The Story Of Mad Alice Lane - A Dark Masterpiece by Peter Lawlor

Introduction

Many years ago in an advert for Land Rover (which I have not yet found on Youtube), I heard a song that has stuck with me ever since. It is ghostly, eerie and atmospheric and has captured the attention of many listeners and viewers.

Yesterday I wrote a story that had to contain the word "Rumpelstiltskin" and I created chat fiction about how the band Stiltskin got their name. You can read the story here.

The coincidence was that Peter Lawlor commented on my slideshow about the song and the full lyrics. I am going to include what he said here and hope that this won't count as plagiarism, but it means that you can read Peter's reply and you listen to this incredible song.

Many people have asked for the lyrics and Peter provides them in his reply. The words in italics following this are the words of Peter Lawlor. I have followed him on Youtube and will share that link at the end of this piece.

Peter Lawlor talking about "Mad Alice Lane"

For anyone who may be interested, Here's the story behind the song. I was up in York doing a gig with Stiltskin. After the soundcheck, I went for a bite to eat with a friend of mine who'd come to see the show. After we'd eaten, we walked back towards the venue which was close to York Minster.

Suddenly, my friend stopped in his tracks and pointed through an arch into a small lane.

It was an early autumn evening and was still fairly light. There was a mist in the lane, and in the mist, there was what appeared to be the face of a young woman looking at us. As we stared, the face seemed to evaporate into the mist.

A few weeks later I stumbled across the story of the execution of Alice Smith at York Assizes for a murder of which she was almost certainly not guilty. Alice had lived in that lane back in the 18th century.

I also found out that the lane was notoriously haunted. That discovery made my blood run cold.

Here are Peter's lyrics to "Mad Alice Lane"

Up the stairs to say our prayers

A candle light to guide us

A different plane Mad Alice lane

A rocking horse to ride us

To York Assizes

No concern as flowers burn

in flames of elfin slumber

But far away on the first of May

I’ll dance along the Humber

She will be free for all time

She will be free for all time

Many years have come and gone

but Alice never changes

In the mist, her face appears

Calling through the ages

To York Assizes

In the dark

you see her plight

A distant dusk-remembered flight

But soon enough she will return

to the lane where flowers burn

She will be free for all time

She will be free for all time

She will be free for all time

I must be losing my mind

She will be free for all time

These are the seeds of our time

I must be losing my mind

Concluding Observations On "Mad Alice Lane"

"Mad Alice Lane" by Lawlor is difficult to track down. Amazon has second-hand copies on the link below. I think the cover is incredibly atmospheric. The song does appear on a few compilations as well

You can visit Peter's Youtube channel here which has playlists of his music., the Levi's and Orange ones are particular favourites of mine.