Friday March 5, 2021 “Memory Motel” Rolling Stones

“It was the only place in Montauk with a piano and a pool table while they were crashing at Warhol's compound out here.”

 Am at the beach and took a ride out to Montauk and as I drove past the Memory Motel for another one of several dozens of times I realized that we hadn’t touched on this piece of east end rock & roll history.  

 For those unfamiliar with the Memory Motel, it's at the end of Long Island in Montauk near The Church Estate, which Andy Warhol bought in 1972. The Stones, who became friends with Warhol after he designed their Sticky Fingers album cover, stayed at Warhol's estate when they were on tour in 1975-'76. 

 Can’t confirm any of this, but like any good story some of it is weighted in truth some is completely made up. “Hannah” the girl in the Rolling Stones story song about the Memory Motel is allegedly Carly Simon based on her physical appearance, ‘Her eyes were hazel, And her teeth were slightly curved…’ and the musical references heading “back up to Boston where I’m singing in a bar”.

 And there were rumors about Simon and Jagger, but then there were rumors about Jagger and so many women...and men... and they are after all just rumors.

 Until Carly Simon wrote her memoir, Mick was on the short list as the person who might be the subject of her song “You’re So Vain” which would have been odd since Jagger did vocals with her on the song, so you might say that the song was already about him, kind of.  Carly Simon however confirmed in her book that the so vain subject of the song was Warren Beatty.

 Stay safe and well...and apparently the then owners of the Memory Motel were not so impressed with Mick and friends dropping in as they did not like the Stones.

Hannah honey was a peachy kind of girl

Her eyes were hazel

And her nose was slightly curved

We spent a lonely night at the Memory Motel

It's on the ocean, I guess you know it well

It took a starry night to steal my breath away

Down on the water front

Her hair all drenched in spray

Hannah baby was a honey of a girl

Her eyes were hazel

And her teeth were slightly curved

She took my guitar and she began to play

She sang a song to me

Stuck right in my brain

You're just a memory of a love

That used to be

You're just a memory of a love

That used to mean so much to me

She got a mind of her own

And she uses it well

Well she's one of a kind

She's got a mind

She got a mind of her own

And she use it mighty fine

She drove a pick-up truck

Painted green and blue

The tires were wearing thin

She turned a mile or two

When I asked her where she headed for

"Back up to Boston I'm singing in a bar"

I got to fly today on down to Baton Rouge

My nerves are shot already

The road ain't all that smooth

Across in Texas is the rose of San Antone

I keep on a feeling that's gnawing in my bones

You're just a memory of a love

That used to mean so much to me

You're just a memory girl

You're just a sweet memory

And it used to mean so much to me

Sha la la la la

She got a mind of her own

And she use it well

Mighty fine, she's one of a kind

On the seventh day my eyes were all a glaze

We've been ten thousand miles

Been in fifteen states

Every woman seemed to fade out of my mind

I hit the bottle and hit the sack and cried

What's all this laughter on the 22nd floor

It's just some friends of mine

And they're busting down the door

Been a lonely night at the Memory Motel