Current 93 is an eclectic British music group, working since the early 1980… Read Full Bio ↴Current 93 is an eclectic British music group, working since the early 1980s in experimental-based musical forms. The band was founded in London, UK in 1982 by David Tibet (né David Michael Bunting, renamed 'Tibet' by Genesis P-Orridge sometime prior to forming the group).
Tibet has been the only constant in the group, though Steven Stapleton (of Nurse With Wound) has appeared on nearly every Current 93 release. Michael Cashmore has also been a constant contributor since Thunder Perfect Mind. Douglas P. of Death In June has played on well over a dozen Current 93 releases, and Steve Ignorant of Crass (using the name Stephen Intelligent), Boyd Rice, runologist Freya Aswynn , Nick Cave, Björk, Andrew W.K., Will Oldham, Ben Chasny, Rose McDowall, Tiny Tim, Tony Wakeford of Sol Invictus, Marc Almond, John Balance of Coil, Antony Hegarty of Antony and the Johnsons, Baby Dee and Ian Read of Fire + Ice have also lent their talents over the years. Tibet is fond of the works of American writer Thomas Ligotti, and invited him to collaborate with Current 93.
Current 93 have released over twenty albums and many singles as well as having been a guest on many of the above listed artists' records. Tibet has also collaborated with Nature and Organisation and The Hafler Trio.
Much of Current 93's early work was similar to late 1970s and early 1980s industrial music: abrasive tape loops, droning synthesizer noises and Tibet's distorted, excoriating vocals. This early work became influential with the goth scene. Later works found Tibet mostly casting off such trappings in favor of a more organic sound, labeled by some as "apocalyptic folk" music, occasionally featuring his sinister nursery rhyme-influenced singing and primarily acoustic folk-styled music.
Tibet's lyrics have been fairly consistent, regardless of delivery: The earlier recordings reflect his preoccupation with death, Christ, mysticism, Aleister Crowley (Tibet borrowed the term "93 Current" from Crowley - the 93 Current being the current of Thelema or Agape), Tibetan Buddhism, Gnosticism, runes, swastikas, Noddy, The Wicker Man, and a variety of occult notions. The later to present-day period of Current 93's recordings increasingly reflect Tibet's interest in Christian mysticism. Tibet has stated that he identifies as a Christian.
Literary influences include Lautreamont's Les Chants de Maldoror, the Bible, The Poetic Edda, Hildegard von Bingen, John Dee, Heptarchia Mystica, The Thunder, Perfect Mind, William Blake, Louis Wain, writer Thomas Ligotti, occult British author Arthur Machen (originator of the title "The Inmost Light"), M.R. James's various ghost stories, The Cloud of Unknowing, Count Eric Stenbock, and Russell Hoban's Riddley Walker.
Musical influences include religious chants, traditional folk music, The Tam Lin ballad, The Incredible String Band, Sand, Comus, Blue Öyster Cult, Black Sabbath, Love, Shirley Collins, some progressive bands such as Yes, King Crimson, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, and the British composer Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji.
David Keenan's book England's Hidden Reverse - A Secret History of the Esoteric Underground (SAF Publishing 2003) extensively covers Tibet's musical evolution along with that of Coil, Stephen Stapleton, and others.
Tibet has been the only constant in the group, though Steven Stapleton (of Nurse With Wound) has appeared on nearly every Current 93 release. Michael Cashmore has also been a constant contributor since Thunder Perfect Mind. Douglas P. of Death In June has played on well over a dozen Current 93 releases, and Steve Ignorant of Crass (using the name Stephen Intelligent), Boyd Rice, runologist Freya Aswynn , Nick Cave, Björk, Andrew W.K., Will Oldham, Ben Chasny, Rose McDowall, Tiny Tim, Tony Wakeford of Sol Invictus, Marc Almond, John Balance of Coil, Antony Hegarty of Antony and the Johnsons, Baby Dee and Ian Read of Fire + Ice have also lent their talents over the years. Tibet is fond of the works of American writer Thomas Ligotti, and invited him to collaborate with Current 93.
Current 93 have released over twenty albums and many singles as well as having been a guest on many of the above listed artists' records. Tibet has also collaborated with Nature and Organisation and The Hafler Trio.
Much of Current 93's early work was similar to late 1970s and early 1980s industrial music: abrasive tape loops, droning synthesizer noises and Tibet's distorted, excoriating vocals. This early work became influential with the goth scene. Later works found Tibet mostly casting off such trappings in favor of a more organic sound, labeled by some as "apocalyptic folk" music, occasionally featuring his sinister nursery rhyme-influenced singing and primarily acoustic folk-styled music.
Tibet's lyrics have been fairly consistent, regardless of delivery: The earlier recordings reflect his preoccupation with death, Christ, mysticism, Aleister Crowley (Tibet borrowed the term "93 Current" from Crowley - the 93 Current being the current of Thelema or Agape), Tibetan Buddhism, Gnosticism, runes, swastikas, Noddy, The Wicker Man, and a variety of occult notions. The later to present-day period of Current 93's recordings increasingly reflect Tibet's interest in Christian mysticism. Tibet has stated that he identifies as a Christian.
Literary influences include Lautreamont's Les Chants de Maldoror, the Bible, The Poetic Edda, Hildegard von Bingen, John Dee, Heptarchia Mystica, The Thunder, Perfect Mind, William Blake, Louis Wain, writer Thomas Ligotti, occult British author Arthur Machen (originator of the title "The Inmost Light"), M.R. James's various ghost stories, The Cloud of Unknowing, Count Eric Stenbock, and Russell Hoban's Riddley Walker.
Musical influences include religious chants, traditional folk music, The Tam Lin ballad, The Incredible String Band, Sand, Comus, Blue Öyster Cult, Black Sabbath, Love, Shirley Collins, some progressive bands such as Yes, King Crimson, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, and the British composer Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji.
David Keenan's book England's Hidden Reverse - A Secret History of the Esoteric Underground (SAF Publishing 2003) extensively covers Tibet's musical evolution along with that of Coil, Stephen Stapleton, and others.
Tamlin
Current 93 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴
lady margaret, lady margaret
was sowing at the seam
she's all dressed in black
and a thought came in her head to roam in the woods
to pull flowers to flower her hat, my boys
to pull flowers to flower her hat
so she hoisted up her petticoats a bit above the knee
and so nimbly she ran over the ground
and when she came to the merrygreen woods
she pulled those branches down, my boys
she pulled those branches down
suddenly she spied a fine young man
he's standing by a tree
he says how dare you pull those branches down?
without the leave of me, my dear
without the leave of me
well she says this little wood it is my very own
my 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 a by the milk-white hand
and by the grass-green sleeve
he pulled her down at the foot of the bush
he never once asked her leave, my boys
oh he never once asked her leave
and when it was done she twisted about
to ask her true love's name
but she nothing saw
she nothing heard
and all the woods grew dim
and all the woods grew dim
there's four and twenty ladies all in the land
and they're all playing a chess
except it was the lady margaret
and she's green as any glass, my boys
oh she's green as any glass
and these four-and-twenty ladies all in the land
grow as red any rose
except the lady margaret she's pale and wan, my boys
oh pale and wan she goes
up then spoke the little serving girl
she lifted her hand and smiled
she said i think my lady's loved too long
and now she goes with child, my dears
oh and now she goes with child
up then spoke the second serving girl
oh ever and alas says she
that i think i know a herb in the merry green wood
that'll twine thy baby from thee
it'll rip off thy babe from thee
so lady margaret she got herself a comb
she made haste to comb her hair
and then she's away to the merry green woods
as fast as she can tear, my boys
as fast as she can tear
and she hadn't pulled in the merry green woods
a herb that barely won
when by her stands the young tamlin
he says margaret leave it alone
oh margaret leave it alone
why do you pull that bitter little herb
that herb that grows so grey
for to destroy that fine young baby that we got in our play, my dear
oh that we got in our play
well come tell me now young tamling says she
if an earthly man you be
i tell you no lies, says young tamlin
i was christined as good as thee
i was christined 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 elvin she caught me
into yonder green hill to dwell
oh into yonder green hill to dwell
but tonight is halloween lady
the elvin caught will ride
and if you would your true love win
by the millbridge you must hide, my dears
by the millbridge you must hide
and first will run the black horse
then will the brown
and then will run the white
you hold him fast, you fear him not
for he's the father of your child, my love
he's the father of your child
they'll turn me on in your arms lady into many a beasts so wild
but you hold them fast, you fear no ill
it's the father of your child, my love
it's the father of your child
so lady margaret, she gets herself a comb
she made haste to comb her hair
then she's away to the old millbrdige
as fast as she could tear, my boys
as fast as she could tear
and about the dead hour of the night she heard the bridles ring
oh my boys, she had her heart more than any earthly thing it did
more than any earthly thing
and first run the black horse
then the brown
and then raced by the white
well she held it fast, she feared it not
for it's the father of her child
it's the father of her child
the thunderoll across the sky
the stars blazed bright as day
the queen of elvin gave a thrilling cry
tamlin's away brave boys
brave tamlin's away
the very first thing they turned him into
is a lion that runs so wild
but she held him fast, she feared him not
he's the father of her child, my boys
he's the father of her child
and the very next thing they turned him into
it was a loathsome snake
he says hold me fast, fear me not
for i'm one of god's own make, my love
oh i'm 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
it did to her no harm
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 my love i've won i've won
she cried my love i've won
but the queen of elvin she called for a bush
she's red as any blood
i should have taken out your eyes, tamlin
and put in two eyes of wood
and put in two eyes of wood
was sowing at the seam
she's all dressed in black
and a thought came in her head to roam in the woods
to pull flowers to flower her hat, my boys
to pull flowers to flower her hat
so she hoisted up her petticoats a bit above the knee
and so nimbly she ran over the ground
she pulled those branches down, my boys
she pulled those branches down
suddenly she spied a fine young man
he's standing by a tree
he says how dare you pull those branches down?
without the leave of me, my dear
without the leave of me
well she says this little wood it is my very own
my 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 a by the milk-white hand
and by the grass-green sleeve
he pulled her down at the foot of the bush
he never once asked her leave, my boys
oh he never once asked her leave
and when it was done she twisted about
to ask her true love's name
but she nothing saw
she nothing heard
and all the woods grew dim
and all the woods grew dim
there's four and twenty ladies all in the land
and they're all playing a chess
except it was the lady margaret
and she's green as any glass, my boys
oh she's green as any glass
and these four-and-twenty ladies all in the land
grow as red any rose
except the lady margaret she's pale and wan, my boys
oh pale and wan she goes
up then spoke the little serving girl
she lifted her hand and smiled
she said i think my lady's loved too long
and now she goes with child, my dears
oh and now she goes with child
up then spoke the second serving girl
oh ever and alas says she
that i think i know a herb in the merry green wood
that'll twine thy baby from thee
it'll rip off thy babe from thee
so lady margaret she got herself a comb
she made haste to comb her hair
and then she's away to the merry green woods
as fast as she can tear, my boys
as fast as she can tear
and she hadn't pulled in the merry green woods
a herb that barely won
when by her stands the young tamlin
he says margaret leave it alone
oh margaret leave it alone
why do you pull that bitter little herb
that herb that grows so grey
for to destroy that fine young baby that we got in our play, my dear
oh that we got in our play
well come tell me now young tamling says she
if an earthly man you be
i tell you no lies, says young tamlin
i was christined as good as thee
i was christined 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 elvin she caught me
into yonder green hill to dwell
oh into yonder green hill to dwell
but tonight is halloween lady
the elvin caught will ride
and if you would your true love win
by the millbridge you must hide, my dears
by the millbridge you must hide
and first will run the black horse
then will the brown
and then will run the white
you hold him fast, you fear him not
for he's the father of your child, my love
he's the father of your child
they'll turn me on in your arms lady into many a beasts so wild
but you hold them fast, you fear no ill
it's the father of your child, my love
it's the father of your child
so lady margaret, she gets herself a comb
she made haste to comb her hair
then she's away to the old millbrdige
as fast as she could tear, my boys
as fast as she could tear
and about the dead hour of the night she heard the bridles ring
oh my boys, she had her heart more than any earthly thing it did
more than any earthly thing
and first run the black horse
then the brown
and then raced by the white
well she held it fast, she feared it not
for it's the father of her child
it's the father of her child
the thunderoll across the sky
the stars blazed bright as day
the queen of elvin gave a thrilling cry
tamlin's away brave boys
brave tamlin's away
the very first thing they turned him into
is a lion that runs so wild
but she held him fast, she feared him not
he's the father of her child, my boys
he's the father of her child
and the very next thing they turned him into
it was a loathsome snake
he says hold me fast, fear me not
for i'm one of god's own make, my love
oh i'm 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
it did to her no harm
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 my love i've won i've won
she cried my love i've won
but the queen of elvin she called for a bush
she's red as any blood
i should have taken out your eyes, tamlin
and put in two eyes of wood
and put in two eyes of wood
The lyrics of the song Tamlin by Current 93 tell the story of a young lady named Margaret who roamed in the woods to flower her hat. In the woods, she met a young man who was angry with her for pulling the branches of the trees. Lady Margaret claimed that the woods belong to her and she can do whatever she wants in them. The man took her by the hand and pulled her down. After having a sexual encounter with the young man, Lady Margaret twisted to ask his name but saw nobody. She then realized that she is pregnant with his child. Two serving girls suggested a herb to her to help her abort the baby, but Tamlin, the young man from the woods, intervened and asked her to follow his instructions to save her baby. Lady Margaret followed his instructions and ended up finding Tamlin, who was captured by the Queen of Elvin. The Queen of Elvin used different spells to turn Tamlin into various animals, but Lady Margaret held him tight every time and didn't let go. Eventually, Tamlin turned back into his human form, and Lady Margaret won him back.
Contributed by Mila I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it
More Genres
No Artists Found
More Artists
Load All
No Albums Found
More Albums
Load All
No Tracks Found
Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Search results not found
Song not found
Andrés David
Lady Margaret, lady Margaret
was sowing at the sea
she's all dressed in black
and a thought came in her head to roam in the woods
to pull flowers to flower her hat, my boys
to pull flowers to flower her hat
so she hoisted up her petticoats a bit above the knee
and so nimbly she ran over the ground
and when she came to the merrygreen woods
she pulled those branches down, my boys
she pulled those branches down
Suddenly she spied a fine young man
he's standing by a tree
he says how dare you pull those branches down?
without the leave of me, my dear
without the leave of me
well she says this little wood it is my very own
my 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 a by the milk-white hand
and by the grass-green sleeve
he pulled her down at the foot of the bush
he never once asked her leave, my boys
oh he never once asked her leave
and when it was down she twisted about
to ask her true love's name
but she nothing saw
she nothing heard
and all the woods grew dim
and all the woods grew dim
There's four and twenty ladies all in the land
and they're all playing a chess
except it was the lady Margaret
and she's green as any glass, my boys
oh she's green as any glass
and these four-and-twenty ladies all in the land
grow as red as any rose
except the lady Margaret she's pale and wan, my boys
oh pale and wan she goes
up then spoke the little serving girl
she lifted her hand and smiled
she said i think my lady's loved too long
and now she goes with child, my dears
oh and now she goes with child
up then spoke the second serving girl
oh ever and alas says she
that i think i know a herb in the merry green wood
that'll twine thy baby from thee
it'll rip off thy babe from thee
So lady Margaret she got herself a comb
she made haste to comb her hair
and then she's away to the merry green woods
as fast as she can tear, my boys
as fast as she can tear
and she hadn't pulled in the merry green woods
a herb that barely won
when by her stands the young Tamlin
he says Margaret leave it alone
oh Margaret leave it alone
why do you pull that bitter little herb
that herb that grows so grey
for to destroy that fine young baby that we got in our play, my dear
oh that we got in our play
well come tell me now young Tamlin says she
if an earthly man you be
i tell you no lies, says young Tamlin
i was christened as good as thee
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 elvin she caught me
into yonder green hill to dwell
oh into yonder green hill to dwell
but tonight is halloween lady
the elvin caught will ride
and if you would your true love win
by the millbridge you must hide, my dears
by the millbridge you must hide
and first will run the black horse
then will the brown
and then will run the white
you hold him fast, you fear him not
for he's the father of your child, my love
he's the father of your child
they'll turn me on in your arms lady into many a beasts so wild
but you hold them fast, you fear no ill
it's the father of your child, my love
it's the father of your child
So lady Margaret, she gets herself a comb
she made haste to comb her hair
then she's away to the old millbrdige
as fast as she could tear, my boys
as fast as she could tear
and about the dead hour of the night she heard the bridles ring
oh my boys, she had her heart more than any earthly thing it did
more than any earthly thing
and first run the black horse
then the brown
and then raced by the white
well she held it fast, she feared it not
for it's the father of her child
it's the father of her child
the thunderoll across the sky
the stars blazed bright as day
the queen of elvin gave a thrilling cry
Tamlin's away brave boys
brave Tamlin's away
the very first thing they turned him into
is a lion that runs so wild
but she held him fast, she feared him not
he's the father of her child, my boys
he's the father of her child
and the very next thing they turned him into
it was a loathsome snake
he says hold me fast, fear me not
for I'm one of god's own make, my love
oh I'm 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
it did to her no harm
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 my love I've won I've won
she cried my love I've won
But the queen of elvin she called for a bush
she's red as any blood
i should have taken out your eyes, Tamlin
and put in two eyes of wood
and put in two eyes of wood
hibou scribus
You can find this song with "How great satanic glory faded" in the EP called Tamlin on Coptic Cat site ! : )
Anna Seraphina
I love this song and Current 93 so much. Every day I ask the universe why I was born so late and did not see the birth and flowering of such beautiful things and movements in art (such as esoteric underground). what artists do now, during my youth, mostly looks so formulaic and insincere. As if everything important has already been said
MonsieurCorbusier
so ist das Leben der Moderne
jon ingram
I've been listening to this song a lot recently. It's remarkable how much the swelling drone heard throughout adds to this song's emotional depth. It really makes the whole song for me. Such a little thing!
tlv156
Today is almost 10 years since my friend Gabe died and fell to his death in a terrible accident. This was one of his favorite songs. R.I.P. Gabe.really a beautiful song.
TheEudaemonicPlague
Your friend had excellent taste!
DocC atFace
finally gabe is free of a world containing tamlin
may we envy him eternally
AntiMusick
some of the best story telling in modern music, some people may dislike Davids voice but the music and the poem set to it is EPIC!
THATKID YOUDONTKNOW
I think this song is pretty good MY BOOOYS
I think this song is pretty good
Wednesday.K. Dahmer
I cried when I got this song on vinyl finally.... It's one of the most beautiful fairytales ever and one of my favourite songs since decades....