Image

HEARTBREAK HOTEL

written by Mae Boren Axton, Thomas Durden & Elvis Presley

Well, since my baby left me
Well, I found a new place to dwell
Well, it’s down at the end of Lonely Street
At Heartbreak Hotel

Well, I’ll be
I’ll be so lonely baby
Well, I’m so lonely
I’ll be so lonely, I could die

Oh, although it’s always crowded
You still can find some room
For broken hearted lovers
To cry there in their gloom

They’ll be so
They’ll be so lonely, baby
Well, they’re so lonely
They’re so lonely, they could die

Now, the bell hop’s tears keep flowin’
And the desk clerk’s dressed in black
Well, they been so long on Lonely Street
They’ll never ever look back

And it’s so
Well, it’s so lonely baby
Well, they’re so lonely
Well, they’re so lonely, they could’ve die

Well, if your baby leaves you
You got a tale to tell
Well, just take a walk down Lonely Street
To Heartbreak Hotel

Where you will be
You’ll be so lonely, baby
Well you’ll be lonely
You’ll be so lonely you could die

Oh, although it’s always crowded
You still can find some room
For broken hearted lovers
To cry there in their gloom

They’ve been so
They’re be so lonely, baby
Well, they’re so lonely
They’ll be so lonely, they could die

Illustration: “Elvis,” street Art, Berne, Switzerland. (Photo by desatur8.) Elvis stars in street art all over the world. He is universally loved!

Thoughts: Elvis left the third rock from the sun on this day in 1977 — and embarked on an endless rock party across the universe. Blessed with talent, looks, charisma, a killer smile, and about the best voice ever, Elvis graced us with his presence for 42 beautiful years. My favorite Elvis tune is “Heartbreak Hotel,” originally recorded in 1956 — it was his first number-one hit and first million seller. What great lyrics! What a great melody! What a great beat! What great singing! What great guitar work!

Nearly a half century after it hit the airwaves, Rolling Stone magazine declared the tune one of the 500 greatest songs of all time. Keith Richards recalls hearing “Heartbreak Hotel” for the first time: “I’d never heard…anything like it. I’d never heard of Elvis before. It was almost as if I’d been waiting for it to happen. When I woke up the next day I was a different guy.”

Listen to Elvis sing this classic song here.