'Hotel California’, when Eagles
first sang this song in 1977, they didn’t think it would turn immortal. The
album not only won a Grammy Award for the ‘Record of The Year’ but gone on to
carve a distinct niche for itself in the genre of rock. The song’s guitar solo was voted as one of
the bests. The rest we know is all history. Even today, the song never fails to
hold a sway on the youngsters and the old alike.
I distinctly remember, during the graduation days, we had our own college band called ‘Blue Jeans’ (still wonder why they couldn’t think of a better name) that was so enamored with this number, they used to play it at the drop of a hat. Whether it was fresher or farewell party, the celebration wasn’t complete until the official song ‘Hotel California’ was sung. Though, the band couldn’t replicate the number on a same plateau, you could say they weren’t bad.
What perhaps takes one by surprise are the bamboozling lyrics.
During our college days, we used to call it the devil’s song. The ‘hotel’ in the lyrics referring to ‘hell’ and the words ‘ You can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave’ indirectly meaning you probably could never get out. Of course, ‘You can’t kill the beast’ is quite decipherable.
One Johnnie, with his far-fetched imagination, hoodwinked many of us into believing that the lyricist of this song actually had half-written the song and dozed off. In the morning he found the song complete. Lending a whole new twist to ‘ghost-writing’.
However, Don Henley, one of the co-lyricists, explains, “It’s our interpretation of the high in life in Los Angeles” and later reiterates, “It’s basically a song about the dark underbelly of the American dream and about excess in America, which is something we knew a lot about.”
I distinctly remember, during the graduation days, we had our own college band called ‘Blue Jeans’ (still wonder why they couldn’t think of a better name) that was so enamored with this number, they used to play it at the drop of a hat. Whether it was fresher or farewell party, the celebration wasn’t complete until the official song ‘Hotel California’ was sung. Though, the band couldn’t replicate the number on a same plateau, you could say they weren’t bad.
What perhaps takes one by surprise are the bamboozling lyrics.
During our college days, we used to call it the devil’s song. The ‘hotel’ in the lyrics referring to ‘hell’ and the words ‘ You can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave’ indirectly meaning you probably could never get out. Of course, ‘You can’t kill the beast’ is quite decipherable.
One Johnnie, with his far-fetched imagination, hoodwinked many of us into believing that the lyricist of this song actually had half-written the song and dozed off. In the morning he found the song complete. Lending a whole new twist to ‘ghost-writing’.
However, Don Henley, one of the co-lyricists, explains, “It’s our interpretation of the high in life in Los Angeles” and later reiterates, “It’s basically a song about the dark underbelly of the American dream and about excess in America, which is something we knew a lot about.”
Whatever it be, I still find the lyrics little tight. There’s an unholy tinge about the whole thing. Nonetheless, I can never deny the beautiful weaving of this mesmerizing and enticing composition. But, why am I talking about this song?! Well, it was something I found on the web. A fusion of west and east. A fusion of ‘Hotel California’ and ‘Odissi Dance’. Go ahead and enjoy this titillating merger. If it doesn’t give you the chills, then perhaps nothing else will…
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