Most of you probably know the original of this ballad, a 43 - stanza traditional ballad called "Tam Lin," one of the famous Child ballads from the Scottish borderlands, dated approximately mid-16th century. I’ve cut some of the material (43-stanzas? No way!) and updated the story (in accentual meter).
“shedding” is short for “woodshedding,” a musician’s term for isolating yourself to practice.
In English/Scottish folklore, pulling up roses has symbolic meaning, but I have not incorporated this in my version. You can find information here, if you’re interested:
https://tam-lin.org/
Tom Linne
"Whatever happened to Tom Linne?
You remember him— good-looking as sin—
Plays a mean guitar in a local band.
Nobody knows where he’s been."
"Not even Janet?" "Nope, I asked."
"Maybe he’s shedding. Or some lucky chance
Sent the band out on a national tour
Or— he’s found a new romance…"
————-
When he lay in her arms, it all felt right,
But there was always a price to be paid:
She’d forbidden his music, silenced his voice;
For seven months he’d seethed—but he stayed.
Then one night he cracked, stole out of her house,
A mansion high on the east side of town,
In stockinged feet he slipped through the gate,
Caught a bus headed down, down,
Down to the club where his band was playing,
And Janet, in blue, standing next to the bar;
Eyes wide, she stared, and he saw her heart beating;
“I’m no ghost,” he said, and touched her arm
With fingers that made her heart turn over.
“I’ve given my promise: mum as a stone
I must be—but it’s nothing to do with you, Janet—
Let’s find a place to be alone.”
Under a willow tree, down by the river,
Janet and Tom as close as could be;
“My love,” he whispered, and held her tighter,
The enchantment failing, he was nearly free.
Janet went home to find her father;
“Father, it’s time I was married,” she said.
“And Tom Linne is my chosen man.”
“
Him! I’d rather see you dead!”
Janet’s gone down to the willow tree
And she’s pulled up roses, one by one,
“Stop!” cried Tom Linne, springing up from the ground,
Don’t kill our child! Here’s what’s to be done…”
———————-
Just before midnight— the witch’s house—
The barred gate opens—it’s Hallowe’en—
And out of the gate a dozen men walk,
Dazed by the moon. Then, a limousine
With the witch inside. Her black eyes proud:
Look at the men controlled by my spells!
Her shoulders bare, and half her breasts,
She fondles her necklace of precious gems.
Janet is waiting, holding her breath;
Tom walks first in that spellbound line.
She grabs him and pulls him out of his place;
Holding him tight, she says, “This man is mine!”
A scream from the car—then in her arms
Not Tom, but a giant poisonous snake—
Still she holds on tight—the snake is gone—
A huge bear appearing in its place—
But still she clings to the man in the beast,
Though now he’s changed to a lion, wild,
For Tom Linne is all the man she loves,
And he is the father of her child.
Once more he’s changed—to an iron bar,
Hotter than any fire can be—
And she’s thrown the bar into the river—
And now her true love, Tom, is free.
A curse upon you, screams the witch,
Who has stolen this man of all men from me!
Had I only foreseen, I’d have put out his eyes,
And replaced them with wood from a willow tree!
Tom Linne
)
Linear Mode
