I was standing at a big hotel
Wishing 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
Looking down that barrel, I could see the gates of hell
Standing at a big hotel
So I went walking down the avenue
Looking for someone that looked like you
But I never saw a face that seemed to ring a bell
I stopped beside the five and dime
Just window shopping and wasting time
When along came a gal, sold me all she had to sell
She left me standing at a big hotel
I lost my mind in the wilds of Hollywood
And I did some time in the shadows where I stood
I let the cards fall where they fell
And then I found myself standing at a big hotel
Blind lady with her old tin cup
Had her pencils all sharpened up
She was standing in the door just to see what she could sell
But nobody bought a thing all night
They just thought she was a pitiful sight
You know the Lord helps a girl who helps herself
Standing at a big hotel
Ah, but I know what you're thinking 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
Here I am with a bird dog and a bottle of Muscatel
Standing at a big hotel (God dang, oh)
I lost my mind in the wilds of Hollywood
And then I did some time in the shadows where I stood
I let the cards fall where they fell
And then I found myself standing at a big hotel
Yeah, I found myself standing at a big hotel