Song Titles with "Hotel"

December 2009 marked the twentieth anniversary of a sense of justice in the eyes of the common man. Hotel Queen Leona Helmsley lost her appeal on an indictment of tax evasion in 1989, and would end up in prison the following April.

For many honest working people Helmsley's indictment represented that the rich were as responsible as the non-rich for paying taxes. The fact is Helmsley had alienated most working class members when she said, "We don't pay taxes, only the little people pay taxes."

Though many of the rich people are still evading taxes, let's celebrate this anniversary of one who was finally caught. Here is a list of the ten best songs with the word "hotel" in their titles.

10. "Chelsea Hotel" by Llloyd Cole and the Commotions: This track is typical of Cole's work. There's good guitar work and honest lyrics, such as "You told me again you preferred handsome men, But for me you would make an exception."

9. "Hangdog Hotel Room" by Gordon Lightfoot: The man known for mellow hits such as "Sundown" and "Carefree Highway" also recorded his share of foot-stomping country-rock, as is evident on this track from Endless Wire.

8. "Brothers on a Hotel Bed" by Death Cab for Cutie: From the indie band's excellent Plans album, this title is a clever analogy of how the lust-filled singer feels about the girl who wants their friendship to remain platonic.

7. "Heartbreak Hotel" by Elvis Presley: Presley's breathy vocals have made this one of his most memorable songs. In spite of Its lyrics of loneliness and bluesy rhythm, the song remains somehow uplifting and lively.

6. "Hotel Arizona" by Wilco: The title might fit better on Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, but it is one of the stellar tracks from Being There. The lyrics about stardom are uncharacteristically short for Jeff Tweedy.

5. "Beat Hotel" by The Bongos: One of the most underrated bands from the new wave 80s, the Bongos made their farewell with this title track from their last successful album. It has a choppy rhythm and the Beatles-like shared vocals of Richard Barone and James Maestro.

4. "Hotel California" by The Eagles: This famous song transformed the group from a country-rock hit machine to an arena-filling electric jam band. The meaning of the lyrics is still being debated thirty years after its release, a strong indication of the song's endurance.

3. "Hotel Yorba" by The White Stripes: Jack White is at his best when he takes himself less seriously, and that is evident in this countrified account of a stay at a second-rate hotel. Its acoustic flavor helps complement some of the electric tracks on the band's best album, White Blood Cells.

2. "Grand Hotel" by Procol Harum: The title track from my favorite Harum LP has a slow, lightly orchestrated sound to perhaps make you feel right at home in spite of the exquisite food and drink presented to you.

1. "Motel Matches" by Elvis Costello: Costello's early lyrics often involved sex, and here on Get Happy he has "Boys everywhere fumbling with the catches" and a girl being given "away like motel matches."