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Kirkwood Hotel

from Make Me Believe by Doug Hoekstra

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about

I wrote this song after staying at the Hotel Kirkwood in Des Moines, which felt like one of those places that belonged to older times and inspired the short story that's in the lyrics. I'm a huge fan of Bernard Herrmann and his film scores, and so I thought it would be cool to have a touch of his style in the arrangement. My friend and long-time collaborator up in Chicago, Jeff Kowalkowski, is an ace jazz/classical composer and pianist and we talked about it and either he or I or both of us came up with the idea of doing the part on vocals instead of strings, to make it more haunting and less predictable. But the actual vocal score is his - it's something like 8 parts in all. He sent it down from Chicago to the studio in Nashville and Christy Emmer did an impressive job executing. This may be one of my favorite arrangements among all my recordings (DH)

lyrics

Kirkwood Hotel

I checked into the Kirkwood Hotel
There was nothing left for me to do
Except fill out a form, try to conform
To the feelings I had so blue

The desk clerk was right for the night shift
He was reading a very thick book
The guests arrived, he looked them in the eye
And read all their questioning looks

And I suddenly smelled your perfume
I felt the presence of you
As we laughed at what passed for a view from my room
In the Kirkwood Hotel

A man and a woman were whispering
“‘There is no there in this place’
The desk clerk heard every word and asked,
‘Why are you planning to stay?”’

They said that they had no idea
They were drawn to the place like a curse
But they had to make love ten floors above
Before life got any worse
And I suddenly smelled your perfume...

I climbed the stairs to my room
The carpet was worn to threads
I wanted to sweat and lose my breath
Like we were together in bed

The Kirkwood Hotel in the middle of town
In the middle of nothing but land
Covered by sky that rolls on by
Like time and money and man

credits

from Make Me Believe, released January 1, 1999
Christy Emmer - multi-vocals
Doug Hoekstra - lead vocal, acoustic guitar, desk bell
Jeff Kowalkowski - vocal score
Pat Meusel - bass
Chris Minnis – drums

Engineered by Robb Earls, Sound Vortex, Nashville TN

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Doug Hoekstra Nashville, Tennessee

Doug Hoekstra’s singular musical persona sets sympathetic narratives against understated vocals, memorable melodies, and subtle but unexpected arrangement turns. His albums have earned Nashville Music Award and Independent Music Award nominations, a bevy of top 10 list appearances, and a reputation as a “songwriter’s songwriter” (CMJ Music Monthly). "The Day Deserved" due out Spring 2021 ... more

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