
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 in here
Her mind is Tiffany-twisted, she got the Mercedes-benz
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
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...
Welcome to the Hotel California
Such a lovely place
Such a lovely face
we're livin' it up at the Hotel California
What a nice surprise, bring your alibis
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
The 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 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 Eagles are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1971. With five number-one singles and six number-one albums, six Grammy Awards and five American Music Awards, the Eagles were one of the most successful musical acts of the 1970s in North America and are one of the world's best-selling bands, having sold more than 200 million records worldwide, including 100 million sold in the US alone. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998 and were ranked number 75 on Rolling Stone's 2004 list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". Founding members Glenn Frey (guitars, vocals), Don Henley (drums, vocals), Bernie Leadon (guitars, vocals), and Randy Meisner (bass guitar, vocals) were recruited by Linda Ronstadt as band members, some touring with her, and all playing on her third solo album, before venturing out on their own on David Geffen's new Asylum Records label.
Their debut album, Eagles (1972), spawned two Top-20 singles in the US and Canada: "Take It Easy" and "Witchy Woman". The next year's follow-up album, Desperado, peaked at only number 41 in the US, although the title song became a popular track. In 1974, guitarist Don Felder joined, and On the Border produced the Top-40 hit "Already Gone" and the Eagles' first number-one song in the US and Canada, "Best of My Love", which made the top 15 in Australia, their first hit overseas. In 1975, the album One of These Nights became their first number-one album in the US and a top-10 album in many countries. It included the US number-one hit "One of These Nights", which was their first top-10 hit outside of North America, and US Top-5 songs "Lyin' Eyes" and "Take It to the Limit". Also in 1975, Leadon left the band and was replaced by guitarist and vocalist Joe Walsh.
Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975) (1976) is the best-selling album in the United States, with 38 million copies sold, and primed the public for the late 1976 release of Hotel California, which would sell more than 26 million copies in the US (ranking third all-time for US sales), and more than 32 million copies worldwide. The album yielded two number-one singles in the US and Canada, "New Kid in Town" and "Hotel California", the latter of which became their only Top-10 hit in the United Kingdom, while also reaching the top 10 in New Zealand and many European countries, including number two in France.
Meisner was replaced by Timothy B. Schmit in 1977. The Eagles released their last studio album for nearly 28 years in 1979 with The Long Run, spawning the North American number-one song "Heartache Tonight", which became their biggest hit in Australia (number 13), and the North American Top-10 hits "The Long Run" and "I Can't Tell You Why". The Eagles broke up in 1980 but reunited in 1994 for the album Hell Freezes Over, a mix of live and new studio tracks, and toured consistently. In 2007, the Eagles released Long Road Out of Eden, their sixth number-one album in the US, and in 2008 launched the Long Road Out of Eden Tour. In 2013, they began the extended History of the Eagles Tour in conjunction with the documentary release, History of the Eagles. Following Frey's death in January 2016, the Eagles re-formed in 2017, with Glenn's son Deacon Frey and country singer Vince Gill sharing lead vocals for Frey's songs. Deacon Frey left the band in 2022, but returned in 2023 to participate in the band's ongoing final tour. Founding member Meisner died in 2023.
Exactly! I've heard SO much new music modern and old that I never heard before!. I do find when I choose a certain Mix -- usually "Mellow Mix", all the music enhances my day.
These two music afficionados have my heartfelt gratitude for proving that people will support a channel that entertains with excellent quality (sound and visuals), NO commercials, and that plows back the income from their listeners into improving the quality. -- Ex-pat from D.C. in Brighton, England.
Top 3 concerts I have ever seen, and I have been to many since 1971.
Strongly agree! I find dozens of songs I've never heard before but absolutely love -- modern and old, from both unknown & familiar artists -- and I've been listening to music for 68 years.
Personally, I can't hear this song without it bringing to mind the thousand times I've heard it on pablum-ridden MOR radio shows that are background to dental drilling. Don't play this any more. It's had its day. Put it to rest.
Bill is still playing this 20 years after this comment. you go Bill!!!
Not a bad cover of the Gypsy Kings...
this version is even better than the studioversion
WAY better, Joe Walsh on the acoustic guitar is superb. 10.
Heh. It's the only Eagles song I do like. It is overplayed, and it is basically as smarmy and self-serious as the rest of their work, but I like the melody, arrangement and the poetry in the lyrics.
Radio Paradise is a radio station (clue in the name). By definition you will not like every track. If you only want to hear everything you like, only play your own cd’s and vinyl! Bill does a fantastic job of playing mainly things we all like as listeners. I hadn’t heard this version before and liked it. Don’t like the original much but see above.
Or just rate songs by your taste and play favorites, lot of options here on RP.
My rating is: 9-OUTSTANDING
My rating is 10+. I cannot fault it.
Radio Paradise is a radio station (clue in the name). By definition you will not like every track. If you only want to hear everything you like, only play your own cd’s and vinyl! Bill does a fantastic job of playing mainly things we all like as listeners. I hadn’t heard this version before and liked it. Don’t like the original much but see above.
Agreed! I'll just point out the 'My Favourites' channel option where you'll never hear a song you don't like.