Lyrics

I actually did see the bartender's glass
the ornately carved mirror from behind the bar at these hotels
They weren't really called the Terminal Hotel
but that's another story...

terminal hotel

when the west was still so wild
the nation it was just a child
great grandaddy jack went to the end of the line
and built the terminal hotel

the country's backbone built from steel
the iron horse would clinch the deal
and when the work crews came to town
there was the terminal hotel

jack knew the men would need their rest
liquor and ladies he had the best
then late one night there came a dreadful flame
and burnt the terminal hotel

and they all watched it go down
yeah they all watched it go down
for days she was the talk of the town
when the terminal hotel burned down
yeah the terminal hotel burned down

before he thought to save his ass
he went and got the bartender's glass
and that was all that he had left
from the terminal hotel

by now the track stretched three hundred mile
so to the west he went in style
brand new town new lease on life
he built the terminal hotel

business was good he laughed his way to the bank
insurance paid and the men still drank
so he knew what to do when he heard the alarm
at the terminal hotel

and they all watched it go down
yeah they all watched it go down
for days she was the talk of the town
when the terminal hotel burned down
yeah the terminal hotel burned down

out to the west he moved again
to where the railroad now did end
he built the finest ever yet
yeah the terminal hotel

the ladies came and the ladies went
the liquor flowed and the silver spent
the fire burned he saved the bartender's glass
from the terminal hotel

and they all watched it go down
yeah they all watched it go down
for days she was the talk of the town
when the terminal hotel burned down
yeah the terminal hotel burned down

by now you know what happened next
no wonder some thought he was hexed
still he saw his fortune grow
from the terminal hotel

the conflagration lit the night
all agreed it was quite a sight
everyone was safe and sound
the whole town now gathered round
but still no sign of great grandpa jack
maybe died of a heart attack
when all a sudden in his sunday best
bartender's glass held to his chest
he made his grandest exit yet
from the terminal hotel

and they all watched it go down
yeah they all watched it go down
for days she was the talk of the town
when the terminal hotel burned down
yeah the terminal hotel
and they all watched it go down
yeah they all watched it go down
for days she was the talk of the town
when the terminal hotel burned down
yeah the terminal hotel burned down

now my story has been told
how do i know a tale so old
well my papa still has that bartender's glass
from when the terminal hotel burned down
yeah the terminal hotel burned down
yeah the terminal hotel burned down