The Old Lucky Diamond Motel

Album: Guitar Slinger (2011)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Gill sings on this track about several characters who frequent a rural motel. He told Reuters the song is based on a true story, as his brother had a wreck on an Oklahoma highway near El Reno. However, the stripper named Rita Cantrell is purely fictional. "A song like that allows you to hold back a few of your cards," he said. "It's fun to watch people wonder just what is truth and what is fiction."
  • Gill explained how this song was inspired by memories of his childhood: "Where I grew up in Oklahoma, Route 66 came right through our back door, basically. We spent a lot of time hanging out on that road. That's the road where my brother had his really bad wreck. Route 66 had those old great roadside motels that had a restaurant and swimming pool, and they would advertise the swimming pool in neon as you were driving past. There are so few of these places left. They are a part of Americana to me."

    He added: "The guy is reminiscing about the beauty of this old place, and they are tearing it down and a piece of America fell. 'I am all for progress, but God knows that I miss the old Lucky Diamond Motel.'"
  • According to Vince Gill, the line "next to Ted's Escondido" refers to a restaurant, "I go to all the time now. It's a tip of the hat to one of my favorite restaurants, but it wasn't there when I was growing up." (Source of quotes: Roughstock)
  • In our interview with Vince Gill, he said that one of his favorite songwriters is Guy Clark, so it was especially gratifying when listeners heard Clark's influence on this track. Said Gill: "One of the best compliments I ever got was when somebody asked me if I wrote it with Guy. I just said, 'Man, you couldn't have paid me a better compliment in your life than that.'"

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Francesca Battistelli

Francesca BattistelliSongwriter Interviews

The 2011 Artist of the Year at the Dove Awards isn't your typical gospel diva, and she thinks that's a good thing.

Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake & Palmer

Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake & PalmerSongwriter Interviews

Greg talks about writing songs of "universal truth" for King Crimson and ELP, and tells us about his most memorable stage moment (it involves fireworks).

Steely Dan

Steely DanFact or Fiction

Did they really trade their guitarist to The Doobie Brothers? Are they named after something naughty? And what's up with the band name?

David Clayton-Thomas of Blood, Sweat & Tears

David Clayton-Thomas of Blood, Sweat & TearsSongwriter Interviews

The longtime BS&T frontman tells the "Spinning Wheel" story, including the line he got from Joni Mitchell.

Dave Pirner of Soul Asylum

Dave Pirner of Soul AsylumSongwriter Interviews

Dave explains how the video appropriated the meaning of "Runaway Train," and what he thought of getting parodied by Weird Al.

Let Me Be Your Teddy Bear: Teddy Bears and Teddy Boys in Songs

Let Me Be Your Teddy Bear: Teddy Bears and Teddy Boys in SongsSong Writing

Elvis, Little Richard and Cheryl Cole have all sung about Teddy Bears, but there is also a terrifying Teddy song from 1932 and a touching trucker Teddy tune from 1976.