Track 8 of the album The Lantern Man Keeps the Last Stall Lit · 2026
The Lantern Man Keeps the Last Stall Lit
“The crowds are gone and the awnings are down, and one stall is still lit. The title song, and the nearest thing to a signature I have.”
classical crossover · classical crossover · film score · 3:40
Lyrics
The crowds have gone and the awnings are down The cobbles are wet in the old market town One stall stays open with a lantern hung high A man sorts his apples as the clouds drift by He's stood in this square for the best part of fifty years Through the sunlit crowds and the winter tears He knows every face and the weight of their needs And he leaves a few coins in the dish for those in need Keep the lantern burning, keep the last stall bright There's always someone walking home alone tonight A little light is all it takes to say you're not unseen And the lantern man keeps faith with all that's been A girl comes hurrying through the rain to buy a pear He wraps it in some paper and he asks about her care She smiles and says she's tired and the day was long And he hums her a few bars of a market song Keep the lantern burning, keep the last stall bright There's always someone walking home alone tonight A little light is all it takes to say you're not unseen And the lantern man keeps faith with all that's been Years may pass and the stalls may change But a small steady flame is never strange It leans on the dark and it holds it back Gentle and sure on the cobbled track Keep the lantern burning, keep the last stall bright There's always someone walking home alone tonight A little light is all it takes to say you're not unseen And the lantern man keeps faith with all that's been Keep the lantern burning Keep the last stall bright