Summary
A young woman goes to a club to seek music and holy herb. She meets a young man who objects to her usage. She takes him to her car and they have sex. Soon after, she discovers she is pregnant. It takes her months to locate the man again. When she tells him she is pregnant, he informs her that he is in the country as a refugee and faces deportation. He asks her to come to the court the next day to give him her positive energy. She does, and her energy is enough that though he transforms through several negative stereotypes, the judge grants him residency. The couple leaves to start a family. Their child grows up to be a DJ.
Tam Lyn (Retold)
- Don't be scared
It was the first of May
A righteous holiday
This was when the workers they
Celebrate fertility - It was the first of May
A righteous holiday
This was when the workers they
Celebrate fertility - It was the first of May
She stepped into the club
Lookin' for the holy herb
And a magical dub - A virgin full of rhythm
Her passion shining bright
Her future in her hand
And she was holding it tight - Soon she found that holy herb
It was sweet Caribbean
She burned that holy herb
In an organic chillum - And she moves to the bass
She reach out to creation
They was time and space
For this heavenly maiden - It was the first of May
A righteous holiday
This was when the workers they
Celebrate fertility - It was the first of May
A righteous holiday
This was when the workers they
Celebrate fertility - He was a mover and a shaker
Who was prone to temptation
He stepped up to the angel
And made his objection - Saying "Woman was not made
to partake in this herb"
He cursed and she was humble
And she called him absurd - Then she took him to a place
That was not very far
They connected at the waist
In the back of her car - Her innocence was gone
In just under an hour
He was forced to hang on
As she flashed her girl power - It was the first of May
A righteous holiday
This was when the workers they
Celebrate fertility - It was the first of May
A righteous holiday
This was when the workers they
Celebrate fertility - Love is impatient
It ignores traditions and conventions
It is not bound by human constructs
Jurisprudence and the laws of men - Love reaches out and holds open-hearted
It demands attention
It is in a world of its own
Yet it connects worlds that will forever
Be set apart - Well I have a sweet hope of glory in my soul
Have a sweet hope of glory in my soul
Well I have a sweet hope of glory in my soul
Have a sweet hope of glory in my soul
Oh I know I have and I feel I have
A sweet hope of glory in my soul - Make love not war
This is how we do it
Make love not war
This is how we go
Make love not war
This is how we do it
Make love not war
This is how we flow
Make love not war
This is how we do it
Make love not war
This is how we go
Make love not war
This is how we do it
Make love not war
This is how we flow - Our man had moved on
Said he was wild
Then our lady found
She was heavy with child - When she told her father
He said "go seek him out"
She found him six months later
Down town hangin' about - He said "who's the daddy?"
She said "you are the one"
He said "I am an alien
And quite soon I'll be gone - "Customs and immigration
Want to get rid of me
There's no peace in my nation
I'm a war refugee - "There''s no peace in my nation
I'm a war refugee
There are people in uniforms
Out to get me - "There's no peace in my nation
There's nowhere I can hide
If you really do love me
Will you stay by my side? - "I may groove on the dance floor
But my pain is quite great
I don't know all the answers
But I'm trying to relate - "Since I've been here in exile
I just don't know my fate
And a best-selling tabloids
Always greet me with hate - "There's no peace in my nation
I'm a war refugee
I'm surrounded by war
But there's love inside me - "There's no peace in my nation
and I'm feeling downhearted
When the Beastie Boys get me
I'm told I'll be deported - "So I need you to hold me tight
For tomorrow in court
And I need you fill yourself
with positive forces - 'Cos I wanna be wich' yu
And I wanna live
So I need you to give me
All the love you can give" - So the next day in court
She held him really tightly
Just fifteen minutes before
hHe went in the dock - And her positive thoughts
Made her touch the almighty
And our brother shivered
From his toes to his locks - He turned into a victim
He turned into a loser
He turned into a pimp
And a real mister mean - But she kept holding on
And when those demon were gone
He turned into himself
Just a cool human being. - And the judge said you can go now
The judge set our man free
He was free to be
Indefinitely - And the judge said you can go now
And our joyous refugee
Just said "Thank you, judge,
and now I plan to raise a family" - So he became a citizen
Our angel became a wife
And they had what modern folks would call
A pretty happy life - They met on the dance floor
On the first of May
And the baby that they had
Grew up to be a club DJ - It was the first of May
A righteous holiday
(Well I have a sweet hope of glory in my soul)
It was the first of May
A righteous holiday
This was when the workers they
Celebrate fertility - (Well I have a sweet hope of glory in my soul)
It was the first of May
A righteous holiday
This was when the workers they
Celebrate fertility
(For I know I have and I feel I have
a sweet hope of glory in my soul
Well I have a sweet hope of glory in my soul
Well I have a sweet hope of glory in my soul
For I know I have and I feel I have
a sweet hope of glory in my soul) - (Well I have a sweet hope of glory in my soul)
Make love not war
This is how we do it
(Well I have a sweet hope of glory in my soul)
Make love not war
this is how we go
(Well I know I have and I feel I have
A sweet hope of glory in my soul)
Make love not war
This is how we do it
Make love, not war,
This is how we go
Make love, not war
This is how we do it
Make love not war,
this is how we flow.
Video
Version Notes
Note from the artist: "A re-telling of the traditional folk tale Tam Lyn. Part of a project with Peter Gabriel called The Imagined Village."
This is a wonderful re-interpretation, and the degree to which it has supernatural aspects is left up to the reader. I particularly like the faerie court being replaced by a court of law.
Background vocals features lyrics from the traditional song "The Good Old Way"
Added to site: August 2014