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Click on the ‘Play’ button above to hear the song as you read the lyrics via the link below. If the player doesn’t start straight away, wait and then press the ‘Play’ button again.
Alternatively, you can listen to the song Stanley Bard on Bandcamp HERE
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Stanley Bard by ‘Les Paul’s’ (The Paul’s) from our album The Chelsea Hotel#3
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Watch the Stanley Bard video promo HERE
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download Stanley Bard on Bandcamp HERE
download our album The Chelsea Hotel#3 at download stores HERE
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Watch the video of my June 2025 trip to the New York Chelsea Hotel HERE
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Stanley Bard lyrics
Stanley was a plumbers mate, at the hotel
His dad ran the place, though not very well
In 64 Stanley took over control
And he changed the soul of The Chelsea Hotel
After Warhol’s Chelsea Girls had been shown
Artists came and made The Chelsea their home
More so when Bob’s Blonde on Blonde had been done
Written by him there in Room 211
Stanley made it a roof for creative minds
Where they painted, wrote songs and words that sometimes rhymed
It was the world of Bohemia personified
A refuge from the world where artists could hide
Stanley, Stanley
Bard of Chelsea
Stanley, Stanley
You wrote The Chelsea
Into the books of history
You became the hotel’s resident’s friend
On you they knew that they could depend
Your door was open and never closed
Who was allowed to stay at the hotel you controlled
If they couldn’t pay the rent they said
You let them pay with a painting instead
Others who had no money to pay
Stanley made them a bell boy for a few dozen days
You closed your eyes to what went on above
It was the time of experimentation and free love
But then after the 60’s were done
All the souls of the artists were all gone
The hotel went into decline and fell apart
Drug addicts and punks stopped its beating heart
Ownership of the hotel changed and had an impact
Stanley was ousted and he never went back
Stanley saw out his last days under the Florida sun
His ride on history’s horse had been run
So many legends had passed before his eyes
May art, music and memories never die
Stanley, Stanley
Bard of Chelsea
Stanley, Stanley
You wrote The Chelsea
Into the books of history
Music composed and performed by Paul Odiase BMI No. 1252265 (Switzerland)
Song lyrics by Paul Robert Thomas PRS No. 497904008 (London)
PRS Tunecode 818055FV
ISRC ISRC QZWFR2562928
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