Coconut Hotel (song)

Photo of the Coconut Hotel by Mayo Thompson, c.1966

Lyrics

? Suddenly I want to see you For up the landing Clouds of spray Oh, to see the sunrise once Sailing in a banana boat Spiders in the bunches Biting can spell death Trading post in Mozamb. Bassa Seventeen one franc pieces Two ten franc notes Leather purse today

Chronology

• God Bless the Red Krayola and All Who Sail With It
  • Mayo Thompson - vocals, piano
  • Steve Cunningham - guitar?
• Shotgun Wedding

Interpretations

• The middle section references Day-O (Banana Boat Song), popularized by Harry Belafonte's 1956 version
  • "A beautiful bunch of ripe banana / Hide the deadly black tarantula"
• (wild speculation) The first line could be a mangling of "Alfred, Lord Tennyson"
• The second album recorded by the Red Crayola was titled Coconut Hotel but remained unreleased until 1995

Live recordings

Show
January 11, 1995