If I heard this song on the radio for the first time in this day and age I could easily mistake this as a brand new song. Hotel California is truly timeless. The band was formed in 1971 by Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Bernie Leadon and Randy Meisner in Los Angeles, California in the United States. Hotel California was the title track on their 1976 album. Since its release the Hotel California album has sold over 16 million copies in the United States alone. The album was at number 1 for 8 weeks in early 1977 (the year I was born in). The Hotel California single was released in February 1977. The song also won the 1977 Record of the Year reward at the 20th Annual Grammy Awards in 1978. Don Felder, Don Henley and Glenn Frey are credited for writing this song. Hotel California is definately one of my favorite rock songs of all time. I’m sure that song will keep entertaining future generations. The band split up in 1980, but re-united in 1994. The Eagles were inducted into the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame in 1998. I hope all of you enjoy this trip down memory lane.
Related Links:
The Eagles – Official Website
The Eagles – My Space
This is the video for Hotel California followed by the lyrics for the song:
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 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!’
