Some say that the band’s path after releasing the song, to fame and excess, mirrors the themes of excess in America that are presented in the song, until tensions between the band members forced their breakup in 1980. The theory goes that when the founder of the Church of Satan, Anton LaVey opened his church in San Francisco, the Eagles were lured in, and the lyrics are about their deal with the devil. The other theory, which is cryptic and fairly ridiculous, gives a satanic interpretation of “Hotel California”, an idea that came about during the Satanic Panic of the 1980s. Photo by David Tan/Shinko Music/Getty Images Plus, the musical arrangement also makes the song sound like a voyage, with a slow buildup into a steady, easygoing groove that culminates in a guitar solo that represents the peak of your experience. If the band weren’t purposely imagining a night at this strange hotel to be a metaphor for drug use, the lyrics certainly allow for this interpretation. Over time, many fans have interpreted the song as a long, drawn out drug trip, suggesting that “The Hotel California” really stands for THC, and the trip to the Hotel California is like entering into the psychedelic world. This brings me to one of the more prominent fan interpretations of “Hotel California”, and one that I’m quite partial to myself. “You can check-out any time you like, But you can never leave” Perhaps it’s something like hopping on the bus, once and for all. This is probably part of the reason why this song has stood the test of time so well, because in a way the ambiguity makes it feel relatable, even if you’ve never been to California (especially if you’ve taken drugs). Even the band knows that the lyrics to “Hotel California” are pretty ambiguous.
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