Story Behind The Song

Alice Street in Oakland was the inspiration for this song about seeing the possibility of recovery in desperate times. Oakland was once a beautiful city of Victorian houses and bayside views, and this song pleads to the namesake of Alice Street (which is

Song Description

A strong rhythm section, mandolin and guitar backs a male vocal in a powerful mid-tempo anthem about gaining hope and inspiration in the face of desparation and decay.

Lyrics

A Street Called Alice

In the middle of Oakland there?s a street called Alice who she was I don?t know
She must have lived in a time when these houses were fine fresh paint and gingerbread all in a row
And everytime I pass by that boarded up bookstore, the dress shop awning that?s now fallen down
I think about Alice and what she might say if she could see all the trouble this street has found

Alice see the fancy laid plain see the grime in the filigree
Alice see the homeless in pain on that street with your sweet pedigree
Be more than just a rusted name
Alice be a sign of hope to me

This town was built on gold dust and hope and ten thousand hard earned dreams
But if those
There?s a law of physics that predicts decay it says a lot about these times
But people of faith can still reclaim this place in the name of the name staring down from that sign

Alice see the fancy laid plain see the grime in the filigree
Alice see the homeless in pain on that street with your sweet pedigree
Be more than just a rusted name Alice be a sign of hope to me

They must have loved you very much to give that street your name
But is there love enough to bring it back again

Alice see the grime in the filigree
Alice on that bitter street with your sweet pedigree
Be more than just a rusted name Alice be a sign of hope to me

© Greg Beattie 2000