Standin' At A Big Hotel Lyrics - Ely Joe

(Butch Hancock) 

I was standin at a big hotel 

wishin everybody well 

but if anybody paid me any mind it was hard to tell 

a big policeman on his beat 

pulled his pistol and he pointed at me 

lookin down the barrel I could see the gates of hell 

I was Standin' At A Big Hotel 

so i went walkin down the avenue 

lookin for someone who looked like you 

but I never saw a face that seemed to ring a bell 

so I stopped beside the five and dime 

just window-shoppin and wastin time 

when along came a gal who sold me all she had to sell 

she left me Standin' At A Big Hotel 

I lost my mind in the wilds of Hollywood 

I did some time in the shadows where I stood 

I let the cards fall where they fell... 

and I found myself Standin' At A Big Hotel 

a blind lady with a big tin cup 

had her pencils all sharpened up 

she was standin in the door just to see what she could sell 

but nobody bought a thing all night 

they thought she was a pitiful sight 

Lord help the gal who helps herself 

Standin' At A Big Hotel 

long gone are horse n buggy days 

big limousines are here to stay 

and when they see you to the door 

they want something for their help 

but I saw somebody make a little slip 

he only left the kid a ten cent tip 

you shoulda heard what I heard when I heard that bell boy yell... 

Standin' At A Big Hotel 

Lord Lord what's the matter with me 

to pay so much for the song I sing 

when all I was doin was singin it to myself 

like standin in a stagnant stream 

with nothin in the world left to dream 

I was dyin at the bottom of a dried up wishin well 

I was Standin' At A Big Hotel 

well I know what you're thinkin today 

I can feel it though I'm miles away 

everybody knows I love my southern belle 

but from the east to the wild wild west 

they say a bird in the hand is best 

so here I am with a bird dog and a bottle of muscatel 

Standin' At A Big Hotel