On a dark desert highway
cool wind in my hair
warm smell of calyptus
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
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 got the Mercedes Benz
She got a lot of pretty pretty boys
that she calls friends
How they dance in the court yard
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 faraway
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
Leave me in the empty Hotel of California
what a night surprise, when you all about
Mirrors on the ceiling
and pink champagne on ice
(she said)"We are all just prisoners here
of our own device"
And in the master's chambers
they gathered for the feast
They stabbed 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
黑暗的沙漠高速公路上
冷风吹乱了我的头发
空气中飘来柯丽塔温暖的气味
望向远方
我看到闪烁的灯光
我的头越来越昏沉，视线模糊
我得停下来过夜
她就站在门边
我听到了教堂的钟声
我心里想
这儿可能是天堂也可能是地狱
然后她点燃蜡烛为我带路
走廊传来许多声音
我想它们是说---
欢迎莅临加州旅馆
这么美好的地方（接待人员亲切）
旅馆内有充足的房间
无论哪一天，随时恭迎大驾
她的想法是第凡内卷发型的
她拥有宾士(奔驰)轿车
还有很多她称之为朋友的俊美男孩
他们在庭院里跳舞
汗水淋漓
有人跳舞是为了回忆
有人是为了遗忘
于是我请领班过来 "帮我端酒来"
他说"我们这儿从1969年起就不再供应烈酒了"
那些声音依然在远方召唤
将你从午夜时分唤醒
只听见它们说著----
欢迎莅临加州旅馆
这么美好的地方（接待人员亲切）
许多人都住在加州旅馆
多么令人惊喜，带给你逃避的藉口
天花板上的镜子
冰镇的粉红色香槟
她说"我们都是这里自投罗网的囚犯"
在主人的房里
所有人齐赴盛宴
他们用钢制小刀戳刺猎物
却无法宰杀那支野兽
我最后记得的是:
我夺门而出
我得寻回未完的旅程
回到从前的地方
"别紧张"，值夜者说
"我们已接获指示
您随时都可以买单
但您别想离开！"
昔日的加州音乐大致以两种音乐为主流，其一是把音乐与动的本质融合在摇滚乐里的“冲浪乐”(Surf Music)，另一是反映了当时的社会、文化、政治的“民谣摇滚”(Folk Rock)，虽然后者不象前者那么标榜当时美国青年活泼爽朗的特点，但被人与乡村音乐视为一体后就不被大众所喜好了。早期加州西海岸乡村摇滚较为杰出的乐队有Byrds、Poco……而Eagles正好延续了乡村音乐的精髓，在70年代绽放出强烈光芒。Eagles之所以能秉成他们原有的特色，全靠其中两位成员Randy Meisner及Bernie Leadon努力。Bernie Leadon最擅长的乐器之一是班卓琴(Banjo)，这种乐器的使用形成Eagles在早期乐风上的一大特色。Leadon在Eagles的时间不算很长，可是他在Eagles那个时候所发表的音乐，才是最清纯，最让人怀念的音乐。
老鹰乐队应该说是天才中的天才，说它是美国最伟大的摇滚乐团，一点也不为过。他们的专辑的销量超过了其他所有的美国乐队。迄今为止,他们专辑的销量在全球超过三亿八千万，赢得了四次最佳专辑，五次最佳单曲和四次葛莱美大奖。没有听过老鹰乐队的歌就不可能懂得什么是真正的摇滚乐！这首Hotel California是老鹰乐团的经典作品。
