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
                                      ~2~
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  voices  down  the  corridor  I  thought  I  heard  them  say...
Chorus:
Welcome to the hotel “California”
Such a lovely place, such a lovely place, such a lovely face
Plenty of rooms at the hotel “California”
Any  time  of  year, any  time  of  year  you  can  find  it  here
                                        ~3~
Her name is tiffany twisted; she got the Mercedes-benz
She got lotta pretty, pretty boys, that she calls friends
How they dance in the courtyard, sweet summer sweat
Some dance to remember, some dance to forget
                                       ~4~
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  have  them  say...
Chorus:
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, thinking alibis
                                        ~5~
Mirrors on the ceiling and pink champagne on ice
And  she  said  we  are  all  just  prisoners  here  of  our  own  device
And  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
                                        ~6~
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