MovieChat Forums > General Discussion > "Hotel California" song by Eagles.

"Hotel California" song by Eagles.

posted 4 years ago by TheMan18 (13135)
23 replies | jump to latest

What do we generally think of this classic 1970s pop/rock tune? Or soft classic rock rather?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=811QZGDysx0

And also, how do we feel about the band Eagles in general, and for that matter, its lead singer Don Henley's solo career?

Me, I mostly like the Eagles overall and think they're pretty good and yes this song "Hotel California" is a great classic, if not their best, definitely in their top 5 for sure. Like some of Henley's solo work but need to listen to more of it to form opinion.

Have to say, I first heard it on the radio around 1997 when returning from school on the bus in UK and later heard it again and got hooked around late 2001 on one compilation CD. (I also own at least the ALBUM "Hotel California" at home on CD and some Eagles compilation.)

Also, now here comes the big part, in your opinion, what is this song ACTUALLY about? Drugs? The illusion of the "American dream"? Art versus consumerism? Anything else? NOTE - it is NOT actually about, haha, like I may have at once thought (barring the time when I thought it was actually about the STATE 'California') a HOTEL CALIFORNIA in California, it wasn't about hotels, California in general etc, its a METAPHOR, apparently, and surprise surprise, that ACTUAL hotel, although rumoured to have been around in the town of Todos Santos in Mexico for all this time including the 1970s before this song, did NOT exist (in the sense that, it existed at the time and Eagles wrote a song and sang about it), and it was NOT based on ANY hotel, named California, in California etc, or otherwise, and the aforementioned "Hotel California" hotel in Mexico in Todos Santos actually got its name AFTER the Eagles song and the Eagles even issued a lawsuit on it over the matter.

Apparently, its some kind of metaphor for drugs, commercialism, downfall after major success in arts, business and/or music etc, depending on how one interprets the song and its meaning.

Anyways, what do we think?

[–] ShogunofYonkers (78051) 4 years ago

I think they're great, top shelf
Henley's solo work is just fine too

Classic stuff

[–] bobbydallas (8632) 4 years ago

i'm cool with Hotel California.

i like the acoustic version too.

[–] ShogunofYonkers (78051) 4 years ago

I just watched a live acoustic version on YT because of your post

Yes, you have a good point, it was very excellent though I do prefer the studio version

[–] bobbydallas (8632) 4 years ago

Hell Freezes Over '94 right?
there's something sweet about the extended intro + beats.

i usually blast this one after the OG recording for that lo-fi feel.

[–] ShogunofYonkers (78051) 4 years ago

Yes

[–] BillHicksFan (10662) 4 years ago

I'm a fan of the Eagles... I also think "Hotel California" was the best song Don Felder wrote, and I think he was the reason why the Eagles went from country-rock into one of the biggest bands (because of Don's eclectic styles).. I think the song is about the American nightmare; or "dream", since you have to be asleep to believe it.

I don't care for Don Henley's solo career. His whiny voice gets on my nerves. I like Glenn's voice, although it's not as strong. Randy sang their first hit, and their last hit was by Timothy B. Schmidt, who replaced Randy TWICE (first with Poco) - both bass players who could sing in a high register.

[–] AnubisRaydeen (7897) 4 years ago

Don't much care for Eagle's country style era but really appreciate their later stuff (and all the solo ventures as well).

I could be wrong but I always thought it was about how California changes you. Once you have lived long enough in California, the epicenter of self gratification, it never leaves you. There are far better, more intellectual, interpretations of the song but I like mine.

Here is what bugs me about the song (other than massive overplay): I have known at least 4 or 5 people who want to make a movie inspired by this song. Some of them even professionals in film making. Every one of them thinking that they have some special insight or vision delivered to them through the song. It's not inspiration, it's skilled imagery by the song writer. This is a testament to the song itself but is tedious to say the least. It's like claiming that God spoke to you through the Van Halen song "Jump" and His special message to you is that you should jump. Far be it from me to dissuade anyone from creative pursuits but the HC movie idea sits atop the painfully average bell curve of ideas. /endrant

[–] TheMan18 (13135) 4 years ago

I wonder if a film based on that song would actually have a HOTEL called "Hotel California" in it?

[–] mikethemartian (6907) 4 years ago

I wrote a paper for a philosophy class while in community college about Van Halen’s Jump way back then.

[–] ShogunofYonkers (78051) 4 years ago

Oh please tell me you saved it!
What was the gist if you don't mind, that's just hilarious

[–] mikethemartian (6907) 4 years ago

If I remember it was interpreting the lyrics as jumping into life. Seize the day. Self actualization. I probably don’t have the paper copy anymore but it is probably on one of the 5.25” Apple II floppy disks I still have assuming the information is still readable on the disk. I either wrote it for a philosophy or English class, I can’t remember. It was basically an essay assignment.

[–] ShogunofYonkers (78051) 4 years ago

Awesome, and well done👍
I wrote an avalanche of silliness during college and wound up with a fairly impressive GPA...

All nonsense of course (I once argued that England should have completely subdued the rebellious North American colonies if not for the distance and travel time involved) and completely disregarded the notion of 1/3 of the Colonists having a legitimate complaint...That earned an 'A' lol😁

[–] mikethemartian (6907) 4 years ago

Don Henley is one of my mortal enemies. He stole Maren Jensen from me.

[–] Padeen (6459) 4 years ago

"warm smell of colitas, rising up through the air"

This line was indeed about marijuana. In the 1970's, the Brotherhood of Eternal Love smuggled tons of high quality Mexican marijuana into the US on a sailboat, and The Eagles were a big fan of it. Colitas were basically the prime buds without any of larf down below....Lets just say it was the best parts of the plant.. High quality!!

[–] Redsfan001 (6187) 4 years ago

One of those great songs that has been ruined by massive overplay. I am middle-aged and have heard this song since my teens in the early 1980's, probably heard it 1000 times, when it comes on the radio I turn the station.

This begs the question in my mind, if you can become sick of a well written song, is it still considered great?

I believe the song is about the vapidity of the Californian lifestyle in the 1970's and how addicting and mindset changing it can be.

Interesting how different generations have a different takes on it.

[–] MovieBuff224 (5053) 4 years ago

Yes exactly so many good classic rock jams have been ruined by overplay. Piano Man is another one.

[–] ShogunofYonkers (78051) 4 years ago

Overplayed is a fine word for it but maybe nostalgia plays a part in keeping the classics welcome every time

Piano Man makes me think of a good Pal named Chris and the big send-send off party we had for him the night before he reported to The US Navy

Stairway To Heaven reminds me of a big sexy blonde girl named Beth and her very tiny Honda on a dark, dead end street...I'll leave it at that

Every Rose Has Its Thorn (by no means a classic but popular radio fodder) brings to mind a girl called Alicia and how she played this track while we cuddled on her waterbed and she broke my heart one late August evening...High School Senior year was about to start and she was looking to hook up with her previous boyfriend...Whenever I hear this song I think about how much I hate waterbeds

'Overplayed' tunes are very evocative

[–] MovieBuff224 (5053) 4 years ago

See that’s the true test for me, songs like Stairway,
Over the Hills and Far Away, Ramble On, Comfortably Numb, Brain Damage etc are equally powerful every last time I listen to them, no matter how many times I hear them.

Freebird, Sweet Home Alabama, Simple Man, More Than a Feeling, Hotel California, Piano Man, I don’t care if I ever hear them again.

[–] Adam60z (3774) 4 years ago

It's their best song. It's about California and the end of the sixties.

Apparently, its some kind of metaphor for drugs, commercialism, downfall after major success in arts, business and/or music etc, depending on how one interprets the song and its meaning.

You're reading things into it that aren't there, as far as I can see.

[–] Querelle (1603) 4 years ago

Eagles are garbage, with the exception of Hotel California. They have one good song, and that's it. Lyin' Eyes, Peaceful Easy Feeling, and Take it Easy, are the EXACT same song, and it's not a good song.

I hate the fuckin' Eagles, man.