About The Song
Hotel California is a seminal track by the American rock band, The Eagles. Released in 1977 as the title track of their album of the same name, the song has become an iconic piece of classic rock.
Musically, the song is characterized by its intricate guitar work, particularly the distinctive steel guitar solo, and a haunting melody that lingers in the listener’s mind. Lyrically, “Hotel California” delves into themes of excess, disillusionment, and the allure of the glamorous yet ultimately empty California lifestyle. The song’s imagery of a “gilded cage” and a “paradise by the sea” has been interpreted in various ways, often as a metaphor for the music industry or the American Dream itself. Its enigmatic ending, with the repeated line “You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave,” has sparked countless debates and theories about its meaning.
Despite its release in 1977, “Hotel California” continues to resonate with audiences and remains one of the most popular and enduring rock songs of all time.
Video
Lyrics
🎵 Let’s sing along with the lyrics! 🎤
On a dark desert highway, cool wind in my hair
Warm smell of colitas, rising up through the air
Up ahead in the distance, I saw a shimmering light
My head grew heavy and my sight grew dim
I had to stop for the night
There she stood in the doorway
I heard the mission bell
And I was thinking to myself
“This could be Heaven or this could be Hell”
Then she lit up a candle and she showed me the way
There were voices down the corridor
I thought I heard them say
Welcome to the Hotel California
Such a lovely place (Such a lovely place)
Such a lovely face
Plenty of room at the Hotel California
Any time of year (Any time of year)
You can find it here
Her mind is Tiffany-twisted, she got the Mercedes bends
She got a lot of pretty, pretty boys she calls friends
How they dance in the courtyard, sweet summer sweat
Some dance to remember, some dance to forget
So I called up the Captain
“Please bring me my wine.”
He said, “We haven’t had that spirit here since nineteen sixty nine.”
And still those voices are calling from far away
Wake you up in the middle of the night
Just to hear them say
Welcome to the Hotel California
Such a lovely place (Such a lovely place)
Such a lovely face
They livin’ it up at the Hotel California
What a nice surprise (what a nice surprise)
Bring your alibis
Mirrors on the ceiling
The pink champagne on ice
And she said “We are all just prisoners here, of our own device”
And in the master’s chambers
They gathered for the feast
They stab it with their steely knives
But they just can’t kill the beast
Last thing I remember
I was running for the door
I had to find the passage back to the place I was before
“Relax,” said the night man
“We are programmed to receive
You can check-out any time you like
But you can never leave!”