Melody
Squeeze!! Lyrics
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In his town and country car
He watched the working women
With the field hands from the farm
He walked into the lobby
With his pleased to see you smile
Scribbled on to the register
His fictitious name and smiled
Came tapping along the hall
The outline of his features
Were shadowed on the wall
She stood a little nervous
Half lit by the neon light
That flashed in many colours
Through the darkness of the night
The skin on his face
Like a well worn saddle
Smiled as he said goodnight
At the melody motel
It was business as usual
As the girls wiped the tears from their eyes
His shirt lay by his bedside
His jeans down by his feet
She swallowed hard and mumbled
With the key between her teeth
On went the television
The picture flickering slow
Top cat in the alley way
As they sat there all alone
He drove back up his driveway
In his town and country car
His wife was cooking chicken
With a baby in her arms
The smell of home cooked dinner
Filled the air at home that night
Screaming Officer Dibble
In the TV's flickering light
Slumped in his favourite armchair
His face as grey as stone
His feet up on the table
Next to the chicken bones
He seemed to show no feelings
Picking corn out from his teeth
Police down at the motel
As the blood dried on the sheets
The song Melody Motel by Squeeze tells the story of a man who is unfaithful to his wife and has arrived at a sleazy motel for business as usual. The man scribbles a false name on the register and waits in the lobby with a pleased-to-see-you smile. A young girl walks down the hall, casts nervous glances at the man, and lets him into the room. Meanwhile, the girls who work there wipe their tears from their eyes — as if this were just another day in their line of work.
As the man leaves the motel, he returns home to his wife cooking chicken with their baby. The image of home-cooked dinner and domesticity makes the contrast between his two lives more apparent, though he does not seem to show any feelings. He picks corn out of his teeth and stares blankly at the TV, which is playing Top Cat. The man's detachment from his actions and their consequences is disturbing.
The final lines of the song suggest that, despite the man's attempts to cover his tracks, the police have caught onto his affairs. The story ends on a gruesome note, with blood drying on the sheets of the motel room.
Overall, Melody Motel is a haunting depiction of infidelity and its destructive consequences. It is a warning against the perils of leading a double life and the toll it takes on all involved.
Line by Line Meaning
He drove up to the motel
He arrived at the motel
In his town and country car
He arrived in his luxury car
He watched the working women
He observed the prostitutes
With the field hands from the farm
Alongside the farm workers
He walked into the lobby
He entered the reception area
With his pleased to see you smile
Smiling genuinely
Scribbled on to the register
He wrote a fake name on the register
His fictitious name and smiled
He grinned after writing a fake name on the register
The footsteps of a young girl
Sounds of a girl walking
Came tapping along the hall
She walked down the hallway
The outline of his features
His shadow was visible
Were shadowed on the wall
Reflected on the wall
She stood a little nervous
She was anxious
Half lit by the neon light
Partially illuminated by neon light
That flashed in many colours
Several coloured lights flashing
Through the darkness of the night
Despite the darkness of the night
The skin on his face
His facial expression
Like a well-worn saddle
Wrinkled like a well-used saddle
Smiled as he said goodnight
He bid goodnight with a smile
At the melody motel
In the named motel called the melody
It was business as usual
His routine continued as usual
As the girls wiped the tears from their eyes
Prostitutes wiping off their tears
His shirt lay by his bedside
His shirt on his bed
His jeans down by his feet
His jeans off by his bed
She swallowed hard and mumbled
She nervously murmured
With the key between her teeth
Holding the key in her mouth
On went the television
He switched on the TV
The picture flickering slow
The TV image was flickering slowly
Top cat in the alleyway
A TV cartoon called 'Top Cat'
As they sat there all alone
Together in the motel room
He drove back up his driveway
He drove home
In his town and country car
In his expensive car
His wife was cooking chicken
His wife was preparing dinner
With a baby in her arms
Holding a baby
The smell of home-cooked dinner
The scent of a meal being cooked at home
Filled the air at home that night
The house was consuming the aroma of a fresh meal
Screaming Officer Dibble
Another TV show noise
In the TV's flickering light
Illuminated by the television's flashing
Slumped in his favourite armchair
Laying comfortably in his favourite chair
His face as grey as stone
Expressionless face
His feet up on the table
Relaxing with feet on the table
Next to the chicken bones
Beside the dinner leftovers
He seemed to show no feelings
He appeared emotionless
Picking corn out from his teeth
Removing food from his teeth
Police down at the motel
The police visited the motel
As the blood dried on the sheets
The motel sheets had blood on them
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHRIS DIFFORD, GLENN TILBROOK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@icanwaitanotherday
He was in great voice that night- wonderful performance!
@NeilRichardsMusic
I was at this show and I loved it.I've seen this band many time but this was special because I got to hang out with Criss and Glen.Thanks for the wonderful memory's of a great night
@icanwaitanotherday
Fantastic piano solo!!
@witchbax
Great, peppy little song-about murder.
@andyinoregon
Whether speaking or singing to the audience, Glenn Tilbrook always sounds like a young John Lennon.