Tam Lin

Fairport Convention, 1969, from Liege & Lief. Solo by Richard Thompson.

Thompson's angular electric figures push against the fiddle through this seven-minute take on a Scottish ballad.

Tam Lin sets a Scottish ballad of enchantment to a driving folk-rock arrangement, and Richard Thompson's angular electric figures push against the fiddle throughout its seven minutes. His guitar parts are tight and rhythmic, full of sharp modal phrases that work as both accompaniment and counter-melody. Rather than taking one long solo, he keeps the song moving with a series of small, precise interventions. The track shows how Fairport built their sound from ensemble interplay rather than individual showcases. Listen for the way Thompson's guitar locks with the fiddle and drums on the insistent main figure, then splinters off into short, twisting phrases between verses.

Tam Lin by Fairport Convention is featured in our Folk Rock (#8) list. The solo is played by Richard Thompson and the song was released in 1969.

In our lists

• The 25 Greatest Folk Rock Guitar Solos — #8
• The Best Fairport Convention Guitar Solos — #4

Sources