Hotel Books began in 2010. After the release of "Call Me Human," many demos were released online, which ultimately became "Everything We Could Have Done Differently." After extensive touring in the US and overseas, the band signed to InVogue Records, under which they released a double-packaged EP, "I'm Almost Happy Here, But I Never Feel At Home" as well as two full band records, "Run Wild, Young Beauty," and "Run Wild, Stay Alive," along with two albums in the "Equivalency" series and an experimental LP "I'll Leave the Light on Just in Case."
The band's InVogue Records debut, "I'm Almost Happy Here, But I Never Feel at Home" was released July 1, 2014, via InVogue Records. The album received mostly positive reviews, as well as earned the band their first Billboard chartings; No. 9 on Alternative New Artists and No. 20 on Heatseekers, for the album's debut week. Their next effort, "Run Wild, Young Beauty," was released on April 7, 2015, and spent three total weeks on the Billboard charts.
In 2016, Hotel Books released their second long-player "Run Wild, Stay Alive" to negative and mixed reviews. The album focused more on the rock elements and traditional song structure.
In October of 2017, Hotel Books released "Equivalency" via InVogue Records to critical acclaim.
Hotel Books has toured the United States, Europe, Asia, and Australia, playing with a variety of notable acts, including Defeater, Counterparts, and I Prevail.
Sometimes I Feel Like Nothing
Hotel Books Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Death forgot to thank me when I set her free.
Come empty and you won't need anything,
Believe in your own blood until your heart stops beating,
And then you too will be set free.
Tear down your towers and build bridges,
Your god is a fraud if you wrote the mission.
And the devil will die when he has no witness,
I'm the vessel, not the poison.
And I didn't want to lose you, But sometimes I forget
When my prayers feel like they're just cigarettes.
They'll take the headache away, then turn to ash,
But they bring me back to life every time I find a new light,
But then they bring up my past,
And I fall further and further, and further,
Until I'm afraid to get back up because
I don't want to fall again.
And I never thought I would be the one to fall in love
And I also never thought I'd be the one, the one to call it off.
But if there's one thing I know about myself,
It's that I don't know anything about myself.
'Cause you were nothing than a choice I had to choose,
A tool I had to use,
My favorite drug and my favorite excuse.
And my hands are not clean, maybe they never will be,
But they can still carry you home when you're ready to sleep.
And the only reason the devil's alive in you and me
Is because we disrupted him when he tried to fall asleep.
The opening lines of "Sometimes I Feel Like Nothing" by Hotel Books signify the singer's relationship with death, specifically with a person who has passed away. The reference to "broken sleep" suggests that the singer is having trouble getting restful nights due to their thoughts and feelings, which is likely connected to the death of the person they recently let go. Furthermore, the line "Death forgot to thank me when I set her free" could mean that the singer took on the responsibility of letting go of the person who has passed away. The idea of "setting her free" coupled with the lack of gratitude from death could indicate that the singer may have had a complicated relationship with the person who died, which could further contribute to their feelings of emptiness and nothingness.
The following lines emphasize the importance of being content with oneself, of having a sense of self-worth that's more significant than material objects. Specifically, the lines "Come empty and you won't need anything, Believe in your own blood until your heart stops beating, And then you too will be set free" seem to suggest that we can find fulfillment and happiness by letting go of our physical possessions and placing value on our own experiences and personal growth. In essence, the singer seems to be emphasizing the importance of becoming self-sufficient before we can help others.
The second verse shifts the focus onto the singer's relationship issues, specifically with romantic love. The line "And I didn't want to lose you, But sometimes I forget" highlights the ambivalence that can be present in romantic relationships. At times, we may feel incredibly dedicated and invested in our partners, but occasionally we may forget the reasons why we're with them in the first place. The line "When my prayers feel like they're just cigarettes" seems to indicate that the singer views their attempts to hold onto the relationship as a fleeting solution that is bound to die away eventually. The lines "But they bring me back to life every time I find a new light, But then they bring up my past, And I fall further and further, and further" further drive home the idea that the singer is wrestling with their past and is unable to move on.
As for the chorus, it highlights the fact that the singer is grappling with their sense of self, acknowledging the difficulty that comes with identifying who we truly are. The lines "But if there's one thing I know about myself, It's that I don't know anything about myself" suggest a sense of confusion and uncertainty about their personality and identity.
Overall, "Sometimes I Feel Like Nothing" emphasizes the pain that can come with relationships and death. The singer grapples with their past and ultimately comes to understand the importance of self-sufficiency before reliance on others.
Line by Line Meaning
As the broken sleep,
In a state of unrest and disarray,
Death forgot to thank me when I set her free.
My struggle with mortality goes unnoticed when I numb myself with distractions.
Come empty and you won't need anything,
A state of detachment from material possessions leads to inner peace.
Believe in your own blood until your heart stops beating,
Have faith in your innate potential until the end of your life.
And then you too will be set free.
The release from worldly attachments happens after death.
Tear down your towers and build bridges,
Dismantle your mental barriers and form connections with others.
Your god is a fraud if you wrote the mission.
The idea of a higher power is hollow if it serves the interests of humans.
And the devil will die when he has no witness,
Evil thrives on attention and perishes without an audience.
I'm not broken, I am nothing.
My lack of identity and purpose renders me powerless.
I'm the vessel, not the poison.
I bear the burdens of others without succumbing to them.
And I didn't want to lose you, But sometimes I forget
I desire companionship but neglect it when I indulge in vices.
When my prayers feel like they're just cigarettes.
My attempts at spirituality are futile and temporary.
They'll take the headache away, then turn to ash,
My coping mechanisms provide temporary relief but leave me worse off in the long run.
But they bring me back to life every time I find a new light,
My hope in the face of adversity helps me overcome my struggles.
But then they bring up my past,
My regrets and mistakes resurface when I try to move on.
And I fall further and further, and further,
My downward spiral intensifies with each setback.
Until I'm afraid to get back up because
My fear of failure prevents me from making progress.
I don't want to fall again.
I don't want to relive the disappointment and pain of past failures.
And I never thought I would be the one to fall in love
I never expected to feel romantic affection.
And I also never thought I'd be the one, the one to call it off.
I didn't anticipate being the one to end a relationship.
But if there's one thing I know about myself,
My self-awareness is limited.
It's that I don't know anything about myself.
I lack a clear sense of identity and purpose.
'Cause you were nothing than a choice I had to choose,
My decision to pursue a relationship was merely a practical one.
A tool I had to use,
My partner was a means to an end.
My favorite drug and my favorite excuse.
I relied on the relationship as a crutch for my personal issues.
And my hands are not clean, maybe they never will be,
I have made mistakes and am imperfect.
But they can still carry you home when you're ready to sleep.
Despite my flaws, I can still offer comfort and aid to others.
And the only reason the devil's alive in you and me
Evil persists in the world because humans perpetuate it.
Is because we disrupted him when he tried to fall asleep.
Our resistance against injustice and oppression keeps the spirit of rebellion alive.
Contributed by Savannah F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Brandon Walker
Spoken word bands are a wonderful thing to have in the scene. I'm glad these guys are doing what they love
Mackenzie K
Nor Sabrina the bands Casey and being as an ocean have some spoken word in their songs. I don’t know any band that sounds really close to hotel books but la dispute are kinda similar if you haven’t already heard about them.
Sabrina Salimi
can you recommend me some other spoken words band? thank u
Joey Knight
this hits harder than a fucking bus.
R4V3N CR4V3N
Joseph Knight I hear ya man... I hear ya on that ..
Matthew Dales
Or a potato gun launched with a baby.
Summer Elliott
or life lol
thewhynotadventures
@***** or everything
AWeD
The hardest part of this song is trying not to cry.
no nxme
I shidded