The history of one song

The history of one song

“ Hotel California”

Daria Topalskaja and Anastasia Kovaljova

Lyceum179 St.Petersburg

Teacher R.S. Budnitckaja

We would like to present you one of the most beautiful and melodical compositions of all the time. It’s “Hotel California’ – is song by “Eagles”. It came out at the beginning of 1977.

• “ The hotel, which can’t be left forever” is described in the song. It looks like a story told by a tired traveler. He was trapped in a nightmarish hotel which seemed so attractive at first. The author compares “the hotel” with Hollywood, which welcomes you at first and then you become dependent on it. One of the version is that “the hotel” is a prison or mental hospital.

• The single is considered one of the greatest songs of the 20th century. The “Hotel California” was awarded “Grammy” in 1978 as the best of the year. It was at the head of American charts as well.
• And now this song is still on the first ones in hit-parades all over the world and in hearts of many people.

The text

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 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

Her mind is Tiffany-twisted, she got the Mercedes bends

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,

'Please bring me my wine'

He said, 'We haven't had that spirit here since nineteen sixty nine'

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 livin' it up at the Hotel California

What a nice surprise (what a nice surprise)

Bring your alibis

Mirrors on the ceiling,

The 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 night man,

'We are programmed to receive.

You can check-out any time you like,

But you can never leave!'

The translated text 1

На тёмном пустынном шоссе

Мои волосы развевал холодный ветер.

Тёплый запах колитаса

Поднимался в воздухе.

На некотором расстоянии впереди

Я увидел мерцающий свет.

Я почувствовал, что меня клонит ко сну

И что мне нужно остановиться на ночлег.

Добро пожаловать в отель «Калифорния»,

Такое замечательное место,

(Такое замечательное место),

Такое замечательное место.

В отеле «Калифорния» веселятся и кутят -

Какой приятный сюрприз!

(Какой приятный сюрприз!)

(Professional translated text)

Шоссе темно и пустынно,

Холодок в волосах,

Я чувствую дух кальяна,

Им вдруг воздух запах.

Где-то вдали

Я вижу мерцающий свет,

Голова тяжелеет,

Глаза смыкаются,

Я знаю – мне нужно найти ночлег.

Добро пожаловать в Отель Калифорния!

Что за милое место!

Что за милое место!

Что за милое место!

Много мест в Отеле Калифорния,

В любой день и час,

В любой момент и сейчас,

Ты здесь найдешь нас!..

(Our translated text)

Versions of performance

№ 1. «Sticks on Steel»:

№ 2 . Marc Anthony

Information was taken from:

• http://www.historyonesong.com/2010/02/hotel_california_1 /

• http ://www.youtube.com /