Eagles: Hotel California Meaning

Song Released: 1977

Hotel California 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...

1. anonymous

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   Mar 1st 2007 !⃝

   Hotel California was actually a commentary on the perceived social decline of American in the 1970's, into a more greedy, corrupt, and materialistic culture.
   
   In Rolling Stone's 20th Anniversary issue (1987) Don Henley was quoted:
   "Actually, I was a little disappointed with how the record was taken, because I meant it in a much broader sense than a commentary about California. I was looking at American culture, and when I called that one song "Hotel California, I was simply using California as a microcosm for the rest of America and for the self-indulgence of our entire culture.
   
   It was, to a certain extent, about California, about the excesses out here. But in many instances, as California goes, so goes the nation. Things simply happen out here or in New York first whether it's with drugs or fashion or artistic movements or economic trends and then work their way toward the middle of America. And thats what I was trying to get at."
2. anonymous

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   Feb 28th 2007 !⃝

   The thing is, if the song is about excess and materialism which The Eagles have stated the song is about , arent those two things very important fundamental indulgences and beliefs of someone who follows a life of a satanist? The road to ruin is paved in excess. And it's no secret satanism teaches excess is ok and materialism is ok.
   That being said take this for what it's worth as far as the woman in the song
   Henley has stated that any of the derogatory parts about the female in Hotel California are about his former flame Loree Rodkin.
   Which can be read in the latest issue of the magazine Guitar World Acoustic.
   Henley states on page 28 of the article "Such A Lovely Place" by Marc Eliot
   "Her mind is Tiffany twisted,she got the Mercedes bends/She got a lot of pretty boys that she calls friends" that's about her, and I wouldnt be crowing if I were Ms Rodkin. As far as I'm concerned she's the Norma Desmond of her generation"
   The bottom line is whether this song is about an actual hotel that Satanist converted into their center, and the journey of an unsuspected traveler, or a song more personal about what the Eagles went through and saw when they got to L.A, and the excess and lifestyle that California brings, either way the song does infact delve to the belifes and lifestyles of satanism. You have to understand satanism doesn't always deal with worshipping the devil. A satanist will claim there beliefs are all about self worship and indulging in and pleasuring all the senses and the most important thing is yourself and this existance here and now.
   This very belief follows along the lines of what the members of the Eagles claim the song is really about.
   The irony is what they claim the song is about: ( excess, drugs, materialism, indulgence etc) it's ideals represent the very same satanic principles, and then you have the imagery and urban legend and lore of this song that it's really about someone going into a hotel that's run by Satanist.
   Either way both interpretations represent satanism in some way.
   Maybe the joke is on everyone who doesn't see that "Hotel California" is a multi meaning, multi layered song that represents satanism or a literal AND symbolic story telling manner.
   It's about satanism, because when the Eagles came to L.A they saw and fell into that lifestyle of sex, drugs, excess, materialism, all things that a Satanist would say is the utmost importance for enjoying life and living as a true satanist. So the Hotel is actually California, and that experience, but it's also literally about satanism.
   It's as clear as day.
   Henley used imagery in the song so the listener can see and create a hellish experience where someone falls prey to alluring things, wine, riches, bright lights, woman, but then realizes once you go down that path there is no escape, the price to pay is being your soul.
   You choose that path and even the best people with good intentions sumcumb to there desires. Others live for those desires.
   Henley wrote a clever song about the princibles of Satanism that were prevalent when they arrived in California ie; the oppoutunity, the fame and fortune they got, and the temptations it brought, but wrapped it up Twilight Zone type story/ song lyrics that actually doesn't compromise the true meaning of the song,(satanism) but rather reinforce it.
   This all being said, it doesn't necessarily paint a good or positive picture of satanism, but rather a realistic one.

   This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
3. rfm53247

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   Feb 25th 2007 !⃝

   This song is about alcoholics ! fact

   This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
4. swestvballplyr27

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   Jan 4th 2007 !⃝

   i think it's about an addiction, could be to a special lady, or drugs, or whatever people feel addictions towards. The point of the matter is that the addiction is bitter sweet and he can't escape it
5. Amy

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   Jan 4th 2007 !⃝

   I agree with the mental asylum theory. I actually heard this song played on guitar while I was in a psych hospital...and I totally connected to it. You can check out any time you like but you can never leave made me think of how you can never leave a mental ward cause you're locked in, but you can "check out" any time you like by going into your own little delusional world.
6. anonymous

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   Dec 12th 2006 !⃝

   The only person who got the interpretation right was F.T.R. Well someone else got it too, but the name is unknown. The song has NO real meaning. Don Henly, the composer, said in an interview that everyone was meant to create their own interpretations.
7. anonymous

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   Dec 10th 2006 !⃝

   Hahaha! I had to comment to this. I love all the theories here, even the ones I disagree with, but please, get the basic details correct.
   
   It's "The Church of Satan," not "The Satanic Church." It's "The Satanic Bible," not "The Demonic Bible."
   
   Your credibility completely goes out the window when you make statements like this. And the Church of Satan was founded in 1966, not 1969. 5 seconds of research blew your whole theory.
8. hayven247

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   Nov 24th 2006 !⃝

   i almost died in laughter upon reading some of these hypothesis. some of you are really imaginative but oh so very off with the idea of what this song is really all about. the guy a few interpretations down below nabbed it right in the butt.
   this song is about a prison in california... for instance "we haven't had that spirit here since 1969" and this was when alcohol was no longer served to prisoners and that is exactly what it means. he's right and I'm surprised that no one else knew that! im 25 and my dad raised me on music and he loved the eagles. he knows everything and im 100% sure that he was right about this one.
   no one was high and performing any type of satanic rituals... you just got some really good shit and scared me too!
9. TSMUnro

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   Oct 22nd 2006 !⃝

   I must say some of these interpretations are just crap. Kyoryu is correct the widely accepted interpretation of the song is that about Los Angelas and cesspool that it is. When the band arrived there they could not believe what they saw - drugs, etc. It a theme that runs through the album including the last resort which depicts man's destruction of the natural beauty of California.
10. anonymous

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    Sep 23rd 2006 !⃝

    I think the lyric mercedes bends was quite intentional. The subject of the song (in this case california, and all it represents in people's heads) is afflicted. She's "tiffany twisted" and has the "mercedes bends". "the bends" is a condition that divers get when they surface too quickly and the pressure drop allows dissolved gasses in their blood to become gasses again. Severe pain and often death then occur.
    
    "hotel california" is obsessed with material wealth and money. The idea of california is an idealistic draw for artists all over (what with free love and the sixties "age of aquarius and all that), but, as the song says "we haven't had that spirit here since 1969" ... The summer of love is long over, and is now replaced by the avarice, greed, and cynicism of the music industry.
    
    Once you're sucked into the west coast dream "you can check out" via drugs, or whatever "but you can never leave". Whatever youthful idealism you once had is forever gone and sucked up by the machine that is the music business.
11. anonymous

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    Sep 8th 2006 !⃝

    Sorry, but isn't it mercedes benz, not bends?
12. anonymous

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    Sep 7th 2006 !⃝

    I think this song was made so evry 1 could create their own interpretation no one right no one wrong it is all correct. I personally think it is about drugs...
13. anonymous

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    Aug 22nd 2006 !⃝

    I can't believe you have all heard this song and have such a hard time figuring out what it's about! It's really very simple. It's about hell. Not satanic, yes probably drugs. The entire concept of the song is so easily understood. I think it's easy to believe the main character doesn't know he is dead. But it is about his journey into hell.
14. anonymous

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    Jul 20th 2006 !⃝

    I've heard so many times it's about drugs. Which it does have some reference too. But the song truly is about struggles of show business.
15. anonymous

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    Jul 3rd 2006 !⃝

    There is only one interpretation that I have seen close to right. The song is about a mental hospital called "Hotel California" in Ventura county. as far as the drug addictions and all I guess some of the lyrics could be interperated in such a way and not all lyrics have to make since but I know for a fact the song is about a mental hospital. Listen to the lyrics and a lot of it will make sence.

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