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"

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
desert /ˈdɛzərt/ A2	noun - a large, dry, barren region of land, often covered with sand
highway /ˈhaɪweɪ/ A2	noun - a main road, especially one connecting major towns or cities
shimmering /ˈʃɪmərɪŋ/ C1	adjective - shining with a softly flickering or wavering light
corridor /ˈkɔːrɪdɔːr/ B2	noun - a long passage in a building from which doors lead into rooms
courtyard /ˈkɔːrtjɑːrd/ B2	noun - an unroofed area enclosed by the walls of a building or complex
spirit /ˈspɪrɪt/ B2	noun - strong distilled alcoholic drink (also refers to soul or mood)
alibi /ˈæləbaɪ/ C1	noun - a claim or piece of evidence that one was elsewhere when an alleged act took place
ceiling /ˈsiːlɪŋ/ B1	noun - the upper interior surface of a room
prisoner /ˈprɪznər/ B1	noun - a person legally held in custody or captive by force
device /dɪˈvaɪs/ B2	noun - a plan, scheme, or desire (in this context: 'of our own device' means self-created or by our own doing)
chamber /ˈtʃeɪmbər/ B2	noun - a large room used for formal occasions or private meetings
feast /fiːst/ B2	noun - a large meal, typically one in celebration of something
stab /stæb/ B2	verb - thrust a knife or other pointed weapon into someone or something
steely /ˈstiːli/ C2	adjective - resembling steel in color, strength, or hardness
beast /biːst/ B2	noun - an animal, especially a large or dangerous wild one
passage /ˈpæsɪdʒ/ B2	noun - a narrow way, path, or corridor allowing access
relax /rɪˈlæks/ A2	verb - make or become less tense, anxious, or rigid
program /ˈproʊɡræm/ B1	verb - cause to behave in a specified way