At the time of their 1990 debut, the kind of rock & roll the Black Crowes specialize in was out of style. Only Guns N' Roses came close to approximating a vintage Stones-style raunch, but they were too angry and jagged to pull it off completely. The Black Crowes replicated that Stonesy swagger and Faces boogie perfectly. Vocalist Chris Robinson appropriated the sound and style of vintage Rod Stewart while guitarist Rich Robinson fused Keith Richards' lean attack with Ron Wood's messy rhythmic sense. At their best, the Black Crowes echo classic rock without slavishly imitating their influences.
The Robinson brothers originally formed the Black Crowes in Georgia in 1984. By the time of their 1990 debut, Shake Your Money Maker, the group comprised Chris Robinson (vocals), Rich Robinson (guitar), Johnny Colt (bass), Jeff Cease (guitar), and Steve Gorman (drums). "Jealous Again," the first single from Shake Your Money Maker, was a moderate hit but it was the band's cover of Otis Redding's "Hard to Handle" that made the group a multi-platinum success. "Hard to Handle" climbed its way into the Top 40, propelling the album into the Top Ten. The acoustic ballad "She Talks to Angels" became the band's second Top 40 hit in the spring of 1991. Shake Your Money Maker would eventually sell over three million copies.
The Black Crowes delivered their second album, The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion, in the spring of 1992, adding new lead guitarist Marc Ford and keyboardist Eddie Harsch. It entered the charts at number one, but it didn't have as many hit singles as the debut; none of the singles cracked the Top 40 and only "Remedy" and "Thorn in My Pride" made the Top 100. Nevertheless, the band established themselves as a popular concert attraction that summer, selling out theaters across America. The Black Crowes' third album, Amorica, arrived in late 1994. Amorica debuted in the Top Ten, but none of the singles from the album made the charts; even though the record went gold, it slipped off the charts in early 1995.
Three Snakes & One Charm, the group's fourth album, was released in July of 1996. The album entered the charts at number 15, but it quickly slipped out of the Top 50. Nevertheless, the album received the best reviews of any Crowes album since The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion. Guitarist Marc Ford was fired from the Black Crowes in August, 1997; two years later, the group returned with By Your Side. In mid-2000, the band collaborated with Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page on the double-disc Live at the Greek, an eclectic mix of newly recorded Zeppelin covers and additional classic blues cuts. A Tribute to a Work in Progress: Greatest Hits 1990-1999, a 16-track best-of compilation was also released in mid-2000. The Don Was-produced Lions appeared in spring 2001, and a summer tour with Oasis -- the Tour of Brotherly Love -- followed in June. But all was apparently not well with the group, in January of 2002 the band announced that they were on hiatus. Drummer Steve Gorman was fired from the band, and Chris Robinson announced his intentions for a solo career.
The Black Crowes have since reunited. All members circa 1992 are back, with the addition of one of their previous bassists, Sven Pipien, and harmony singers Mona Lisa Young and Charity White. They are enjoying a renaissance within the group as well as with their longtime fan base and have been consistently touring since formally reuniting in March 2005. In November of 2007, it was announced that North Mississippi Allstar guitarist Luther Dickinson formally joined the band, replacing Paul Stacey. He appears throughout the Crowes' album Warpaint, which was released in March of 2008.
In late 2019, during an interview on The Howard Stern Show, Chris and Rich Robinson announced that they had resolved their differences (the brothers hadn't spoken in the years since the band's 2015 split). Besides the Robinson brothers, the reunited lineup featured an entirely new backing band including guitarist Isiah Mitchell (from the bands Earthless and Golden Void), bassist Tim Lefebvre (formerly of the Tedeschi Trucks Band), keyboardist Joel Robinow, and drummer Raj Ojha. This line-up premiered at The Bowery Ballroom in New York City on November 11, 2019 where they played the entire Shake Your Money Maker album.
Hotel Illness
The Black Crowes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I must have left it outside with my etiquette
The undertaker's rule of thumb
It's hard to talk with a novocain tongue
This room smells like hotel illness
The scars I hide are now your business
I can't seem to make hair nor hide of this
Hypnotize by your rotten behavior
This week's fashion is last year's flavor
I got a head full of sermons and a mouth full of spiders
The politics of the world's greatest liar, every time
This room smells like hotel illness
The scars I hide are now your business
I can't seem to make hair nor hide of this
No baby love is not a punishment
So tell me baby is it true all those things that they say about you
This room smells like hotel illness
The scars I hide are now your business
I can't seem to make hair nor hide of this
No baby love is not a punishment
No love ain't
Love ain't
Love is not a punishment
In the Black Crowes song "Hotel Illness," the singer is in a state of despair and confusion. The lyrics suggest that he has lost his medication and his sense of decorum, as he left it outside with his etiquette. The reference to the undertaker's rule of thumb is unclear but could be interpreted as a metaphor for the inevitability of death. The singer is struggling to communicate, as his tongue is numb from novocain. The room he is in smells like hotel illness, suggesting a stale and impersonal environment. He confesses that he has scars, both physical and emotional, which are now the listener's business. Despite his struggles, he reassures his love interest that love is not a punishment.
The second verse suggests that the singer is attracted to someone who is not good for him. He is hypnotized by their "rotten behavior" and is out of step with current fashion, still clinging to last year's style. He feels burdened by the weight of knowledge and hypocrisy, as he has a "head full of sermons and a mouth full of spiders." He recognizes the dishonesty of politicians, perhaps alluding to political corruption that he sees in the world around him.
Despite his disillusionment, the singer returns to the refrain, insisting that his love interest is not a punishment. The final line, "Love is not a punishment," is repeated several times, perhaps as a reminder to himself or as a message of hope to the listener.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh good heavens, baby where's my medicine?
The singer is asking for their medicine and expressing their distress/panic.
I must have left it outside with my etiquette
The singer has lost their sense of decorum/manners.
The undertaker's rule of thumb
A reference to an idea/stereotype about undertakers (death) being a grim or oppressive force.
It's hard to talk with a novocain tongue
The artist is under the influence of something that makes it hard to communicate effectively.
This room smells like hotel illness
The artist perceives the environment as unclean or sickly.
The scars I hide are now your business
The singer's emotional wounds are now being exposed/observed by someone else.
I can't seem to make hair nor hide of this
The situation is confusing and hard to understand/resolve.
No baby love is not a punishment
The artist is assuring someone that love shouldn't be painful/punishing.
Hypnotize by your rotten behavior
The artist is describing being negatively affected by someone's bad actions/attitude.
This week's fashion is last year's flavor
A comment on trends and how quickly they become outdated/unimportant.
I got a head full of sermons and a mouth full of spiders
The singer has a lot on their mind but feels unable to express themselves.
The politics of the world's greatest liar, every time
A commentary on dishonesty/manipulation in politics and/or personal relationships.
So tell me baby is it true all those things that they say about you
The singer wants to know if rumors/stories they've heard about someone else are accurate.
No love ain't
The singer is negating a previous statement about love being painful/punishing.
Love ain't
Reiteration of the above.
Love is not a punishment
Final affirmation that love should not be hurtful or negative.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Chris Robinson, Christopher Mark Robinson, Rich Robinson, Rich S. Robinson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Oh good heavens, baby where is my medicine?
Well I must have left it outside with my etiquette
The undertaker's rule of thumb
It's hard to talk with a novocain tongue
This room smells like hotel illness
The scars I hide are now your business
I can't seem to make hair nor hide of this
No baby love aint a punishment.
Hypnotize by your rotten behavior
This week's fashion is last year's flavor
I got a head full of sermons and a mouth full of spiders
The politics of the world's greatest liar
So tell me baby is it true all those things that they say about you...
Rob Foster
Not only the Black Crowe’s best song, and I’ve made a living out of playing many of those songs in front of people for years. But almost 4 minutes of FULL volume all time perfection. I know the rock era from the 50’s on, but this note-bending harp, acoustic, lead, shutting her down at perfection. The Beatles accomplished many things in their catalog, no doubt there’s no comparison, but really this is 4 minutes of studio time that can’t be done any better. Magnus Opus.
hobbsmack
Agreed
Gareth Wilkinson
It is indeed joyous Americana, amigo.
Gareth Wilkinson
Additional to my previous: Soul Singing is superb.
Scott Sedam
So legendary and a great story. I salute your thoughts and comments.🎉
Riley McIntosh
Absolutely right about that
stacyann825
"Oh good heavens baby where is my medicine. Well I must have left it outside with my etiquette". Favorite Crows song!!! By far!!
DrShankenstein
This dude's voice is incredible!
Christopher Sauriol
This song is more Exile than Exile
Simonstopher
How is this not one of the most viewed and adored songs of all time??