Turn Again

New song inspired by the ballad of Tam Lin

Turn Again is out now on Hudson Records.

You can listen to the song HERE and Kolf Magazine has written beautifully about the ideas behind the track HERE.

Turn Again is for my son, a master shapeshifter, who seems to transform daily before my eyes. Watching him slip freely between human, animal, and mythic forms in his imaginary games, reminded me of the ballad of Tam Lin. Tam asks his true love, Janet, to “hold me fast and fear me not” as the fairies turn him into monstrous shapes. By holding him without fear, Janet frees him from the enchantment. This image seems to capture the essence of parenthood, the delicate dance of holding our children through their many changes even as we learn to let them go. Turn Again reflects on the tensions within that parent–child dance, observing my children’s transformations and the quiet ways they reshape me. As they change, so do I, and I’m reminded that even for adults, transformation is both possible and inevitable.

My melody for this song is inspired by Lady Margaret, a version of Tam Lin sung by Scottish singer Betsy Johnston, recorded by Hamish Henderson in 1956.

The image was taken by Emma Ledwith, with the incredible owl mask made by Lucy Wright. The track features Mary Hampton on vocals, Neil McSweeney on bass, Helen Bell on strings, and me on voice, piano, and pocket piano.

Happy listening!

Emily x