Room With No Number - Elvis Costello, The Attractions

Picture a hotel room

Clothes scattered across the floor

Covers pulled back from the pillow

A sign hung on the door

Two lovers locked up tight

Through the endless days and nights

Hiding something they can’t show

Something no-one must know

There’s a room without a number

While the sign outside says there’s

No vacancy as you take your key

They smile at you so understandingly

She cried out in the night

Woke the porter from his sleep

He grinned slyly to himself

As he went to fetch his keys

Look what love has brought them to

This terrible nightmare

His or hers he could not tell

As they were sleeping there

And I wish he could be

The man he was before he was me

A girl arrived at first light

And inquired if they’d been seen

And why the numbers ran from twelve

Missing out thirteen

And they said oh my darling

Put it down to superstition

Try to avoid a scandal

And don’t arouse suspicion

They re-arranged the furniture

They even papered over the door

There’s a room without a number

While the sign outside says there’s

No vacancy as you take your key

They smile just so so you know