Hotel California – English Lyrics

• By: Passenger
• Album: Sunday Night Sessions

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the poetic storytelling of 'Hotel California' through Passenger's acoustic lens. This version is perfect for English learners to practice listening to clear, enunciated folk vocals and exploring complex metaphorical language and descriptive adjectives in a slower tempo.

[English]

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 a mission bell

And I was thinking to myself

This could be heaven or this could be hell

Then she lit up the 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

There's plenty of room at the Hotel California

Any time of year

You can find it here

Her mind is Tiffany-twisted

She's got the Mercedes Benz

She got a lot of pretty, pretty boys 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

Said, "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

They 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

They're living it up at the Hotel California

What a nice surprise

Bring your alibis

Mirrors on the ceiling

Pink champagne on ice

She said, "We are all just prisoners here of our own device"

In the master's chamber

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 that 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"

...