hotel california Music by Don Felder & Joe Walsh Words by Don Henley & Glenn Frey
Eagles Hotel California 1976
Roberto Luna sent this one my way a couple of months back. I rewrote it to make it easier to read, so I hope it helps. Good luck, and I hope everyone is able to play it by the end of the year!
I had just leased this house out on the beach at Malibu, I guess it was around `74 or `75. I remember sitting in the living room, with all the doors wide open on a spectacular July day. I had this acoustic 12-string and I started tinkling around with it, and those Hotel California chords just kind of oozed out. Every once in a while it seems like the cosmos parts and something great just plops in your lap. -- Don Felder
------------------------------------------------------------------------ This first part is the intro. It is repeated throughout the song (except during the chorus).
GUITAR 1 (12-string electric, capo on 7th fret) A 7 means open string, so it is easier to read. These are easier if you realize that the chords they outline are: Em B7 Dsus2 E9 C G Am7 B7
------------------------------------------------------------------------ In all, Don Felder, Joe Walsh and Glenn Frey managed to fit eight different guitars in for this song. GUITAR 3 plays the cool chicka chords you hear during the verses. Listen closely and you can pick this part out. Use fret-hand muting on the following chords to get the percussive sound. In other words, don`t push the strings down on the fretboard, just touch the strings so they can`t vibrate much. In addition, palm-mute them to give a sharper sound.
------------------------------------------------------------------------ GUITARS 4 and 5 (distorted electrics) play chord tones in 3rds during the verses. GUITAR 4 plays upper voicing, GUITAR 5 plays the lower voicing. All the while, the 12-string continues playing the intro chords.
There she stood... I heard the... And I was thinking.. E---------------------|--------------------|--------------------| B---------------------|--------------------|--------------------| G---7~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~--|--6~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~--|--6~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~--| D---9~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~--|--8~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~--|--7~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~--| A---------------------|--------------------|--------------------| E---------------------|--------------------|--------------------|
...heaven and this... Then she lit up... And she showed me... E---------------------|--------------------|---------------------| B---------------------|--------------------|---------------------| G---4~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~--|--4~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~--|--2~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~---| D---6~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~--|--5~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~--|--4~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~---| A---------------------|--------------------|---------------------| E---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
There were voices down... thought I heard them say. 1 E--------------------------|------------------------------------| B--------------------------|------------------------------------| G--------------------------|------------------------------------| D---4/5~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~-----|--8^r-8~~~~~~~~~~~~--8--------------| A---5/7--------------------|--9^r-9~~~~~~~~~~~~--9--------1-2-4-| E--------------------------|----------------------------2-------|
------------------------------------------------------------------------ This is the chorus. GUITAR 1 strums the following chords (instead of picking them): C G B7 Em C G Am B7 GUITAR 4 & 5 play the following bit:
Welcome to the Hotel California E---------------------|---------------------------------------------| B---------------------|--10-----10--12-----10--12/14-----12-----10--| G---------------------|--11---------12-----11--12/14-----12-----11--| D---------------------|---------------------------------------------| A---5~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~--|---------------------------------------------| E---------------------|---------------------------------------------|
... such a lovely face E---|--------------------------------------------------| B---|--------------------------------------------------| G---|--------------------------------------------------| D---|-----------------------------------------2-----4--| A---|--2~~~~~~~~~--4~~~~~~~~~---5----------------------| E---|--------------------------------------------------|
Plenty of room... E------------------------|-------------------------------------------| B------------------------|-----15--------15--15---------------12--10-| G------------------------|--14h16-----14h16--14-----------7---12--11-| D---5~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~--|--------------------------167-------------| A------------------------|-------------------------------------------| E------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
------------------------------------------------------------------------ Back to another verse. GUITAR 4 & 5 play this now (similar to part one with bends):
Her mind is Tiffany... she got the Mercedes bends E------------------------|--------------------------------| B------------------------|--------------------------------| G---7~~~~~~~~~---9---9^--|--6--------------------6--------| D---9~~~~~~~~~--11--11^--|--8--------------------8--------| A------------------------|--------------------------------| E------------------------|--------------------------------|
She got a lot of pretty,... That she calls friends E------------------------------------|----------------------------------| B------------------------------------|---------------------------5--5^--| G---6--------------------------------|--4~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~--6--6^--| D---7--------------------------------|--6~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~---------| A------------------------------------|----------------------------------| E------------------------------------|----------------------------------|
How they dance in ... sweet summer sweat E------------------------------|-------------------------------- B------------------------------|-------------------------------- G---4--------------------------|--2----------------------------- D---5--------------------------|--4--------------------------4/- A------------------------------|-----------------------------5/- E------------------------------|--------------------------------
Some dance to remember Some dance to forget E---|------------------------------------------|----------------------------| B---|------------------------------------------|----------------------------| G---|------------------------------------------|-------------------------6--| D---|--5--------------------------------8^-----|--8~~~~~-----8----9------8--| A---|--7--------------------------------9^-----|--9~~~~~-----9----10--------| E---|------------------------------------------|----------------------------|
Now, here`s the reason for so many guitars. On the So I called up the Captain verse, GUITAR 4 & 5 repeat the part from the last verse, while GUITAR 7 & 8 (distorted electrics) introduce this answer harmony. The 12-string is (still) playing the verse chords.
So I called up the Captain E---|-------------------14p13--14~~~~~~-----| B---|---------------15--15p14--15~~~~~~-----| G---|---------------16----------------------| D---|---------------------------------------| A---|---------------------------------------| E---|---------------------------------------|
Please bring me my wine He said E---------------------14p13--14~~~~~~-----| B-----------------14--14p13--14~~~~~~-----| G-----------------15----------------------| D-----------------------------------------| A-----------------------------------------| E-----------------------------------------|
We haven`t had that spirit here since E--------------------------12p11--12~~~~~~------| B----------------------14--14p13--14~~~~~~------| G----------------------14-----------------------| D-----------------------------------------------| A-----------------------------------------------| E-----------------------------------------------|
nine - teen six - ty nine E------------------------12p11--12~~~~~~-----| B--------------------12--12p11--12~~~~~~-----| G--------------------13----------------------| D--------------------------------------------| A--------------------------------------------| E--------------------------------------------|
And still those voices are calling from E------------------10p9---10~~~~~~-----| B--------------12--12p10--12~~~~~~-----| G--------------12----------------------| D--------------------------------------| A--------------------------------------| E--------------------------------------|
far away E----------------10p9--10~~~~~~--| B------------10--10p9--10~~~~~~--| G------------11------------------| D--------------------------------| A--------------------------------| E--------------------------------|
Wake you up in the middle of the night just to hear... E-----------------------------------------------|--------- B-----------------------12p10--12-------14^p12--|--14----- G-------------------12--12p11--12-------14^p12--|--15----- D-------------------14--------------------------|--------- A-----------------------------------------------|--------- E-----------------------------------------------|---------
------------------------------------------------------------------------ GUITAR 4 & 5 have a new chorus thing, GUITAR 1 plays chorus chords.
Such a lovely face They`re livin` it up at the Hotel California E----------------------|----------------- B----------------------|----------------- G----------------------|----------------- D----------------2--4--|-5~~~~~~~~~------ A---2----4----5--------|----------------- E----------------------|-----------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------ The rest of the song repeats parts I`ve already tabbed. If you`ve got the tape or CD, I suggest you listen to it while looking at the tab to find these parts. Now the solos. These are tough, so practice a lot and look at the rhythm I have laid out so you can get a feel for how it`s supposed to sound.
------------------------------------------------------------------------ Since the top 3 strings are the only ones used for the final riff, that`s all I`ll show in the tab. Both parts will be shown, GUITAR 8 plays high, GUITAR 7 plays low.
------------------------------------------------------------------------ Repeat and fade...
Thanks to Robert Luna (rluna@eden.com)
Here are the lyrics:
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 place) Such a lovely face Plenty of room at the Hotel California Any time of year (any time of year) You can find it here You can find it here
Her mind is Tiffany twisted She`s got the Mercedes bends 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 place) Such a lovely face They`re livin` it up at the Hotel California What a nice surprise (what a nice surprise) Bring your alibies
Mirrors on the ceiling 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 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 nightman We are programed to recieve You can check out any time you like But you can never leave
