The Eagles - Hotel California (2013 Remaster)

[Retro]

How I haven't posted this classic here yet, I dunno. Rockin' all the way from 1977, remember, you can check out, but you can never leave...

 

[Arantor]

What’s interesting to me is how tight the Eagles were (well, at one point) that they could pull this off live, basically studio perfect.

And well, with one of them wearing a brick themed suit. Also, shout out to the drummer for singing while drumming. This is harder than it seems.

 

[Retro]

That was a really good live performance, very similar to the studio version. Glenn Frey isn't singing though, which makes a big difference. I know he died of a long term illness in 2016 so I wonder if he perhaps already wasn't well when this was recorded in 1998.

 

[Retro]

This is a pretty clever explanation about what the song could be about, with memes for every verse.

It could mean several things, such as a bad drug trip, but I think it could also mean that he's actually in hell, especially because of the last line of the song that he can check out, but can never leave.

What is your review of Hotel California (Song)?

Marcus Lundgren's answer: Nobody seems to be able to agree on the exact meaning of the song. Not even the members of the Eagles themselves. But no matter what the actual meaning is, I think it’s pretty obvious that the words are meant to be taken metaphorically, rather than literally. What woul...

www.quora.com

 

[Arantor]

I think it’s a little deeper than that. My sense is that it’s not about (literal) hell or a drug trip but more… discovering the rock star life, the partying, the drugs, the enthusiasm. The lifestyle is a drug in itself for many and the narrative to me says it’s that descent into the lifestyle, the loss of innocence, the gaining of experience and the price for it.

After all, once you’re famous, you’re never free any more.

 

[Retro]

It could be. Heck, even the band aren't sure! And it's kept us all guessing and talking about it for 44 years. Very clever.

I like my explanation though. So trapped...

 

[Arantor]

I meant to post thsi earlier, but controversially, my favourite Eagles song is not Hotel California (though it is easily my *second* favourite)...

My favourite is this little number:

Which was later used by Douglas Adams & co as the theme tune to Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (I believe for both the radio and TV editions, definitely the TV edition but it's been a while since I listened to the radio edition...)

 

[Retro]

controversially, my favourite Eagles song is not Hotel California

Wot?! Ah well, you can talk to the hand then!

But seriously, it's quite a surprise to find out that the theme tune to Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy was derived from this. I do like that refrain, although the rest of the track doesn't do much for me.

 

[Mars]

It could be. Heck, even the band aren't sure! And it's kept us all guessing and talking about it for 44 years. Very clever.

I like my explanation though. So trapped...

Yeah, I agree, it has also struck me the same way. That the song is not necessarily about drugs, or lifestyle, but that it is about a personal hell, from which there seems to be no escape.