Lyrics
I was watching
With one eye on the other side
I had fifteen people tellin' me to move
I got movin' on my mind
I found shelter
In some thoughts turning wheels around
I said thirty-nine times that I love you
To the beauty I had found
Well, it's one, two, three, four
Take the elevator at the Hotel Yorba
I'll be glad to see you later
All they got inside is vacancy
I've been thinking
Of a little place down by the lake
They got a dirty old road leading up to the house
I wonder how long it will take
Till we're alone
Sittin' on the front porch of that home
Stompin' our feet on the wooden boards
Never gotta worry 'bout locking the door
Well, it's one, two, three, four
Take the elevator at the Hotel Yorba
I'll be glad to see you later
All they got inside is vacancy
It might sound silly
For me to think childish thoughts like these
But I'm so tired of acting tough
And I'm gonna do what I please
Let's get married
In a big cathedral by a priest
'Cause if I'm the man that you love the most
You could say, "I do" at least
Well, it's one, two, three, four
Take the elevator at the Hotel Yorba
I'll be glad to see you later
All they got inside is vacancy
And it's four, five, six, seven
Grab your umbrella and grab hold of me
'Cause I'm your favorite fella
All they got inside is vacancy
The Hotel Yorba was constructed in 1926 at an estimated cost of just under $200,000 by the Detroit architectural firm of Pollmar & Ropes for Samuel Plotkin, a Russian born Jew who came to Detroit in 1906. Plotkin built and managed several hotels in Detroit and Pontiac, the Yorba being one of them.
The Yorba stands as a landmark as seen from the Fisher Freeway near the Clark Street exit. The most recognizable feature of the building is the large sign supported on a metal structure that says "Hotel Yorba". The edifice is four-stories tall with a resurfaced first story and brick above. Its facade consists of a wide central section separated from the flanking sections by narrow strips of quoins. It is symmetrical: double-hung sash windows occupy the upper three stories: the windows at the first floor level have been modified.
The outstanding feature of the exterior of the Yorba is the entrance. a pair of wooden doors is flanked by single wooden doors: above the double doors is a segmental pediment over the lintel that bears an insignia set into a crest. Stained leaded milk glass is set into the three-part wooden frame above the doors. to the sides of the entrance are tall columns bearing the frieze that is inscribed with the name "Hotel Yorba".
The Hotel Yorba was home sweet temporary home for a number of workers building the nearby Ambassador Bridge in the late 1920s. Today, it's mostly a flophouse, offering short-term stays.
The building is most notable for being Jack White's muse; he wrote a hit song called "Hotel Yorba" that appeared on the White Stripes record "White Blood Cells" in 2001.-
Historic Detroit