Hotel California
lyrics by Don Henley

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 thinking to myself
'This could be heaven or this could be hell'
Then she lit up a candle
And she showed me the way
There were voices down the corridor
I thought I heard them say

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

Her mind is Tiffany twisted
She's got the Mercedes-Benz
She's got a lot of pretty, pretty boys
That she calls friends
How they dance in the courtyard
Sweet summer sweat
Some dance to remember
Some dance to forget
So I called up the captain
'Please bring me my wine'
He said, 'We haven't had that spirit here
Since 1969'
And still those voices are calling from far away
Wake you up in the middle of the night
Just to hear them say

Welcome to the Hotel California
Such a lovely place, such a lovely face
Livin' it up at the Hotel California
What a nice surprise
Bring your alibis

Mirrors on the ceiling
Pink champagne on ice
She said, 'We are all just prisoners here
Of our own device'
And in the master's chambers
They gather for the feast
They stab it with their steely knives
But they just can't kill the beast

Last thing I remember
I was running for the door
I had to find a passage back
To the place I was before
'Relax,' said the nightman
'We are programmed to receive.
You can check out anytime you want
But you can never leave'

Meaning: The meaning of this song, as far as I know it to be, is drug addiction. "Hotel California" is drug addiction itself. Because you are addicted, you can never get out of it, so that explains what the nightman says in the end. "The Beast" might also symbolize drug addiction, since they can't kill it. I have no idea who "she" is. Maybe this really happened to Don Henley or something, and there was just a girl that he was with. I don't know, need to read an Eagles book. Maybe this did really happen, and it was when he was at the hotel that he realized that he needs to get off drugs. All I know is, it's cleverly written! And the whole song is just about drug addiction, that's all anyone really needs to know.

Why? This is considered the Eagles' greatest song, and I agree. It's very nice. Even if you aren't into classic rock, this song will appeal to you. And the lyrics are awesome, very metaphorical. Some people even say that it's about Satanism. Basically, that it can be interpreted in many ways. Oh, and it rhymes of course!