In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Welcome.......
To the.......
Karma.........
Hoooooooo..........
Welcome.......
To the.......
Karma.........
Hoooooooo..........
Karma Hotel lobby, and I'm lookin' for enlightenment
Concierge, where can I go to find adventure and excitement?
Played of all the casinos, bars, and orgies, they bore me
Here's another twenty, now what you got for me?
He stared at me hard, finally dipped in his drawer
Flipped the elevator keys and said "Go to the fourteenth floor"
So in a flash I was there, cold knock on the door
Bombarded by cigar smoke, the smell of Hell and War
And when the fog cleared, the scene was like an eerie nightmare
"Come in, we've been waitin' on you for years"
"You wanted adventure, now you got it boy, don't show me no tears,"
"This is the place where you face your desires and fears,"
In each of his hands was a revolver, forty-five in the left
Twenty-two in his right
Russian roulette's the game tonight
And there's NO escape, so don't try to run
But I'll fill your life with bliss if you're alive once the death wheel has spun
"Choose your gun"
Gimme the forty-five, I said with a smile
"Here's a shiny silver bullet, might as well go out in style"
Put one in the cylinder, spun it, aimed at my dome and slowly clicked it
Now I feel the adrenheline rush that's got me so addicted
Motivatin' me to play, a second time, then a third time
Fourth time I clicked and popped
BOOM! Money shot
Next morning, cops found me, needle stickin' out my arm
Peep the drama, another sad story at the Karma
Welcome to the Karma Hotel
Looks like Heaven but could be Hell
Where pleasant screams transform to yells
And every suite casts its own spell
(2x)
Peep the gamblin' scene
Gettin' dough as he rambled the fiends
Exotic queens dancin' with tamborines
And the Gambler's theme
One eye open, one eye scopin'
Watchin' his gat, watchin' his back
Watchin' his stack, watchin' his wrap
Watchin' his deck, as people notice like
"OH SHIT! Boy just won a hundred grand!"
"Where? Where? Oh my God, at Table Seven, did you see him yet?"
Look at his chips, all that green growin' like Chia Pets
Two out the handle and he can't stop
The more and more the fans flock, the more the dice out his hands drop
Walk in the room, he's bettin' and makin' money and every table
Women are sweatin' him like he was James Bond or Joe David
Yeah, he's satisfied, he's in his element now
To do this for the rest of his life is how it's goin' down
So it seems like, he got his whole shit set
But his son is gangbangin' in the park, holdin' a rain check
Meanwhile, somehow, somethin' is kinda eerie
About this place that he seems to be payin' a permanent visit to
Every face he sees, expressionless, like a mannequin
He really wants to leave, but stays cool, to avoid panickin'
He's gettin' the same attention, but somethin' seems sorta different
He's wrinklin' up, losin' weight, and his body's startin' to stiffen
Now he notices years have passed in one night
He made more cash than we could imagine, but never lived life
Welcome to the Karma Hotel
Looks like Heaven but could be Hell
Where pleasant screams transform to yells
And every suite casts its own spell
Since we're all trapped in, peace guys, see you later
I'ma go to that red door near the elevator
Triple nines on nails danglin' off the door
Excuse me sir, I didn't notice you before
Pleased to meet you, Macristo's the name
Pretty young thing
Come into my room, I'd like to play a game, it's called "Doom"
Beat the friends and family
Gotta give yourself to me
By the way, what's your name?
Eve
Check the scenery
Looks so happy, at the same time
The way they're entwined seems so good it's a crime
Believe in me as I believe in you, live it up tonight
Well fuck it I feel I've got all of my life!
So true, pleasure and pain, transform lust to thrust
One night stands of hot sex, the bottle entrusts
Oooh, invitation accepted, too good to reject it
So I join in unprotected
Expected, one life to live, don't respect it
Respect what?
Ooh, you poor child you've been neglected
Cristo why do I feel so cold?
It's like each time I climax you take a piece of my soul
You could never leave, you made a pact with the Devil himself
Infected in my family of trust, my daughter of lust
So what you're tellin' me is I can't leave!
And I'm trapped here for eternity!
Oooooohhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!
Welcome to the Karma Hotel
Looks like Heaven but could be Hell
Where pleasant screams transform to yells
And every suite casts its own spell
To the.......
Karma.........
Hoooooooo..........
Welcome.......
To the.......
Karma.........
Hoooooooo..........
Karma Hotel lobby, and I'm lookin' for enlightenment
Concierge, where can I go to find adventure and excitement?
Played of all the casinos, bars, and orgies, they bore me
Here's another twenty, now what you got for me?
He stared at me hard, finally dipped in his drawer
Flipped the elevator keys and said "Go to the fourteenth floor"
So in a flash I was there, cold knock on the door
Bombarded by cigar smoke, the smell of Hell and War
And when the fog cleared, the scene was like an eerie nightmare
"Come in, we've been waitin' on you for years"
"You wanted adventure, now you got it boy, don't show me no tears,"
"This is the place where you face your desires and fears,"
In each of his hands was a revolver, forty-five in the left
Twenty-two in his right
Russian roulette's the game tonight
And there's NO escape, so don't try to run
But I'll fill your life with bliss if you're alive once the death wheel has spun
"Choose your gun"
Gimme the forty-five, I said with a smile
"Here's a shiny silver bullet, might as well go out in style"
Put one in the cylinder, spun it, aimed at my dome and slowly clicked it
Now I feel the adrenheline rush that's got me so addicted
Motivatin' me to play, a second time, then a third time
Fourth time I clicked and popped
BOOM! Money shot
Next morning, cops found me, needle stickin' out my arm
Peep the drama, another sad story at the Karma
Welcome to the Karma Hotel
Looks like Heaven but could be Hell
Where pleasant screams transform to yells
And every suite casts its own spell
(2x)
Peep the gamblin' scene
Gettin' dough as he rambled the fiends
Exotic queens dancin' with tamborines
And the Gambler's theme
One eye open, one eye scopin'
Watchin' his gat, watchin' his back
Watchin' his stack, watchin' his wrap
Watchin' his deck, as people notice like
"OH SHIT! Boy just won a hundred grand!"
"Where? Where? Oh my God, at Table Seven, did you see him yet?"
Look at his chips, all that green growin' like Chia Pets
Two out the handle and he can't stop
The more and more the fans flock, the more the dice out his hands drop
Walk in the room, he's bettin' and makin' money and every table
Women are sweatin' him like he was James Bond or Joe David
Yeah, he's satisfied, he's in his element now
To do this for the rest of his life is how it's goin' down
So it seems like, he got his whole shit set
But his son is gangbangin' in the park, holdin' a rain check
Meanwhile, somehow, somethin' is kinda eerie
About this place that he seems to be payin' a permanent visit to
Every face he sees, expressionless, like a mannequin
He really wants to leave, but stays cool, to avoid panickin'
He's gettin' the same attention, but somethin' seems sorta different
He's wrinklin' up, losin' weight, and his body's startin' to stiffen
Now he notices years have passed in one night
He made more cash than we could imagine, but never lived life
Welcome to the Karma Hotel
Looks like Heaven but could be Hell
Where pleasant screams transform to yells
And every suite casts its own spell
Since we're all trapped in, peace guys, see you later
I'ma go to that red door near the elevator
Triple nines on nails danglin' off the door
Excuse me sir, I didn't notice you before
Pleased to meet you, Macristo's the name
Pretty young thing
Come into my room, I'd like to play a game, it's called "Doom"
Beat the friends and family
Gotta give yourself to me
By the way, what's your name?
Eve
Check the scenery
Looks so happy, at the same time
The way they're entwined seems so good it's a crime
Believe in me as I believe in you, live it up tonight
Well fuck it I feel I've got all of my life!
So true, pleasure and pain, transform lust to thrust
One night stands of hot sex, the bottle entrusts
Oooh, invitation accepted, too good to reject it
So I join in unprotected
Expected, one life to live, don't respect it
Respect what?
Ooh, you poor child you've been neglected
Cristo why do I feel so cold?
It's like each time I climax you take a piece of my soul
You could never leave, you made a pact with the Devil himself
Infected in my family of trust, my daughter of lust
So what you're tellin' me is I can't leave!
And I'm trapped here for eternity!
Oooooohhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!
Welcome to the Karma Hotel
Looks like Heaven but could be Hell
Where pleasant screams transform to yells
And every suite casts its own spell
Lyrics submitted by Moondragon
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