One look at the biographies and accomplishments of the individual players t… Read Full Bio ↴One look at the biographies and accomplishments of the individual players that make up the Ultimate Eagles will tell you a great deal about what you can expect when you come to see these guys perform.

You’re looking at guys who have played every kind of venue, in many different countries, at every level; from clubs, to theatres, to festivals and stadiums. You’re looking at years of professional world touring experience by six of the most accomplished musicians you're likely to find in any band; tribute or original. You've got award winners, rock stars, and players who have regularly featured in some of the biggest publications in music, not to mention some TV time as well. Top of The Pops? MTV? They've done that too.

Covering the Eagles music is not a thing you attempt half-heartedly. The songs are deceptively complex, particularly the vocal arrangements and more importantly, the songs are revered throughout the world. Ultimate Eagles recreate the music with reverence, excitement and with a new stage show that focuses it’s bright lights on the 1970’s, when the Eagles were at their mightiest. You just might find yourself whisked away to the sunny climes of Southern California.

One look at the Ultimate Eagles’ collective experience, musicality and professionalism, and it’s easy to understand the band's simple yet bold mission statement; to play the Eagles’ music better than anybody, anywhere. Second only to the Eagles themselves.

Come and see them and judge for yourselves.

Hotel California
Ultimate Eagles Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

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
Head grew heavy and my sight grew dim
Had to stop for the night

There she stood in the doorway
I heard the mission bell
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 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 Benz, uh
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 1969
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're living it up at the Hotel California
What a nice surprise
(what a nice surprise)
Bring your alibis
Mirrors on the ceiling
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

Overall Meaning

The first verse of the song starts off with a setting of a dark, empty desert with the singer's Cool wind blowing through their hair. The warm smell of colitas, or sweet-smelling plants, fills the air. The singer spots a shimmering light in the distance before becoming increasingly tired and driving towards it. When they arrive, it turns out to be the Hotel California, where the singer encounters a woman who leads them down the hallway with candles. The guests of the hotel dance in the courtyard, while the singer visits the captain for a drink. The lyrics allude to drugs, desires, and power, with references to Tiffany twisted minds, a Mercedes Benz car, and prisoners of one's own devices. The song ends with the singer attempting to escape the hotel but being reassured by the "night man" that they can check out whenever they like but can never leave.

Line by Line Meaning

On a dark desert highway
The singer is driving down a dark, deserted road in the middle of nowhere

Cool wind in my hair
The wind is blowing through his hair, providing some relief from the heat

Warm smell of colitas Rising up through the air
The smell of burning marijuana is in the air

Up ahead in the distance I saw a shimmering light
The artist sees a light in the distance that could be a sign of civilization

Head grew heavy and my sight grew dim Had to stop for the night
The artist is tired and needs to rest for the night

There she stood in the doorway I heard the mission bell
The singer arrives at a hotel, where he hears a bell ringing and a woman standing in the doorway

I was thinking to myself This could be Heaven or this could be Hell
The singer is unsure whether the hotel is a good or a bad thing

Then she lit up a candle and she showed me the way
The woman shows the artist the way to his room

There were voices down the corridor Thought I heard them say
The artist hears voices in the hallway

Welcome to the Hotel California Such a lovely place (such a lovely place) Such a lovely face
The hotel seems like a beautiful and welcoming place

Plenty of room at the Hotel California Any time of year (any time of year) You can find it here
The hotel has plenty of rooms available and is open year-round

Her mind is Tiffany twisted She got the Mercedes Benz, uh She got a lot of pretty, pretty boys she calls friends
The woman who showed him to his room is wealthy and has many attractive male friends

How they dance in the courtyard sweet summer sweat Some dance to remember Some dance to forget
Some of the guests dance in the courtyard, reminiscing about old times, while others are trying to forget their problems

So I called up the captain Please bring me my wine, he said We haven't had that spirit here since 1969
The singer asks for a glass of wine, but is told that the hotel no longer serves that kind of wine

And still those voices are calling from far away Wake you up in the middle of the night just to hear them say
The voices the singer heard earlier are still calling to him, even throughout the night

Welcome to the Hotel California Such a lovely place (such a lovely place) Such a lovely face
The hotel still seems like a beautiful and welcoming place

They're living it up at the Hotel California What a nice surprise (what a nice surprise) Bring your alibis
The hotel guests are partying and enjoying themselves, and the artist is encouraged to bring his excuses for any potential wrongdoing

Mirrors on the ceiling Pink champagne on ice and she said We are all just prisoners here of our own device
The woman tells the singer that they are all trapped in the hotel, unable to leave, and that they are responsible for their own fate

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
In the hotel's main room, the important people are eating and indulging in excess, yet they are unable to rid themselves of their destructive behaviors

Last thing I remember I was running for the door I had to find the passage back to the place I was before
The artist realizes that he wants to leave the hotel, and tries to find a way out

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 porter tells the artist that he can leave anytime he wants, but in reality, he is trapped in the hotel forever

Writer(s): Don Felder, Donald Hugh Henley, Don Henley, Frey Glenn Lewis

Contributed by Michael Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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