Born on April 26, 1974 in Massillon, Ohio, a small town 20 miles south of Akron, Patrick Sweany turned professional in the late '90s. First, he became a fixture at regional blues festivals, then in 1999 he put out his debut I Wanna Tell You on Ayao Records. Sweany switched from acoustic to electric in 1991, assembling a band that notably featured Dan Auerbach, a guitarist who would later gain fame as the leader of the Black Keys. Over the next few years, he ground away on the blues circuit, releasing henryfordbedroom on Ayao in 2003.
In 2006, Sweany signed with Nine Mile, releasing the Dan Auerbach-produced album C'mon C'mere that year. Auerbach also produced 2008's Every Hour Is a Dollar Gone. Sweany relocated to Nashville 2009, releasing That Old Southern Drag in 2011.
By this point, Sweany's career started to gain momentum due to his appearances on streaming services. Close to the Floor appeared in 2013 and Daytime Turned to Nighttime arrived in 2015. Sweany expanded his sonic horizons on Ancient Noise, a 2018 album recorded at Sam Phillips Recording.
Hotel Women
Patrick Sweany Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A man can take comfort when he's all alone
Oh god forgive all the hotel women
'Cause they were there for me when it was all wrong
Oh how I love to see my hotel women
Oh so exciting, so fun at first
Late in the night time you feel bored at the right time
The cold light of morning feelings get hurt
There comes a time when wine and liquor will flow
I'm here with my old friends in my hotel woman
The table, the tv, the bed and the door
(Solo)
I've got nobody in my hotel woman
Once in a while it's paid for by the club
My feet feel so heavy and I'm having a bevy
And you're just the thing that I was thinking of
I can't see you tonight, my hotel woman
It makes me ashamed how I've thrown enough away
There ain't nothing wrong with you, my hotel woman
It's what's wrong with me, now drive away
Oh how I love to see my hotel women
Oh so exciting, so fun at first
Late in the night time you feel bored at the right time
The cold light of morning, the feelings get hurt
(Second solo)
There ain't no forever in a hotel woman
No use to weep, cry or moan
Checkout at eleven, without exception (good God)
You can't stay here, man, you gotta go home
The song Hotel Women by Patrick Sweany describes the life of a man who spends a lot of time on the road, and the many women he meets during his stay at hotels. He confesses that he finds comfort in these transient relationships as he is often alone on the road. Feeling ashamed of himself, he acknowledges that there is nothing wrong with the hotel women but with himself, and that he cannot stay with them forever. The song also touches on how the temporary nature of these encounters makes them seem even more exciting and fun at first but eventually leads to feelings of boredom and hurt when the reality sets in with the breaking dawn.
Hotel Women tells a poignant story of the moral and emotional emptiness that can develop in the world of a traveling musician. On one hand, it speaks to the thrill of new experiences and the idea of living in the moment, while on the other hand, it expresses the reality of loneliness and regret. Sweany's delivery and the melancholy melody highlight the conflicted nature of the singer's emotions as he reflects on the women he meets on the road.
Line by Line Meaning
So hard to speak about hotel woman
Describing the experience of being with a hotel woman is difficult
A man can take comfort when he's all alone
For men, being with a hotel woman can provide comfort when they are alone
Oh god forgive all the hotel women
Suggesting that hotel women may be seen as sinful and therefore need divine forgiveness
'Cause they were there for me when it was all wrong
Acknowledging that hotel women have been there for him in difficult times
Oh how I love to see my hotel women
Expressing enjoyment in being with a hotel woman
Oh so exciting, so fun at first
The initial experience of being with a hotel woman is exciting and enjoyable
Late in the night time you feel bored at the right time
Boredom can set in during the night, at a time when it is expected
The cold light of morning feelings get hurt
In the light of day, the feelings of the experience can be painful
When I feel like crying every other minute
The experience of being with a hotel woman can be emotionally turbulent
There comes a time when wine and liquor will flow
Alcohol can be a part of the experience of being with a hotel woman
I'm here with my old friends in my hotel woman
The inanimate objects in the hotel room become like old friends
The table, the tv, the bed and the door
Listing the specific objects that become familiar in a hotel room
(Solo)
Instrumental break
I've got nobody in my hotel woman
The experience of being with a hotel woman is ultimately empty
Once in a while it's paid for by the club
Suggesting that hotel women are associated with certain nightclubs or venues
My feet feel so heavy and I'm having a bevy
He feels weighted down and is drinking alcohol
And you're just the thing that I was thinking of
The hotel woman is a desired object
I can't see you tonight, my hotel woman
For some reason, he cannot see the hotel woman on this particular night
It makes me ashamed how I've thrown enough away
Acknowledging that his behavior with hotel women has been wasteful and shameful
There ain't nothing wrong with you, my hotel woman
The problem is not with the hotel woman, but with him
It's what's wrong with me, now drive away
Admitting that the cause of the problem is his own, and telling the hotel woman to leave
There ain't no forever in a hotel woman
The experience with a hotel woman is temporary and fleeting
No use to weep, cry or moan
There is no point in being sad over this fact
Checkout at eleven, without exception (good God)
Pointing out the strict checkout time for hotel rooms, possibly expressing frustration or disbelief
You can't stay here, man, you gotta go home
The experience with a hotel woman is over, and it's time to leave
Contributed by Charlie G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@lazylion420
wow, this is criminally underrated. and has way too little views.
@richardcooper5524
This guy is awesome!
@bronsonhundley4447
One of my dear favorite guitarists and singers, got me playing and singing lol love ya dude and love the vinyl I got from ya!! ❤️🤙🏻
@Christecas
AMAZING!!!
@mcc3374
Still increadible. Do yourself a favor and see Patrick live. Pretty unreal.
@OurVinyl
Glad to hear you're a fan, he's really one of the best. Thanks for checking this out!
@mikewhite6446
is this in standard tuning and where can i find the tablature to this?
@estudiogogo5903
Nowhere, but I know how to play it
and yes is standard
@vampire2525
I'd like to know what pickup he has in that Thang... I'm thinking he made the mount but love to know
@greggjohnson7
Anyone have any idea what pickup that is in the sound hole of that Fender?