v • d • e This article is within the scope of WikiProject Rock music , a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of Rock music on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks. Someone should definitely comment on the influence of "We Used to Know" by Jethro Tull on this song. The chord progressions and vocals(not lyrics, but vocals) are strikingly similar.
Another theory is that, like in other popular songs, California (or in this case the "Hotel California") represents death.
Version of interpretation
It seems to me strange - nobody told about version, that Eagles said in this song about USA, and Hotel is compared with this state. This version has a place in Russia, f.e.
I suggest calling this an allegory rather than a metaphor. Any seconds? Theaterfreak64 06:57, Feb 18, 2005 (UTC)
CannotResolveSymbol, I think the song actually goes "..You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave..." I always thought it was about a brothel, and everyone I spoke to agreed. I am surprised to find absolutely nothing about this idea here. Carter Somerville 05:02, 30 November 2005 (UTC)
The 'What this song means' explanation
Was repearted SIX times, I took out the last 5 so it is now only in there once. Just cleaning up some idiocy, people really need to read the damn article. Babrook 07:57, Dec 26, 2006 (UTC)
Heard on the 'CASEY KASEM TOP HITS OF THE US' radio show that the there is actually a place called 'Hotel California' in Mexico which the band members used to frequent. And the managers of the hotel have apparently verified that the place described in the song is similar to the actual hotel. The Casey Kasem Show is a reputed radio show and the guy has been around for a long time. So if his word counts for anything this could be one of the most valid explanations for the SONG TITLE!! Please try and verify this information and consider updating your article
This link: http://www.todossantos-baja.com/todos-santos/eagles/hotel-california.htm references the mistaken 'Hotel California' in Mexico. Do your research people!
Satanic lyrics proven false
I've noticed that the band is quoted for not having any relation with that frontier hotel, but there's no quote for proving the Satanic rumours false. How were they proven?
Here's a thought
The song can easylky be seen as a drug use methaphore. In the master's chambers sounds like the Master of puppets by Metallica, don't you think?
That is genius, if Master of Puppets did not come out almost 10 years after this song.Reggae cover
I have downloaded a song that purports to be a Bob Marley cover of "Hotel California", and which does rather sound like his voice, though not really his style. Can anyone confirm that he has covered the song? Anybody know of any reggae covers by somebody who could be mistaken for Bob Marley? Tuf-Kat 05:06, Jun 16, 2005 (UTC)
"(UTC)YES YOU ARE ALMOST RIGHT IT IS IN FACT ZIGGY MARLEY COVERING THE SONG HOTEL CALIFORNIA. NOTICE THE SUBTLENESS IN HIS VOICE AS WITH HIS FATHERS.ALSO IT WAS IN A WOODSTOCK ARTICLE. LELLOW@AOL.COM" However, I also googled and found the page you are referring to. No where in the page could I find a direct statement that Ziggy Marley covered this song. Did I miss something? I am most concerned because if you google "Ziggy Marley Hotel California" the google summary returns..
The only cover of hotel california version reggae is from Majek Fashek .
I just listened to both versions and the purported Bob Marley version is most definitely not the same as Majek Fashek's version ℬ astique ▼ par ℓ er ♥ voir ♑ 18:52, 20 February 2006 (UTC)
Track 12 of the album "Reggae Rocks: The Tide Is High" (Bongo Boy, 2001) is Edi Fitzroy's version of 'Hotel California'. I'm pretty sure this clears up the mystery! Why is it that every unkown reggae track gets attributed to Bob??
Well... I've heard that before, some friends say it's Bob, but listen carefully please! it's not him... You should listen to his first songs and then you can agree with me. I hope not to be wrong. Thelawgiver2003@hotmail.com
"Anybody know of any reggae covers by somebody who could be mistaken for Bob Marley?" To the uneducated ear, -any- reggae song performed by a man might be attributed to Bob Marley... in much the same way that many novelty pop songs are mis-attributed to Weird Al Yankovic. Never trust the tags on mp3s you download off the internet or receive from friends, because there are a lot of dumb people out there who incorrectly tag MP3s. "Marijuanaville", anyone? MRuss 13:37, 8 November 2007 (UTC)
some doubts
I could agree with both theories, the one about the drug addiction's metafor and the one about the brothel, despite, in my opinion the second one is too obvious. Anyway, I'd like too know the meaning of a part of the song, which I think would help...
"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"
What do mean "the beast" and "our own device" in this context?
See Also http://www.songmeanings.net/lyric.php?lid=4793
Something cool Found from the link you provided is that i guy clams the whole album is a concept album I have a very interesting little story for all of you in regards to this song and it's meaning. About 15 years ago, I was taking an English class in University, and the and the professor of the class had an assignment for us. He handed out a sheet of paper face down to everyone. When we turned it over, we were told to write what we thought the song was about. He added, however, that the song was NOT about a cult so don't even write that. So, basically almost every member of the class then proceeded along the next route....the drugs/addiction metaphors. When we were done, he proceeded to tell us what the song, and the corresponding album were ACTUALLY about. It seems our prof had, at one time, lived in the California area and was very good friends with a certain drummer named Don Henley. Don explained the story behind the song to him, and said he was amused at the wide varieties of interpretations the song had developed over time. According to the source, The "Hotel California" is actually, L.A. itself. The song and album take you on a trip though the music industry in L.A. in the late sixties early seventies, when agents and studios controlled artists like puppets. Back in the late sixties, 1969 to be exact, there was a major onslaught of artists being signed left, right and center, and artisit at the time were often known to basically "sell their soul" to a record company executive in order to get a recording contract. Many times these artists were given little if anything for their music, and thus ended up basically a victom to their love of music. Just imagine the scene at the time, it's late 60's, you are on your way to L.A. to strike it big with dreams of glamour and fame...and you basically are prepared to sell your soul of you have to to attain it. I must admit, when I first heard this explaination, I was a little skeptical...but trust me....listen to the WHOLE album again, start to finish and keep this definition in mind when you do it. Every song ties together in one big story, finishing off with the Last Resort which gives you a clear summery of the whole album and idea. I don't deny that drugs and addiction have a lot to do with the lifestyle and results of the quest for fame. All I ask is to keep an open mind and think of "The Hotel California" as L.A., and you may be surprised.
more drug references
I've seen "stab it with their steely knives" claimed to be referring to injecting heroin. The image that comes to mind for me is chopping cocaine with a razor on a mirror. "The beast" is then cocaine, (less literally, cocaine addiction). "Prisoners of our own device" -- we brought it on ourselves.
"Steely Knives"
The line "They stab it with their steely knives but they just can't kill the beast" is a reference to Steely Dan. They shared the same manager and had a friendly rivalry. The year before, Steely Dan included the line "Turn up The Eagles, the neighbors are listening" on the song "Everything You Did." David Bergan 18:49, 14 February 2006 (UTC)
I heard that it could be about drug rehab...not sure, could be about drugs, drug rehab, or the whole experience.
I'm pretty sure it's about Steely Dan, didn't one of the members of the Eagles say it was in fact?
Hi, Has no one ever wondered whether the 2 lines are in fact a more literary allusion to the novel Lord of the Flies by William Golding??? I have
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