From the recording Beggars and Kings
Composed in the back seat of our family's old, green van in 1994 on a family vacation to California. Dan and a Grade 11 girlfriend, Stacy, had parted ways -- she did say the line that inspired the song: "Why do you sing those songs? Everybody will think you're lonely."
He had recently returned from a graduation class trip to Quebec City where he'd seen the famous Plains of Abraham on which the fate of Canada had determined in 1756.
Lyrics
To the Moon, Alice
Never really knew the words to tell you
Then again there was never really much to say
I was always trying to keep the garden alive, watering the roses in the wintertime
from October 27 straight through to St. Patrick's Day
From October 27 straight through to St. Patrick's Day
"Don't sing those songs, everybody will think you're lonely"
Well maybe girl that's what I am
And from the beginning I always knew I was just a personal video game to you
and I'm sorry but it's Pacman's final stand
Goodbye Alice goodbye; goodbye Alice goodbye
I'm probably gonna miss you
Goodbye Alice goodbye
Maybe baby maybe someday; maybe maybe someday
The setting sun sank softly on the Plains of Abraham
and cutting through the wind I heard the music of a banjo-man
And I underwent a sorta-sentimental liberation of the soul before I jailed my mind again
I couldn't tell you if I slept there on that sand
I couldn't tell you how long you've been dying to leave
I couldn't tell you how long I've been dying to live
I couldn't tell you how long I've been stranded in the fractured fraction of a freeze-frame
trying to catch a raindrop with a sieve
trying to catch a raindrop with a sieve
Goodbye Alice goodbye; goodbye Alice goodbye
I’m probably gonna miss you
Goodbye Alice goodbye
Maybe baby maybe someday; maybe maybe someday
Never really knew the words to tell you
and even if I did, I wonder just how much could've changed
At least I can say that I'm finally free and these chains have fled me finally
though the echoes of your memory still remain
And as the silent city sinks off into sleep, I know that you don't dream of me tonight
You can analyse, look in my eyes, ask yourself if that's a teardrop.
--Or has it just been raining outside?
--Has it just been raining outside?
So goodbye Alice goodbye; goodbye Alice goodbye.
I'm probably going to miss you
At least I think I might miss you; maybe baby maybe someday; maybe maybe someday