In the 1980s Russell made four albums credited to the Tom Russell Band. These featured Andrew Hardin and accordionist Fats Kaplin.
In the 1990s Russell made a number of solo albums, collaborated with blues singer Barrence Whitfield on two albums, and also recorded an acoustic album mixing original material with his favorite cowboy-themed songs. His albums include several guest appearances from other folk, country, and Americana artists, such as Chris Gaffney and Dave Alvin. His song "Outbound Plane", co-written with Nanci Griffith, became a Top Ten country hit for Suzy Bogguss. His most significant album from this period is the 1999 folk opera, The Man From God Knows Where.
His more recent albums include "Blood and Candle Smoke" (2009) and "Mesabi" (2011).
The Evangeline Hotel
Tom Russell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She's an actress waitin' tables
And all her tips are kept inside a wishin' well
She's got an agent down the hall
He's got her photo on his wall
She's got a room at the Evangeline Hotel
And from the tenth floor fire escape
She can see the Great White Way
But not the street and not the eyes of those who fell
She dreams she sees her name in lights
She dreams that dream every night
Room 10-04 at the Evangeline Hotel
It's "Rock of Ages cleft for thee"
She's just a child of Tennessee
Her daddy's girl, her golden curls locked in a spell
Where you don't play your music loud
And there ain't no men allowed
On Friday nights at the Evangeline Hotel
You make it here, so they declare
Then you can make it anywhere
Those old cliches ring through the hall just like a bell
But tell it to the ones who wait
Behind the 23rd street gate
On Friday nights at the Evangeline Hotel
It's "Rock of Ages cleft for thee"
She's goin' back to Tennessee
She's got a watch and winter coat that she can sell
She learned the hard unspoken rules
And things you'll never learn in school
All down the halls of the Evangeline Hotel
And you can knock on any door
Any room on every floor
It's all the same at the Evangeline Hotel
The House of Dreams called the Evangeline Hotel
The lyrics of Tom Russell's song The Evangeline Hotel explore the life of a struggling actress who works as a waitress and lives in the titular establishment. The first verse establishes her beauty and the contrast between her glamorous aspirations and her mundane reality. She dreams of fame and fortune while working hard for her livelihood, but her tips remain in a wishing well, never amounting to much. The fact that she has an agent but still struggles hints at the cut-throat and competitive nature of show business.
In the second verse, the lyrics shift to focus on the setting of the hotel, which is located in the theater district of New York City. The view from its highest point is breathtaking, but the actress's vantage point only allows her to see the glittering lights of Broadway, not the people below. The dreams she has are every actress's dream of making it big and her room number reveals her humble situation.
The third verse takes a more poignant turn, shedding light on the realities of the young woman's life. She is not just a struggling actress, but also a girl from Tennessee with a southern upbringing. Her father presumably doted on her, but now she's a guest in a place where loud music and men aren't allowed. One can imagine that the hotel is maybe a halfway house for women just like her, trying to make it in the city of big dreams.
The fourth verse returns to the cliches of "if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere," pointing out the irony of this statement when so many struggling people remain in the same spot behind the locked gate of the hotel. People who've made it through the negative judgments of the world, the unspoken rules of gaining an edge in the industry, and succeeded in maneuvering through the corridors and elevators of this hotel have more a chance. But for many, no matter how hard they try, doors just won't open for them.
Overall, The Evangeline Hotel is a melancholy reflection on the lives of young women who struggle in a city that is both merciless and full of promise. The hotel is the one place where they can, even for a little while, feel they belong. The song is an insightful commentary on the lives of those struggling to make it, and a sad illustration of what inevitably becomes of the ones don't.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, she moves like Betty Grable
The woman moves gracefully, with poise and beauty
She's an actress waitin' tables
She is an aspiring actress who is working as a waitress to make ends meet
And all her tips are kept inside a wishin' well
She saves all her tips like they're a precious treasure, hoping that they will bring her closer to achieving her dreams
She's got an agent down the hall
The woman has a talent agent who lives in the same hotel as she does
He's got her photo on his wall
The agent admires the woman and has her picture displayed in his office
She's got a room at the Evangeline Hotel
The woman stays in a room at the Evangeline Hotel, which is known to house many struggling artists and dreamers
And from the tenth floor fire escape
The woman goes up to the fire escape on the tenth floor of the hotel
She can see the Great White Way
She has a view of Broadway, New York's famous theatre district
But not the street and not the eyes of those who fell
Despite the great view, she cannot see the faces of the people below her, including those who failed to make their dreams come true
She dreams she sees her name in lights
The woman's biggest dream is to see her name in lights, on a theatre marquee
She dreams that dream every night
Her dream is a constant and recurring one, occupying her thoughts and imagination
Room 10-04 at the Evangeline Hotel
This is her room number, where she stays while trying to make it big
It's "Rock of Ages cleft for thee"
This is a line from a Christian hymn, highlighting the woman's religious background
She's just a child of Tennessee
She is originally from Tennessee, indicating her rural origins
Her daddy's girl, her golden curls locked in a spell
She is close with her father, and her hair is a defining physical attribute of hers
Where you don't play your music loud
Loud music is not allowed in the hotel, as it would disturb the other guests
And there ain't no men allowed
The hotel has strict rules about men being in the women's rooms, likely intended to prevent prostitution or unwanted sexual encounters
On Friday nights at the Evangeline Hotel
This is when the rule against men in women's rooms is strictly enforced
You make it here, so they declare
If you are successful in New York, it's said that you can achieve success anywhere else in the world
Then you can make it anywhere
This line reinforces the idea that success in New York is the ultimate goal for many aspiring artists and performers
Those old cliches ring through the hall just like a bell
Many of the sayings and phrases used to encourage artists to make it in New York are tired and overused, but they still echo throughout the hotel
But tell it to the ones who wait
The woman knows that success is not guaranteed, and many people must wait for their break to come
Behind the 23rd street gate
It's possible that the hotel is located near 23rd street, hinting at its location
On Friday nights at the Evangeline Hotel
Again, this is when the rules about men in women's rooms are enforced
She's goin' back to Tennessee
The woman decides to return home to Tennessee
She's got a watch and winter coat that she can sell
In order to fund her return trip, the woman must sell some of her belongings
She learned the hard unspoken rules
During her time at the hotel, the woman learned the unspoken and unadvertised rules about the entertainment industry
And things you'll never learn in school
These lessons are ones that can only be learned through personal experience, not in a classroom
All down the halls of the Evangeline Hotel
The other guests at the hotel have learned these lessons as well, and they are passed down through the generations of artists who stay there
And you can knock on any door
The hotel is a community, where the guests take care of each other and lend support when needed
Any room on every floor
These people live in close quarters and are always there to lend a listening ear or help out in any way they can
It's all the same at the Evangeline Hotel
Despite the ups and downs, the triumphs and the defeats, the hotel remains a constant in the lives of these aspiring artists
The House of Dreams called the Evangeline Hotel
The hotel is a place where dreams are born, nurtured, and sometimes even realized
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: THOMAS GEORGE RUSSELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind