Lyric Question(s)

Can anyone help me out with lyrics for Hotel Istanbul.

I have most of the clearly audible ones, but a litle bit uncertain of the chorus.

Damn your eyes, so blue (or so good ?)
To have you near me
Wonderous ......???
If you're there and you can hear me.

thanks in advance

I thought it was good as it makes more sense with the following line, but it does sound like he's singing 'blue'. And then it goes 'one red flare if you're there and you can hear me'.

awesome song!! love the drums too

See i have all the other lyrics down... i just don't have that bit... But the one bit i thought i had sorted was "And you CAN'T hear me"

Here's what I've got for the lyrics to Hotel Istanbul. Words in parenthesis I'm not sure about. Would appreciate help:

"Hotel Istanbul and I was folded at the table
While the caberet was (doled)
And yes the yellow moon I fancy
So I slip between the bars
And I cast away my (rooms)
On the cab ride (by a mile)
And I landed in this room

Pissed, I twist the mystery radio dial
I found a voice that almost raised a smile
It was just like yours
And I fantasize translation
And it's just like you
To come when I'm (exposed)

Damn your eyes
So blue
To have you near me
One red flare
If you're there
And you can hear me

Hotel Istanbul and I was notifying strangers
Now my pugilistic flag could mean a consequential danger
But the maitre'd was deft and I was (parting) for my breath
His way of asking me to leave
It was a very sorry scene

Pissed, I just insist that no one cares
That love has only thrown me down the stairs
Then I hear your voice
Full of love and understanding
And I know your voice
Will always call me home

Damn your eyes
So blue
To have you near me
One red flare
If you're there
And you can hear me (x3)"

This is what I have:

hotel istanbul and i was folded at the table
well, the cabaret was dull
and yes, the yellow moon half empty
so i slid between the bars
and i cast away my moons
on the cab ride via mars
and i landed in this room

pissed, i twist the mystery radio dial
i found a voice that almost makes a smile
it was just like yours
and i fantasize translation
and it's just like you to go out and explore

damn your eyes
so good
to have you near me
one red flare
if you're there
and you can hear me

hotel istanbul and i was notifying strangers
that my pugilistic flare could mean their consequential danger
but the maitre'd was deaf and i was parting from my breath
his way of asking me to leave
it was a very sorry scene

it's that i just insist that no one cares
that love has only thrown me down the stairs
and then i hear your voice
full of love and understanding
and i know your voice
will always call me home

damn your eyes
so good
to have you near me
one red flare
if you're there
and you can hear me

Thanks for the help on the verses...well done. My only disagreements:

I still think the line is "I found a voice that almost raised a smile" in the second stanza.

The last line in the second stanza is very hard to decipher. My best guess is "to go and I'm exposed." The "to go and I'm" part is pretty easy on repeated listens, but that last word sort of meshes into the start of the chorus and is very hard to hear.

As far as whether it's "so blue" or "so good," I'm 99% sure it's "so blue." It would make sense (eyes so blue/one red flare), if you think about it like that.

Oh, and I think the word "pissed" is repeated the second time around too.

Other than that, I think we pretty much agree. I can't believe this is the only place I've found the lyrics to this song on the entire web. I think this might be my favorite Elbow song ever. How many other songs have the word "pugilistic" in it?

Thanks again. Here's the updated version:

Hotel Istanbul and I was folded at the table
Well, the caberet was dull
And yes the yellow moon half-empty
So I slid between the bars
And I cast away my moons
On the cab ride via Mars
And I landed in this room

Pissed, I twist the mystery radio dial
I found a voice that almost raised a smile
It was just like yours
And I fantasize translation
And it's just like you
To go and I'm (exposed)

Damn your eyes
So blue
To have you near me
One red flare
If you're there
And you can hear me

Hotel Istanbul and I was notifying strangers
that my pugilistic flare could mean a consequential danger
But the maitre'd was deft and I was parting from my breath
His way of asking me to leave
It was a very sorry scene

Pissed, I just insist that no one cares
That love has only thrown me down the stairs
Then I hear your voice
Full of love and understanding
And I know your voice
Will always call me home

Damn your eyes
So blue
To have you near me
One red flare
If you're there
And you can hear me (x3)

Personally, I didn't like the song upon the first listen but after numerous listens and falling in love with it after about the 5th listen, it has easily become my favorite Elbow b-side along with their song 'Snowball'. I think this is one of the few Elbow songs that I've had to dissect over and over again.

I was discussing the "so blue"/"so good" argument with a friend of mine and we came up with the reasoning that it's a bit weird to start the next line with "To have you near me" when the previous line is "so blue" unless it was a lead in to him feeling miserable about the person being with him, which seems somewhat unreasonable with the content of the other lyrics, no? I think it'll be the 'great debate' amongst a lot of Elbow fans since it's basically undecipherable.

I actually started to compare the "raised a smile" bit when I was listening to the song and I'm finding that to be the true lyric rather than what I had for the lyric.

Also, about your "and I'm exposed" bit, I can't hear it unfortunately. But I do feel as though he's going "ooorrrrreee" rather than "oossseeee" for 'exposed' to work if that makes sense. A lot of this requires listening closely.

About the second 'Pissed' bit, I was going to agree with that line while comparing my version with yours after posting it but I listened to both stanzas and it sounds like a different opener for both. It's too long of an open space between what you have (Pissed) and the words that accompany it (I just insist...) We definitely need more people to weigh in on the lyrics.

Where's Craig when you need him to set some lyrics straight?

It could be worth commenting on the lyrics on SongMeanings.net, as Guy has recently posted comments to the interpretations to his lyrics on there.

which songs did he comment on?

That's so cool. I've submitted the lyrics to Hotel Istanbul (as best as we could figure them) to songmeanings.net. They take about 24 hours to approve.

Songmeanings is the only lyrics site that I actually visit and I can't believe I didn't even catch onto Guy lurking around on the site. Thank you for that link.

Wow, that's wicked that Guy did that! I love that his name is MunroeKelly

Its interesting and great how we all interprate other peoples lyrics differently,

what is the meaning behind "munroe kelly"?

I've always thought Elbow made it up. But... http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080215174237AAA7doU ???

I thought Guy got the name/idea from a film he saw

Congo 1995

Munroe Kelly was one of the characters in the film.

Hehe well, looks like we need some confirmation here ;D

This is where I step in then...

I can confirm that 'Munroe Kelly' was taken from the film Congo. It's a terrible film but we all loved the line from the character 'Munroe Kelly' - "I'm your great white hunter for this trip....I just happen to be black" (or something like that) It tickled us all back then. It must be over 10 years ago now!

Craig x

Excellent! Cheers Craig.

Haha, marvellous!

Mystery solved.

It's great that you're here, Craig, to 'solve' these 'mysteries' for us

Like Poirot!!! Or maybe Dr thing from Diagnosis Murder!!!