As a loyal fan of the Eagles I truly love the song “Hotel California”. It’s nearly impossible to be an Eagles fan without knowing the words to this classic song.“Hotel California” was written by Don Felder, Glenn Frey, and Don Henley. They say the song was written about “materialism and excess”.They admit that although the song was set in California, “it could relate to anywhere in America.” As recently as 2013 the band has stated in a documentary about the Eagles, “it’s a
song about a journey from innocence to experience.” And still Frey had said, “... it means whatever the listener wants it to mean.”
But I think there’s a dark secret behind the catchy lyrics of this song. In fact, I think the song is describing the Underworld, Hell. By breaking down each verse (excluding the chorus) I will explain how the lyrics describe the Underworld.
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.
The first three lines of this verse seem to be a metaphor of the singer, Henley’s, perspective of death. The “shimmering light” is quite literally the “light” you see before death. The last two lines of the verse are also simulating death. Just read the fourth line, “My head grew heavy and my sight grew dim” The last line, “I had to stop for the night.” Is Henley finally reaching Hell.
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
Next a woman is introduced. “Who is this person?” you might ask. This could possibly be a version of Charon.
Charon is from Greek mythology and is the ferryman who brings souls of the dead across the Styx river. The sixth line in this verse is just a little hint to how this mysterious woman is relating to Charon, because Charon is usually depicted with some sort of flame.
The fourth line, “‘This could be heaven or this could be Hell’” is clearly stating how Henley is relating this experience to the Afterlife. In the line, “There were voices down the corridor,” the corridor they are walking down is the metaphorical Styx river, and the voices are souls flowing in the Styx.
Her mind is Tiffany-twisted, she got the Mercedes bends
She 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
The second, third, and fourth lines hint to souls in the Underworld trying to remember or forget memories of their lives before this one.
So I called up the Captain,
'Please bring me my wine'
He said, 'we haven't had that spirit here since
nineteen sixty-nine'
And still those voices are calling from far away,
Wake you up in the middle of the night
Just to hear them say"
There were many who died in 1969 that would fit this description well enough, but I will leave that to your imagination. I can make connections with these voices again as lost souls trying to find their way in Hell.
Mirrors on the ceiling,
The pink champagne on ice
And she said, 'we are all just prisoners here, of our
own device'
And in the master's chambers,
They gathered for the feast
They stab it with their steely knives,
But they just can't kill the beast
The third line always jumps out at me when listening to the song. “We are all just prisoners here,” means they are all just stuck in Hell, forever. From the forth line to the end of the verse, you can interpret this in many ways. “They stab it with their steely knives, But they just can’t kill the beast” The “beast” they are referring to could mean the the idea that these souls can never leave the Underworld and they try to kill the idea so that the can live in the afterlife in peace.
Last thing I remember, I was
Running for the door
I had to find the passage back to the place I was
before
'Relax' said the night man,
'We are programmed to receive.
You can check out any time you like,
But you can never leave!'
The first three lines explain how Henley finally figures out he is stuck in Hell. “I had to find the
passage back to the place I was before” this explains how he wants to go back to the land of the Living. The fourth line introduces another Greek character, Cerberus.
Cerberus is the three headed dog that guards the gates of the Underworld, blocking souls from escaping. Even though the “night man” in the song does not sound like a three headed dog, it is another metaphor.
The last two lines again explain how souls are stuck in Hell forever. “You can check out anytime you like, But you can never leave!’”
Now, you don’t have to agree with this idea, but I would like you to consider it. I would enjoy reading your thoughts about my theory. I also encourage you to listen to the lyrics of other songs, perhaps you will find new meanings for them, too!
