Tom Northcott - Who Put the Thorns In Miss Alice's Garden (1967)

Born in Canada in 1943, this folk rock singer made a name for himself in the ‘60s by playing coffee houses in the Vancouver area. He had a few hits when he joined with the Vancouver Playboys in the mid-‘60s and continued mild levels of success with a couple solo hits in the same decade. Ultimately, he quit the music business in 1973 to pursue a degree in law, but came back in 1990.

This song, released in 1967, was the B-side to “Sunny Goodge Street”. I have very little information about this song, other than that it was also done by The Explosive, so if you know anything about it please share. Also, the lyrics may have errors as I had difficulty deciphering some of the words.



Tom Northcott - Who Put the Thorns In Miss Alice's Garden (1967)

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Lyrics:

Who planted thorns
In Miss Alice’s garden?
Who put the black
In the clothes she a’now wears?
Where is the softness?
And why did it harden?
And what has been broken
That can’t be repaired?

Miss Alice, don’t you see?
You shouldn’t worry
Over what you lost
It’s better thing to choose it
And run the risk to lose it
Than never know the joy
That comes from a’finding out

Who put the rock
Through Miss Alice’s window?
Who made the pieces
All over the floor?
Where is the Van Gogh?
And why did he leave her?
And what has he done
With the key to her door?

Miss Alice, don’t you see?
You shouldn’t worry
Over what you lost
It’s better thing to choose it
And run the risk to lose it
Than never know the joy
That comes from a’finding out

Who painted names
On Miss Alice’s sidewalk?
Who tore her picture
And left just the frame?
Why is the past
Such a part of her future?
And who did not tell her
The rules of the game?

Miss Alice, don’t you see?
You shouldn’t worry
Over what you lost
It’s better thing to choose it
And run the risk to lose it
Than never know the joy
That comes from a’finding out