Hotel California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids "Hotel California" |
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Side A of the US single
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| Single by Eagles | ||||
| from the album Hotel California | ||||
| B-side | "Pretty Maids All in a Row" | |||
| Released | February 22, 1977 | |||
| Recorded | 1976 | |||
| Studio | Record Plant, Los Angeles Criteria Studios, Miami |
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| Genre | Rock | |||
| Length | 6:30 | |||
| Label | Asylum | |||
| Songwriter(s) |
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| Producer(s) | Bill Szymczyk | |||
| Eagles singles chronology | ||||
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"Hotel California" is a very famous song by the American rock band Eagles. It is the title song from their album, also called Hotel California. The song was released as a single in February 1977. Many people think it is the Eagles' best song ever. It was also one of the most popular songs in the late 1970s.
The song is known for its long and amazing guitar solo at the end. In 1998, readers of Guitarist magazine voted it the best guitar solo of all time. "Hotel California" also won a Grammy Award for Record of the Year in 1978. The band members, like Don Henley, have said the song is about "the high life in Los Angeles". Henley also described it as a "journey from innocence to experience".
Many other artists have covered "Hotel California" since it came out. The song was a huge hit, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It also made it into the top ten in many other countries around the world. The Eagles have performed "Hotel California" live over 1,000 times. It is one of their most played songs in concerts.
Contents
Creating the Song
How the Music Was Made
The main music for "Hotel California" was created by Don Felder. He was a guitarist for the Eagles. Felder recorded a basic version of the song at his home in Malibu. He used a drum machine and a 12-string guitar. Then he added a bassline.
Felder gave copies of his recording to Don Henley and Glenn Frey. They were also members of the Eagles. Felder often made instrumental demos for the band. This helped Henley and Frey, who were good at writing lyrics, to finish the songs.
Felder's demo for "Hotel California" had influences from Latin music and reggae. Henley liked the sound, calling it "Mexican reggae." This became the song's first working title.
Writing the Lyrics
After hearing the music, Frey and Henley started thinking about the lyrics. Don Felder said that the song was about driving into Los Angeles at night. He mentioned seeing the city lights and thinking about Hollywood dreams.
Henley chose the theme of "Hotel California." He said that The Beverly Hills Hotel in Beverly Hills was a big part of their lives then. He saw the "Hotel" as a symbol of everything Los Angeles meant to them. Henley called it "the end of the innocence."
Glenn Frey imagined a story like a movie. A tired person driving in the desert sees a place to rest. They pull in but enter a "weird world" with strange people. This person feels trapped and might never escape. Frey wanted the song to feel like an episode of The Twilight Zone. He said they wanted to create something strange just to see if they could. Henley then wrote most of the lyrics based on Frey's ideas.
Recording the Song
The Eagles recorded "Hotel California" three times. They recorded twice in Los Angeles and once in Miami. They first found that the song's key was too high for Henley's voice. So, Don Felder lowered the key until it fit perfectly.
The second recording was too fast. In Miami, the band worked hard to make the music and lyrics just right. They recorded many versions. The best parts from several takes were then put together to make the final song. The producer, Bill Szymczyk, said there were 33 edits on the final recording.
The end of the song has a famous guitar battle. This part features Joe Walsh and Don Felder playing together. It took them about three days to get it just right. Henley wanted this part to sound like Felder's original demo.
Henley believed the song should be a single. However, the record company was worried. The song was over six minutes long, which was much longer than songs usually played on the radio. But the band insisted that the song should not be shortened. "Hotel California" was released as the second single from the album.
Song Success and Awards
Chart Performance
"Hotel California" first appeared on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in February 1977. It reached the number one spot on the Hot 100 singles chart in May 1977. This was the fourth time an Eagles song reached number one. It also reached number 10 on the Easy Listening chart.
Three months after its release, the song was certified Gold. This meant it had shipped one million copies. Later, in 2009, it was certified Platinum for selling one million digital downloads. It has now sold over 3 million digital downloads.
Awards and Recognition
The Eagles won a Grammy Award for Record of the Year for "Hotel California" in 1978. This was a big achievement for the band.
The song is highly praised in many music lists. Rolling Stone magazine ranked it number 49 on its list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". It is also one of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. When the Eagles were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998, all seven past and present members performed "Hotel California" together.
The song's guitar solo was voted the best of all time by readers of Guitarist magazine in 1998. It was also ranked 8th on Guitar Magazine's Top 100 Guitar Solos. The song was even included in the music video game Guitar Hero World Tour. In 2015, Guitar World magazine named it the number one 12-string guitar song of all time.
Live Performances
"Hotel California" has been performed live many times by different artists. By the end of 2021, it had been performed over 2,200 times. The Eagles themselves have played the song over 1,000 times in their concerts.
Live recordings of the song have also been released. The first live version appeared on the Eagles' 1980 live album. An acoustic version, with a longer introduction, was featured on their 1994 Hell Freezes Over reunion concert CD and video. This acoustic version uses eight guitars and has a Spanish sound.
Images for kids
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The Eagles performing "Hotel California" in Australia during their Long Road Out of Eden Tour
See also
In Spanish: Hotel California (canción) para niños
