Eagles: Hotel California Meaning
Song Released: 1977
Hotel California Lyrics
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...
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I was watching an interveiw with the eagles and they said that this song, belive it or not, has no meaning at all. they put together the lyrics without any true message. their quote was "we dont know the meaning, it just sounded good". so if the creaters of the song did not compose the song with a meaning than therefore there is no meaning to this song, which also means that everyones interpetations are correct because you are free to iterpet the song however way you choose since there is no set meaning.
~Dani~ -
I think this song can mean anything you want to believe but in my opinion it is completely messed up
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You guys are retards. Hotel California is definitely about a whore house. lets begin
warm smell of colitas (ass in spanish)
my head grew heavy and my sight grew dim, I had to stop for the night (stopping to get some ass)
so I called up the captain, please bring me my wine (the pimp wanting his money)
mirrors on the ceiling and pink champagne on ice (a fucking bed and something to set the mood)
and she said we are just prisoners here of our own device (the skanks work for the pimp and cannot get away)
and in the masters chamber, they gather for the feast. They stab it with thier steely knives but they just can't kill the beast (they cannot get away from the pimp)
i think that does it -
I recently went to an abandoned insane asylum with some friends. before going however, i read through many sources that the exact insane asylum is the place that The Eagles refer to in this song. It used to be the Camarillo State Mental Hospital located in Camarillo, California. Personally, i think that if you read the lyrics it does seem like it could be written about a stay in an insane asylum. If you live in the area by the way, i recomend going to the place! quite an expierence haha.
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This song is about life when you're famous. Once you're there, it'll never leave you again. hence, "you can check out any time you like, but you can never leave".
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First: After reading the lyrics myself, I lead to believe the Hotel California is a place where all the dead musicians that killed themselves and died before their times. Like, Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix, etc.
In the lyrics where is it talks about the Tiffany twisted girl and her Mercedes Benz, it could relate to Joplin. Also, where it says, "We are all just prisoners here of our own device." This could relate to the overdosing. And, when the night man says, "We are programmed to receive. You can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave." Its how they can check out of the music work and die, but they'll never be forgotten.
It was either that, or about drugs addictions. -
Where the song says cold dark cool desert highway, cool wind in my air and then up ahead in the distance i saw a shimmering light.
Well I was thinking it could have something to do aliens because I was watching this one show called like ufo files and one of the stories started out like this: On a Cold dark cool desert highway this girl was driving and then she saw a shimmering light or orb type thing in the distance floating then it hit her car.
Plus I think I heard when you play the song backwards it says something like they are the universe controllers. I cant remember just youtube it. -
Don't give it that much of an iterpretation. It's really simple, just look for facts. Hotel California is the song about a hotel, with the same name, in Baja (near to Los Cabos). It is located in the town Todos Los Santos (All Saints).
In the 70s most of that area was not even populated yet. If you haven't been to Cabo or its surroundings, it's mostly dessert (looks like Sahara in some parts). A lot of adventurers used to go (including rock bands, surfers, etc). Basically they were able to do whatever they wanted, the place was empty, quiet, private and lack of authority.
This hotel has the legend to be haunted, and the legend existed when the Eagles got there. They just played with some of the facts they heard from people and worked with the song.
Go on the web, you will find facts and the history of the hotel. The hotel is still there and visited for a lot of people. (They just want to visit, not to stay!!!)
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I've heard that the "We haven't had that spirit here since 1969" is a reference to the Beatles' break up.
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In the old days they used to give the patients wine before their dinner to calm them down. That act was stopped in 1969.
one of the lines "Stab it with their steely knives but they just can't kill the beast"
was a reply to Steely Dan in a song, I forgot which one. which don admitted to. -
I agree with the materialism/excess interpretation,
but I had a funny bone tossed my way this summer while travelling: Someone suggested that it was about the Manson Family. Which is kind of cool. And apt. The satanism interpretations are interesting too, but it's easy to devolve into abject symbolism...
I love how everyone says it's "Obviously" something, but there are 14 different obvious lies? -
I just copied that from below... That's the meaning, it's about dying,
though I sometimes think it could be about herion specificaly
This song is about the attractive qualities of worldly things but their ultimate end. The man drives along the highway (his life) and his head grows heavy and his sight grows dim, forcing him to stop for the night (he dies). He sees a pretty woman in the doorway of the hotel but cannot decide if he is in heaven or hell. When the woman invites him in he sees the other people in the hotel. These people are mocking him as he comes in (such a lovely face) and they realize he does not know where he is. He goes to a party in the courtyard and sees people dancing (to remember better times, to forget the present). He askes the captain to bring him his wine, but the captain claims that they have not had that spirit (hopefullness or eagerness) since 1969. when the man starts to realize where he is (hell) he tries desperately to get back to his car (life). The doorman tells him there is nothing to worry about, he can check out at any time, but he can never leave (referring to the fact that, once in hell, a person can realize their mistakes, and repent of their wrong doings, but by the time they realize this, they cannot leave hell.)
Another interpretation I have found interesting is comparing the hotel with alcoholism/drug addiction (they stab it with their steely knives, but they just can't till the beast) and trying to overcome the addiction. -
First of all... people saying this song is about satan & all that shit..ur crazy, but it definitely has meaning, it's not about nothing. It's about some sort of addiction, either to drugs sex or just the lifestyle of being famous. I always believed it was about cocaine addiction.. people think into it too much it can mean something different to everybody.
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This song is about... nothing, they were drunk and high when they wrote and they don't even know what it's about(they have been asked many times) I'm sorry I know its not fun but its the truth, and I apologize if I ruined anyone's day.
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I believe this song refers to addiction, any addiction. To sex, drugs, alcohol, all of it. I think the shimmering light he saw was fame, the woman in the door way was an addiction to sex. Or perhaps it was being with this woman that got him involved in the life of addiction. He is still in the stage of addiction where it is fun. The social stage. This woman, obviously a star because of her Mercedes " and her pretty pretty boys" This could be heaven or this could be hell I would say refers to possibility the coming down or drugs, the hangover the next morning, or just a bad night. Some dance to remember, some dance to forget. People become addicted for different reasons. I called to the captain plaese bring me my wine. There is a play on the word spirit here...It seems innocuous, referrng to his wine, but it could also be a jibe that he is still so new at this scene of drugs and indulgence....he isn't jaded and used up...yet. Mirrors on the ceiling, pink champagne...e reference to sex and the need for thrills because normal pleasures have become old hat. We are all just prisoners here of our own device...they made their choices...it's that that keeps them there, held prisoner. They stab it with their steely knives....A literal reference to a syringe, or the blade and mirror used by cocaine addicts for their lines. But they just can't kill the beast....the addiction is never satisfied...a beast that only grows...I was running for the door, I had to find the passgae back to the place I was before....realizing that you are addicted...wishing for that period of time when it was still fun and you didn't need it....Also knowing you can never go back and never not be addicted. You can check out and stop the party but, you will never leave.
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