Parallels Between Heartbreak Hotel and Edgar Allan Poe

Recently a student requested we analyze the words to any Elvis song and see what English we can learn from it. I always enjoyed the imagery from the lyrics of Heartbreak Hotel. A hotel with a very morose atmosphere. The song though had a contrasting rocking mood when you listen to the band and the vocal. 


The key phrase for me was  

"Now the bell hops tears keep flowingThe desk clerks dressed in black"

Imagine a hotel where the staff is perpetually crying and their uniforms are colored black. Imagining though is the gift we get from reading and listening to words. The more I thought about this song, the more I was reminded of the imagery of colors in the Edgar Allan Poe story, The Masque Of The Red Death. 

It may not be a perfect match but there are some parallels ( in my opinion) between Heartbreak Hotel and The Masque Of The Red Death. 

• the initial mood of the song just like the initial mood of the story(inside the castle)  is very jovial. 
• the grand setting of both the short story and the song. 
• the emphasis of color in the venue. Granted it is more varied in the short story.
• the attempt at escape for both

They do contrast though. Masque Of The Red Death is all about being in denial. They are wearing masks after all. All the pain is out there and not in here.  Heartbreak Hotel is all about accepting where your current state. Although the real life inspiration of Heartbreak Hotel makes the song lyrics seem relatively tame.