Hotel California
Graham Blvd Lyrics
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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,
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! "
The opening verse of the song describes the journey of the singer on a desert highway in a car. The warm smell of colitas (a slang term for marijuana buds) is in the air. He eventually sees a shimmering light coming through the darkness of the highway and stops for the night at the Hotel California. In the following verse, he finds himself face-to-face with a woman, who is possibly a hotel employee; he hears the mission bell ring, creating a haunting atmosphere. As the story goes, the woman guides him through the hotel's corridors and into a room where he hears indistinct voices coming from a distance.
The chorus of Hotel California narrates how this place makes a good first impression with its luxury and eloquent decorations. It appears to be an ideal oasis, specifically when one needs to get out of a storm or avoid impending danger. However, appearances can be deceptive, and its guests' freedom is only an illusion.
Moreover, the third verse sheds light on the guests' hedonistic lifestyle, who indulge in alcohol, promiscuity, and other activities that serve to distract them from their internal conflicts. The singer requests for some wine, with the captain informing him that it has been unavailable since 1969. During this time, the voices continue to haunt the singer, highlighting the fact that the illusion of freedom is nothing but an invitation to addiction.
The final verse illustrates the singer's escape, whereby he tries to run away from the hotel, but it appears impossible. The night man tells him that he could never leave, and he is trapped within the hotel's walls. The song is a metaphorical interpretation of drug addiction, delving into issues of deception, grandiosity, and the illusion of freedom.
Line by Line Meaning
On a dark desert highway, cool wind in my hair
The singer is describing a lonesome path they are taking through a desert with the wind in their hair.
Warm smell of colitas, rising up through the air
The singer is acknowledging the smell of smoking marijuana in the air.
Up ahead in the distance, I saw a shimmering light
The singer becomes fascinated by the sight of a distant shimmering light.
My head grew heavy and my sight grew dim
The artist starts to feel unwell as he is about to reach the shimmering light.
I had to stop for the night
The artist stops because of his condition and stays someplace for the night.
There she stood in the doorway;
The singer sees a woman standing in the doorway of the new place he is staying.
I heard the mission bell
The sound of a bell intimidated the singer.
And I was thinking to myself,/ 'This could be Heaven or this could be Hell'
The artist ponders the thought that the new place he is staying could be good or bad.
Then she lit up a candle and she showed me the way
A woman holds a lit candle for the artist and guides him through the place.
There were voices down the corridor,/ I thought I heard them say...
The artist hears some faint voices down the corridor which made him curious.
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
This is the welcoming message from the hotel California, describing the beauty and attraction of the place.
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
The artist refers to a promiscuous woman at the hotel with many young men as friends, some of whom are in the dance courtyard remembering and some forgetting.
So I called up the Captain,/ "Please bring me my wine"/ He said, "We haven't had that spirit here since nineteen sixty nine"
The singer requests wine but is told the liquor has not been stocked since 1969.
And still those voices are calling from far away,/ Wake you up in the middle of the night/ Just to hear them say...
The singer still hears some voices that he can't place, which wake him during the night.
They livin' it up at the Hotel California/ What a nice surprise (what a nice surprise)/ Bring your alibis
The singer is surprised how people lead a pleasant life at the hotel and advises to bring an excuse.
Mirrors on the ceiling,/ The pink champagne on ice/ And she said "We are all just prisoners here, of our own device"
The artist is describing the luxurious interior of the hotel with mirrors on the ceiling and the woman inside saying that the guests are prisoners of their own thought process or addiction.
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
A group of high-class men are having a feast but even though they stab a creature with their knives, they can't kill it.
Last thing I remember, I was/ Running for the door/ I had to find the passage back/ To the place I was before
Haunted by the sights and experiences he faced at the hotel, the singer is running towards the exit to get back to the place he 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!"
The night man assures the singer that they can check out at any time but can never leave, indicating that the hotel somehow captures its guests forever.
Writer(s): Glenn Lewis Frey, Don Henley, Don Felder
Contributed by Riley G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.