From the recording What's That Thing?
Lyrics
There are several different explanations for this song, all true. (1) There was a young girl in a music conference song circle with us where new arrivals kept playing out of turn before her, and she was in tears thinking that she wouldn't get to play before the song circle ended. (2) Our friend Dan Pelletier wrote a song about a song circle known as Monty's Room, where everybody was singin' and playin' and having a great time. I like to complain to Dan that some of his songs are too happy and sappy, and just to annoy him I wrote a song from the point of view of the girl in #1 above. (3) We played this song at a coffeehouse and the MC, Nick Mottern, came up to us afterwards and said, "That song Monty's Room is about waiting to get into Heaven, right?" We said "yes" because, although we hadn't realized it before, he was absolutely correct.
MONTY'S ROOM (Mike Borok)
I was alone in a hotel of strangers
I was alone with nothing much to do
Wandering, sleepless and wired
When I heard the music coming out of 3802, and
Everybody's hanging out in Monty's room
Everybody's playing their guitar
Everybody's talking 'bout Monty's room
Where everybody gets to be a star
I squeezed into an empty corner
And waited as they went around the room
I sometimes forgot I was waiting
For Monty to notice me and ask for a tune, and
Everybody wants to go to Monty's room
Check your ego at the door
Cause everyone is equal up in Monty's room
And Monty's always there to make sure
It's getting kind of late here in Monty's room
But nobody seems to mind it
And out in the cold hotel corridors
People are still trying to find it
I'm tuning my guitar here in the corner
Soon, I know, it's going to be my turn
But some old friends just walked in the door
And Monty smiles and says, "Come in, Sit down"
They're passing 'round a bottle up in Monty's room
Everybody's singing harmony
There's always room for one more up in Monty's room
I hope they'll find a little room for me
I hope they'll find a little room for me
I hope they'll find a little room for me
Cliff Hackford - drums, tambourine
Barbara - lead and backing vocals
Mike - backing vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, guitar solo, bass