Hotel California

The Eagles single

 **"Hotel California"** is a song by The Eagles, written by Don Felder, Don Henley and Glenn Frey, and released on their fifth studio album of the same name in December 1976. Since the song's release, it has become one of the band's most iconic and recognizable songs.

In February 1977 a slightly edited version was released as a single; it ultimately reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart in May. It was certified Gold three months after its release, and Platinum in 2009 (for sales of one million digital downloads).

A version of the song by Charles Bobuck was released in 2017 as a free MP3 included with the 25th issue of Hardy Fox's Hacienda Bridge newsletter. In January 2023, the song was released as the title track of the *Hotel California EP*, credited to Fox, on Klanggalerie.

## History

"Hotel California" is the title track from The Eagles' album of the same name and was released as a single in February 1977. Writing credits for the song are shared by Don Felder (music), Don Henley, and Glenn Frey (lyrics).

The Eagles' original recording of the song features Henley singing the lead vocals and concludes with an extended section of electric guitar interplay between Felder and Joe Walsh.

Charles Bobuck covered the song in 2017. It was the last piece of original music Hardy Fox released under the Bobuck name.

## Lyrics

### Original 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 thinkin' to myself
"This could be Heaven or this could be Hell"
Then she lit up a candle
And she showed me the way
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, uh
She got a lot of pretty, pretty boys
That 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 1969"
And still those voices are callin'
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"

```

## See also

* The Eagles
* Hacienda Bridge no. 25
* *Hotel California EP*

## External links and references

* *Hotel California EP* at Klanggalerie
* "Hotel California" at Genius
* "Hotel California" at Wikipedia