The Eagles have earned a number of hits in their time, but none can surpass the prestige of “Hotel California.” This era-defining hit is rife with powerful imagery and haunting motifs. It has got its own legacy outside of the Eagles fandom. It has been so well received it can stand on its own. But, what makes “Hotel California” so appealing? According to Don Henley, one word sets this Eagles hit apart. Learn more, below.
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Hotel California’s Staying Power
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
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 thinkin’ to myself, “This could be heaven or this could be hell”
Welcome to the Hotel California…The chorus to this track is iconic. Rock fans the world over have been listening to the band utter these foreboding words for decades. Instantly, the listener is transported to the Eagles’ mirage of a hotel, complete with unexplained circumstances and ghastly visions.
The Power of California, According to Henley
According to Henley, it was one word, “California”, that made this Eagles song so inviting. While there is much about this song that draws the listener in, the Eagles founder found that mentioning the Golden State “fires up” the imaginations of listeners.
“I’ve learned over the years that one word, ‘California,’ carries with it all kinds of connotations, powerful imagery, mystique, etc., that fires the imaginations of people in all corners of the globe,” Henley once said of this Eagles track.
“There’s a built-in mythology that comes with that word, an American cultural mythology that has been created by both the film and the music industry,” he added. “But I think the success of the album was due to a combination of things that all coalesced at that point in time.”
Henley’s theory about this Eagles hit pans out. Any song that mentions California is sure to have a mystifying quality to it. “California Dreamin’”. “Dani California”. These songs have a way of hypnotizing the listener. If Henley is to be believed, it’s the mere mention of the titular state that sets these songs apart from the rest. Revisit “Hotel California,” below.
“Welcome to the Hotel California
Such a lovely place
Such a lovely face
Plenty of room at the Hotel California
Any time of year
You can find it here”
(Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
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