that JA sounding early version of the band with JD) by FP ever again.

If the criterion for judgment is the production of timeless art, then I would argue SS is vastly superior.

This song is just one more in the portfolio.

[rockerbox1973]

2 people are deaf!

[MorroccoSurrogate]

Gorgeous song, and gorgeous Pre-Raphaelite images!

[finch32590]

This helped me a lot for my project in Epic Literature... I compared Tam Lin to Cupid and Psyche. Thanks!

[klanger]

I absolutely adore steeleye span,but for me only Sandy Denny can sing this with the passion that brings emotions out

[Slimshadowful]

Very nice song, but I'm not a big fan of the melody at the beginning. I've been looking around, but I cannot find a single video of Lady Diamond. Anyone know where I can find this. It's a steeleye Span song.

[drex23100]

Yes this is live and every selection on the album it came off of sounds just as good.

[georgefasey]

Wonderful version.

[minhali]

Great John Williams Waterhouse orgy of paintings! Alas, the song is not done justice. One of the best versions that I heard was in the film by Roddy McDowall. Best to keep it simple so as to appreciate the words.

[ysplse]

It's nice to be introduced to a different version of a fave song I'm mainly atuned to Fairport essentially cos of Sandy Denny's vocals. Good selection of pics

[wolfgirl44]

Ohhhh, this song is pretty.

I've gone obsessed with it recently. Been singing it during school and everything.

[MITCHWILD]

Na....prefer Fairport's by a country mile, sorry!

[davech42]

Dont be sorry its not your fault you were born with duff taste:)

[davech42]

fanatstic song makes my soul sing! thanks for posting

[coramunroe]

I <3 Waterhouse. And Steeleye Span, so this is a greet combination.

[Gimmer3]

You really did thisan honor with the fine illustrations and paintings! BRAVO!

[lottieyeahlottie]

Where did you find the pictures used in the video?

If they're on a particular website could you link me to it? They're sensational.

[SlightlySusan]

Their Pre-Raphaelite paintings from the 19th C English Romantic Movement. Dante Gabriel rossetti. William Morrison.

[dashinvaine]

Actually they appear to be mostly by J. W. Waterhouse. And there wasn't a Pre-Raphaelite 'William Morrison', it was Morris.

[nettie0004]

this is steeleye at theie very best- really illustrates the power and magic of maddys voice. A fascinating piece all round.

[clotho98]

I agree. I've listed to this song countless times over the years, and it still never fails to give me goosebumps.

[nettie0004]

The video is brilliant too and certainly adds atmosphere- I have to listen to this on a daily basis! I love all Steeleye but this has special magic- I undrestand about the goosebumps!

[Mortimer50145]

Yes, for me, the Steeleye Span version of Tam Lin is the definitive one, far more interesting and captivating than Fairport Convention's version. That middle movement "Gloomy was the night" sends shivers down my spine every time I hear it. Electrifying.

[linuxlad]

This section is particularly fine on the 35th anniversary DVD with Peter Knight on violin - generally however I prefer Sandy Denny to Ms Prior, less showy and better clarity

[gaspode18]

Robert Johnson (Steeleye's lead guitarist at the time) read that a version of Tam Lin was known as far afield as Bulgaria so he re-set the song to three traditional Bulgarian tunes.

[warszawianka]

Actually, the second tune (beginning with "Gloomy was the night...") is a Hungarian tune called "Fordulj Kedves Lovam", or "Turn away, my dear horse."

watch?v=nZhY1KEKFbM

I've known the Hungarian tune for years, so it really blew me away when I realized that Steeleye used it in Tam Lin!

[gaspode18]

I stand corrected - thanks for the interesting information, Warsza!

[warszawianka]

Thank you for mentioning the possible Bulgarian roots of this piece! I've listened to it about 10 times today trying to pick out what the first and third movements might be. Now that I think about it, the first movement sounds like it's in an asymmetric Balkan time signature, whereas the last movement sounds like an ezgija (extended solo by voice and/or kaval over a drone). Neat stuff.

[dpoland]

Yes,  this is a good version indeed! Change in some forms keeps the music alive. Like it....like it.....

[bendobrin]

thanks for posting this. i'd never heard this before and didn't know SS had done it. a much more 'romantic' version than any of the fairport versions. very different. video definitely matchs the song. again, thanks for posting it.

[bubblesforBella]

sigh....I like the original poem so much better. It was written by Robert Burns, before it wasa ballad, and that one's so much better.

[JohannesGrim]

Well, you may like Burns' version, but it's hardly the original. Or even original at all, really. "His" version looks like Child ballad #39A, which dates back to 1729: 30 years before Burns was even born. Tam Lin is most likely far older than that, at any rate.

As for this version, I like it, but it'll certainly take some getting used after listening to Fairport's for so many years!

[coramunroe]

Thank you for posting this! I knew Steeleye had done a version of the ballad but their music is sadly rare.

[Maddy4Me]

Really great version, just as good as Fairport's if not better.

Steeleye Span forever!

[fairydollymixtures]

really? better than fairport?

i really like this but i do prefer fairport but that probably because i love Sandy Denny....

(but will toast to Steelye Span Forever!)

[johnjarvo]

Is this really live...?

Superb sound...cheers....

[clotho98]

I gave you the wrong information. It's actually from their "Tonight's the Night...Live" album. But it is, indeed live. You can hear the audience applauding at the very end (which I had to cut off because of YouTube upload time limits). I am normally not a big fan of live recordings, but this is definitely one exception to that!

[johnjarvo]

Thanks for that...

Saw them do this at Preston Guildhall in December 2006...Now I can buy it!

Cheers...

[marydol75]

john that was lovely.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

john that was lovely,

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[johnjarvo]

What album is this track taken from...?

Anybody know out there...?