Ralph's Sleeve notes from 'The Very Best of Ralph McTell:'

"Mrs Adlam's Angels comes from a Sunday School teacher who played the organ at the Mint Walk Mission where I used to go when I was a little lad. I suppose it's fair to say that I was very religious, quite voluntarily, and ready to believe in anything like that, and I thought Mrs. Adlam radiated such goodness that I felt she was was quite holy - I was looking at her playing, and I was sure I could see this aura arond her, and the song is about that naivety and faith she had, and the faith I had which I lost as I got older."