I love Halloween...

[amanuensis1]

You know what would be the coolest Halloween costume? You go as Janet from the "Tam Lin" ballad--since the key action takes place on Halloween--and you dress in a bodice-y gown but you dress pregnant and go carrying a stuffed dummy that's this sewn-together combo of lion/dragon/python/man, and make a point of not putting the dummy down all evening.

Damn, I'll never get that together by Monday.

Comments

[ellid.livejournal.com]

Not a chance...but maybe carry around a few stuffed toys and look spacey? It might just work...

[ohruby.livejournal.com]

That seriously would be freakin' awesome.

[jacquez.livejournal.com]

AWESOME.

[melata-fic.livejournal.com]

*giggles a lot* Best costume I've heard of.

[revena.livejournal.com]

1) That would be AWESOME
and
2) Why not? Go to Target or WalMart or something, buy some cheap plush animals, get out the scissors and thread... It could totally work.

Okay, I'm a Tam Lin fanatic

[atalantapendrag.livejournal.com]

That would be cool like a very cool thing. (Did I mention I collect recordings of various versions of Tam Lin? If there's one you need I can probably YSI it to you.)

Don't forget the green mantle, and a blonde wig if possible. And two roses (fake?) in your hair!

Hey! You could use the fake pregnobelly as a place to carry all the critters you aren't currently using!

[tekalynn.livejournal.com]

ROTFL!

That's just brilliant. Have you ever read...uh, memory's failing, but if I'm right...Pamela Dean's _Tam Lin_?

[laurelwood.livejournal.com]

It always hurts a little to discover yet another gap in my education, but I've had a fun time researching the whys and wherefores of this Tam Lin ballad, and have even downloaded myself a version of it off iTunes.

Great costume idea! But yeah, kinda hard to whip up by Monday.

[paper-tzipporah.livejournal.com]

OMG AMAZING. I now wish I hadn't promised to be the Dorothy in a Wizard of Oz group, because this costume sounds easier than finding a Dorothy dress at the last minute.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_hannelore/]

Yes! Every Halloween I want to go somewhere/do something where I can dress up as the best thing ever. :)

For some bizarre reason, this reminds me that I had a fantastic idea for people dressing up for the GoF premiere. Everyone dresses in the frilly gown or bad tux of their dreams in honor of the movie's Yule Ball...

[vass]

and make a point of not putting the dummy down all evening.

...even when someone sets it on fire.

He turns into a burning brand at one point, I thought.

*seconds the recommendation of pameladean's Tam Lin. Published by Tor. Set in a liberal arts college. It's stuffed with quotation and allusion - if you're the Dorothy L. Sayers type, you'll probably like this too. It's one of my two favourite books ever.

[mereol.livejournal.com]

I'm already pregnant. You make the dummy and I'll do it. Will even take pictures and spam fandom with them.

[cathybites.livejournal.com]

I'm totally stealing this idea for next Halloween. :P

[http://users.livejournal.com/rantipole_/]

Damn, I'll never get that together by Monday.

*sporfles tea*
*laughing for real*

(...or if you could just get your favorite person to dress in a lion/dragon/python/man costume, and then make a point of not letting go of him/her all evening...)

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Of course, I'd have to hang around people who GET it, but, why worry about details. ^_^

[ellid.livejournal.com]

Eh, go for it. And you'll educate them just by walking past.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

I would love to do it and hang around with people who know what I'm talking about!

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Ooh, love your icon!

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

(Romana icon love!) I always get envious of these people who come up with the coolest costume ideas and I'd love to do this one, y'know?

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

I suppose I could give it a shot...maybe Salvation Army, too?

Re: Okay, I'm a Tam Lin fanatic

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

I love different versions of Tam Lin--I just got a few off an audiography link, too! The Fairport Convention one has long been a favorite, and I just got versions by Mediaeval Baebes, Bill Jones, Anne Briggs, and Pete Morton. Have you any others?

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

God, yes. An awesome book, one of my all-time faves!

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

I've got a thing for ballads and folk songs--grew up on 'em, and then was introduced to Steeleye Span and life was goooooood.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Oh, someone's got to have a Dorothy dress! Some costume shop must. Only problem is, you may end up spending premium for it, crud.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

That would be so much fun! I'd probably get even weirder looks than if I came in full quidditch gear, though, heh.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

I love, love, love, LOVE that Dean book. Now, you know, I do have to ask--what's the other favorite book?

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Damn it, we could be such a team!!

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Totally do it! I would so love to see people doing it!

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

And then he has to go to the bathroom and I say, "Come back here, you dolt, you wanna stay in thrall to the Faerie Queen forever?" and he says, "But I have to go!" XD

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

You'll appreciate this one: one Halloween I dressed in a long green dress and a crown of flowers and bare feet like an earth goddess and wore this big placard around my neck:

HAVE YOU SEEN THIS CHILD?

(picture of girl)

Name: Persephone
Last seen with: Lord of Underworld
Distinguishing Characteristics: Likes Pomegranates

Info? Call 1-555-DEMETER

[vass]

Dorothy L. Sayers' Gaudy Night. I dig quotations.

You can probably guess what happened to me when I read Dorothy Dunnett's Lymond books for the first time. *g*

[http://users.livejournal.com/rantipole_/]

*grins*

(...a person might even end up having to follow him into the bathroom, just for the sake of authenticity, of course...)
(I am just bad.)(Somebody stop me...)
*slaps hand over mouth*

Re: Okay, I'm a Tam Lin fanatic

[atalantapendrag.livejournal.com]

Well, you can get Outgrabe's off their website... I have the Les Barker parody (which is a MUST), the Current 93 gothy version, Steeleye Span's, Pyewacket's, Rick Lee's, and I might have to re-rip it but I have the Tempest version as well. Also the Three Weird Sisters song "Discovery", which is a creepy song from Tam Lin's point of view as he plots using Janet to serve his plans.

[paper-tzipporah.livejournal.com]

Well, I did manage to find one. It's just...short. Very short. Which is okay, except that I think all my pretty underwear is in the laundry.

Damn sexy grown-up halloween costumes.

On the bright side, my boring old black concert pumps are now covered with red glitter.

Harry would make a fabulous Dorothy. And Lucius could be Glinda, and Snape the wicked witch of the west, and I KNOW this has been done before, but I keep picturing Harry in these glittery red platform mary janes I saw yesterday, and it's AMAZING.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Glittery red pumps! Eee, doesn't everyone just long to own a pair of those?

[ellid.livejournal.com]

*dies*

[mereol.livejournal.com]

Yeah. Shucks!

[melata-fic.livejournal.com]

(Thanks. *beams*)

*nods* Perhaps grab some sort of ugly soft toy and dress it up. Because it is worth doing. Or find a perfect costume sometime for next year.

[jacquez.livejournal.com]

thank you!

she's such a charmer, i had to have a picture of her dancing.

Re: Okay, I'm a Tam Lin fanatic

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Outgrabe: Found!

Les Barker, Current 93, Steeleye Span, Pyewaket, Rick Lee: Can't find in a downloadable (purchasable) format. Will keep looking!

Tempest: Oh! I forgot, I do know that one; just that I have it on cassette.

Three Weird Sisters: Found on iTunes! Ooh, I listened to the sample and that's neat. I may have to purchase that one.

Thank you so much for letting me know about these! I'll keep looking for more!

Re: Okay, I'm a Tam Lin fanatic

[atalantapendrag.livejournal.com]

Steeleye Span's is from the album Tonight's the Night: Live!, and if you like Steeleye Span, it's a good album in general. Not at all like the Fairport/Tempest/Outgrabe arrangement.

IIRC the Pyewacket and Rick Lee are much like the Anne Briggs version.

Current 93 was a limited edition of about 500 copies, although it's possible they may have reprinted. It's very distinctive, being in a rather gothier style than most versions. I can send you the MP3 if you like.

The Les Barker one (actually recorded by the Mrs. Ackroyd Band) may or may not be in print, Amazon US doesn't have it but Amazon UK might. www.tam-lin.org has the lyrics, and if you can't find a copy I can send an MP3 of it as well. It's an utterly delightful parody that deserves hearing.

The Broadside Electric Band version is dissimilar to any other one I've heard. It's on the album Amplificata, and I was able to buy it off Amazon US a few months ago, although it was supposedly the last one they had in stock. Another "well worth it in general" album.

Oh! Medieval Baebes has a version on their latest, Mirabilis. Done in their usual "Enya does Gregorian Chants" style. Totally in print. iTunes probably has it, eMusic and Audio Lunchbox might as well.