The Wilson sisters and Phillips were friends from childhood, growing up in southern California in the 1970's and 1980's. The three shared a love of music and songwriting, and developed their own style of vocal harmonies. In 1989, producer Glen Ballard and SBK Records signed the trio to a record deal.
Wilson Phillips released their debut album Wilson Phillips in 1990. They shot to fame with their debut single, the # 1 hit "Hold On". The album was a hit, producing three number one singles and selling 10 million copies worldwide.
They released their follow-up album Shadows and Light in 1992. It was much less successful, producing no top ten singles and selling one million copies. Shortly after, the group decided to split up.
During the next decade, the group went their separate ways. Chynna Phillips released a solo album, "Naked and Sacred" in 1995, while the Wilson sisters released a Christmas album in 1993 and an album "The Wilsons" in 1997. Carnie also went on to host her own television talk show, while Phillips married actor William Baldwin. A "Greatest Hits" album was released in 2000, although the group did not officially reunite for this release. Carnie made headlines in 1999 when she underwent gastric bypass surgery live on the internet and lost over 20 dress sizes.
Wilson Phillips reunited in 2004 to release California, an album of cover songs. A single, 'Go Your Own Way,' a remake of the original by Fleetwood Mac, peaked at #13 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. The album debuted at #35 on the charts with 31,000 copies sold but due to the lack of promotion the album has yet to reach sales of 100,000 copies. In New Zealand the album was a surprise hit, reaching the top 10 and amassing gold sales following 'Go Your Own Way' topping the adult contemporary radio chart for several weeks.
Hotel California
Wilson Phillips Lyrics
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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 thinking to myself,
'This could be Heaven and this could be Hell'
Then she lit up a candle
and she showed me the way
There were voices down that corridor,
I thought I heard them say...
Welcome to the Hotel California
Such a lovely place (Such a lovely place)
Such a lovely face
There's plenty of room at the Hotel California
Any time of year (Any time of year)
you can find us here
Her mind is Tiffany-twisted,
she got the Mercedes bends
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 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
Plenty of room 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
The 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.
And you can checkout any time you like,
but you can never leave!
So welcome to the Hotel California
Such a lovely place (Such a lovely place)
Such a lovely face
We're living it up at the Hotel California
Any time of year (Any time of year)
you can find us here
The lyrics to Wilson Phillips’s version of Hotel California takes listeners on a journey through the eyes of a troubled traveler. The song starts with an eerie description of a dark desert highway accompanied by a cool wind with the smell of colitas, which is a slang term for marijuana. As the traveler drives along, he spots a shimmering light ahead, and his head grew heavy as his sight began to dim. With no other option, he had to stop for the night. The traveler then sees a woman standing in the doorway, and he hears the mission bell. The woman lights a candle and shows him the way; the traveler has the thought that the place could be heaven or hell. There were voices down the corridor that he thought he heard saying, "Welcome to the Hotel California."
The Hotel California is not a real place but is often used as a metaphor for the perceived positive aspects of the Californian lifestyle, such as the promise of fame, money, and fortune, only to be trapped and unable to leave. The woman in the song represents the ideal of the Californian woman; she’s elegant, beautiful, and sophisticated, but full of surprises. Her mind is Tiffany-twisted, and she’s got the Mercedes bends; she’s surrounded by pretty boys who she calls friends, and they all dance in the courtyard. Some dance to remember, while others dance to forget. The traveler then calls up the captain to bring him wine, but he’s told they haven’t had that spirit since 1969.
In the master’s chambers, the guests gather for the feast and stab it with their steely knives, but they can’t kill the beast. What the beast represents is unclear, but it could be interpreted as the desire within oneself that leads to being trapped in the so-called paradise. The song's chorus repeats the lyrics "Welcome to the Hotel California, such a lovely place, such a lovely face," and there's plenty of room at the Hotel California any time of year. The last verse sends chills down the listener's spine as the traveler tries to escape the Hotel California but cannot leave. The song’s ending is unsettling, leaving the listener questioning the meaning behind the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
On a dark desert highway, cool wind in my hair
I was traveling on a lonely road with the cool wind blowing through my hair.
Warm smell of colitas, rising up through the air
The scent of a type of flower was wafting through the air.
Up ahead in the distance, I saw a shimmering light
I saw a distant and mysterious light that drew me towards it.
My head grew heavy and my sight grew dim, I had to stop for the night
I became tired and lost my ability to see properly, forcing me to find a place to rest for the night.
There she stood in the doorway; I heard the mission bell
A woman was waiting for me at the entrance, and I could hear a bell ringing in the background.
And I was thinking to myself, 'This could be Heaven and this could be Hell'
As I approached the woman, I was unsure whether I had arrived at a peaceful or dangerous place.
Then she lit up a candle and she showed me the way
The woman lit a candle to guide me through the darkness.
There were voices down that corridor, I thought I heard them say...
I heard faint voices coming from a distant corridor.
Welcome to the Hotel California, Such a lovely place (Such a lovely place) Such a lovely face
I arrived at the Hotel California, which looked beautiful and welcoming.
There's plenty of room at the Hotel California, Any time of year (Any time of year), you can find us here
The hotel had ample space for guests and was open all year round.
Her mind is Tiffany-twisted, she got the Mercedes bends
The woman had a troubled mind, and drove a luxurious car.
She got a lot of pretty, pretty boys, that she calls friends
The woman had many attractive male friends.
How they dance in the courtyard, sweet summer sweat.
I observed the woman's friends dancing in a courtyard and sweating in the summer heat.
Some dance to remember, some dance to forget
The people dancing had different reasons behind their movements, some to reminisce and some to forget.
So I called up the Captain, 'Please bring me my wine'
I asked the hotel staff to bring me wine.
He said,'We haven't had that spirit here since nineteen sixty nine'
The staff member informed me that they didn't have my preferred wine, which had not been served there in many years.
Still those voices are calling from far away... Wake you up in the middle of the night Just to hear them say...
Even though the distant voices were faint, they became audible enough to wake me up at night, leaving me wondering what they were saying.
Welcome to the Hotel California, Such a lovely place (Such a lovely place) Such a lovely face
The hotel staff welcomed me again, complimenting the hotel's beauty and elegance.
Plenty of room at the Hotel California, What a nice surprise (What a nice surprise) bring your alibis
There was still plenty of space in the hotel, which was a pleasant surprise, and I was advised to bring an excuse for being there.
Mirrors on the ceiling, The pink champagne on ice
The room had ceiling mirrors and champagne which was chilling on ice.
And she said 'We are all just prisoners here of our own device'
The woman informed me that we were all trapped in the hotel by our own actions and choices.
And in the master's chambers, They gathered for the feast The stab it with their steely knives, But they just can't kill the beast
In the master suite of the hotel, a group was eating while attempting to kill a dangerous creature, which they were unable to do.
Last thing I remember, I was Running for the door I had to find the passage back To the place I was before
I had one last memory of running towards the exit and searching for a way to get back to where I had come from.
'Relax,'said the night man, We are programmed to receive. And you can checkout any time you like, but you can never leave!
The hotel staff member told me not to worry and that they were programmed to help me. However, the unsettling truth was that once I had checked in, I could never truly leave.
So welcome to the Hotel California, Such a lovely place (Such a lovely place) Such a lovely face
The song ended with another chorus that depicted the hotel as a beautiful and welcoming place, with a friendly and charming staff.
We're living it up at the Hotel California, Any time of year (Any time of year) you can find us here
The hotel was an ideal place to enjoy life, and the song concluded with an invitation for all year round guests to always find the hotel open and welcoming.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DON FELDER, DON HENLEY, GLENN FREY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind