Hotel California
Listening Party Comments

Memories :: Songs :: Dislikes :: Lasting Impressions

 33 People Took Part in this Listening Party.

 

Memories
 
 Having seen the album cover and got the T shirt, just had to visit the 'Pink Palace' last year - immaculate hotel and service but no sign of the Eagles, except for a few ghosts maybe! Yes, it is painted pink and they do have banana leaf patterned wallpaper and carpet, as well as real banana trees in the garden and around the pool.
winslowboy, a mere slip of a lad, Hull, UK and sometimes Tucson, AZ

Hotel California crept up on me and soon became an old friend. All songs are classics and I still use the CD as one of my favourite roadtrip listenings just love singing all the words at maximum volume. When you listen to Hotel California you know that the Eagles will never be the same without Felder. Although I think Schmit is very strong in Meisner`s place. JD Souther produced some of his best collaborative efforts on this album too. Key highlights are the solos on HC, Harmonies on NKiT, Henley's soul vocals on WT, the end harmonies on Pretty Maids and the closing tune is as good as it gets
Mitchell Howard, 39, New Zealand

I was twelve when my older brother bought the album, just after the release. What a recordsleeve! The american dream captured there in one photo. I instantly loved the titletrack, but I guess you have to be a little older than 12 to really understand the lyrics. During the years it became one of my favorite albums of all time. It is the soundtrack of my many trips to California. And for me it was the introduction to the other Eagles albums.
Hans, 38, Netherlands

My friend and I were working on a project at her house for biology. After going through about 4 random albums, we put in a mix she made. The very first song was the HFO version of "Hotel California." My Dad (being my rock'n'roll buddy) had told me previously that I would love the Eagles, but I never really heard any of their songs, so a fair judgment could not be made. That afternoon changed everything and the next day I went out and bought this album for myself. I've been soaring high ever since. Thanks Caiti! Your fault for putting these guys in my head and I love you for it!! :)
Marie, 19, Wisconsin

As always the title track remains the my favourite song and I've heard it played in various bars/situations/parts of the world/etc
When I first saw the video to the song with the neon sign in the background and Felder on the twin 6/12 string thats when I knew that A) this was THE band and B) I had to play the guitar myself -STILL love the band and I can play the guitar ; don't mind if Glenn and Don fire me either !
Mike Faloona, 40+1, Oxford , England
 

as usual, i heard this on one of the fm stations out of new york city. "new kid in town" was the first single so this was out ahead of the rest of the tunes. however, beginning in early december of 1976 this album was all over the radio. every song was getting airplay and some forward thinking djs actually played whole album sides straight through! those were the glory days of fm radio@
scott, 48, new jersey

Im a match maker so i help people with there relationships so i give them the lyrics of "Victim of Love", "Try and love again" and "Wasted Time" and there MIDIS and they sing them to the people in there lives. (and of course i've get to to somw people as well).
Troy, 13, Calgary

Yes, this album was the greatest eagles albums ever written equal to on the border, the eagles with this album produced some of the world's finest songs, this album is near perfect, all the songs are good, and the music and vocals are amazing, you can't help singing along to some of the songs on this album, one of the greatest albums of all time, this is
keithy, 13, australia

 

 

 

Songs

  Hotel California

I must have played it a million times, but it still sounds fresh. The guitarsolo is my favorite part, favorite place to play the album is off course the car. I remember a trip to CA with my girlfriend in '92, late at night behind the wheel somewhere in the desert near Palm Springs. Suddenly the radio played HC and we realised: this is the perfect setting for the song. That was definitely my Hotel California-moment.
Hans, 38, Netherlands

This was the first Eagles song I heard. I have loved these guys ever since.
Marie, 19, Wisconsin

The Guitar in the end of the song and well as the lyrics of the song.
Troy, 13, Calgary

 

  New Kid in Town 

New Kid in Town - The lyric, the guitar the electric piano are all great but the harmonies are spine tingling and I mean that literally. Right from the summer of `77 (it was in the southern hemisphere) this song has done it for me. A touch of sadness and the gooseflesh harmony at the end. My all time favourite Eagle`s song.
Mitchell Howard, 39, New Zealand

New Kid In town has great meaning to me! It has always allowed me to look at parts of my life where I have had to start again and as such I have been The New kid in town.
marshall Katz, 45, Toronto Ontario Canada

 Life in the Fast Lane

 Wasted Time 

 Victim of Love 

being a rock and roller at heart, this is the one that jumped out at me the first few times out. great henley vocal, cool harmonies and joe's slide all contribute to its excellence. but, this aside, i can't downplay the importance of all the other great "classics" on this album, which is just about every other song! truly, one of the best rock records of all time!
scott, 48, new jersey

 Pretty Maids All in a Row 

 Try and Love Again 

 The Last Resort

It's an outstanding song and the best Henley lyric ever(although Heart of the Matter comes close). A song that doesn't age and in fact given the changing times since 76/77 is a remarkable insight into the the future / what has become........"you call some place paradise ....kiss it goodbye............."(PS- also came second in "best song" in my Take It Easy fanzine poll in 1980 after guess....Hotel California)
Mike Faloona, 40+1, Oxford , England

Because, it's simply an outstanding song, the writing to it is very good, it's one of the best ever written songs, and one of don's greatest ever lyrical acheivements, it has beautiful vocals and don tops it off with a great falsetto part at the end of the song
keithy, 13, australia

Its the best song ever, simply put.
Scott, 17, Sherrill

 

 
 

What Don't You Like?

IMHO The weakest track on the album is Randy's but it's pleasant enough to listen to, just not in the same league as the rest of the 'angry young men'.
winslowboy, Hull, UK and sometimes Tucson, AZ, a mere slip of a lad

"Life in the fast lane" is the track I don't like very much. But hey, it's still an Eagles-song.
Hans, 38, Netherlands

This in my mind is probably The Eagles strongest studio album. My only comment is that it is probably overly produced.
marshall Katz, 45, Toronto Ontario Canada

Although the lead singers were picked perfectly for this album, part of me wishes Glenn had more to sing. I know there really isn't a song on there that he could have done that would have topped Don singing it, but I still wish he had more of a vocal part.
Marie, 19, Wisconsin

When the band recorded this album they were on tour a lot and the greatest hits was "happening". This is and will remain their creative and commercial peak ( a la Sgt Pepper / Dark Side / Rumours / etc).
There are no weak links in the chain - even Randy's Try and Love Again would have been the next single if he stayed on according to Glenn.
Victim Of Love reminded me of Bad Co at the time but hey I'm over it now !
Mike Faloona, 40+1, Oxford , England

not at all. this was perfection from start to finish although i remember thinking at the time that it would've been nice to have a few more leads sung by glenn. no disrespect to don, but glenn really took a backseat on this one.
scott, 48, new jersey

Why would i dislike anything in this album. This is one of the best albums that the eagles ever created.
Troy, 13, Calgary

 

 


 
Lasting Impressions

 Ever since I first heard it, Hotel California blew me away and was the one track that I always fantasised about performing live on stage in front of my friends but, unfortunately, my guitar skills never have been, and never will be, up to the Felder/Walsh magic that pervades throughout this number. Like it or loathe it, Hotel California is their immortalizing signature tune and is the one track that, in response to the pub quiz question 'who played that?' and 'what's it all about?', will guarantee the answer, probably anywhere in the world, 'The Eagles' and 'I have no real idea but I can debate the possibilities with you for the next 3 days solid!' .
winslowboy, a mere slip of a lad, Hull, UK and sometimes Tucson, AZ

Since the Eagles concert in Rotterdam in the summer of 2001 I really enjoy "Pretty Maids" a lot more. The performance of that song by Joe Walsh was absolutely impressive.
Hans, 38, Netherlands

I love the cover!! (random thought!)
Marie, 19, Wisconsin

Well there ain't alot of country rock on show but this album established the band on the world stage commercially and confirmed the song writng talents of the Henley/Frey partnership. THE best Eagles album ever however.....
unfortunately it brought immense pressure to bear on the band members and started the fuse for the first and hopefully only split; as Joe said" when you produce something as good as HC - how do you go about topping it?"
Mike Faloona, 40+1, Oxford , England

i had a hard time dealing with this album the first few times i heard it. i felt that bernie's vocals were missing and consequently, those trademark eagles harmonies weren't as thick as they had been. also, all traces of the country rock sound were just about gone. it marked an end of an era for the band, and the start of a new one. i hated to leave the old one behind and lamented that loss in the beginning. i gradually realized in time that this was the best group of songs the band had written ever. and i soon warmed up to the changes and realized that the eagles were now bigger than ever. it's not my personal favorite album by them (DESPERADO still is), but i can recognize the fact that HOTEL is the band's BEST album.
scott, 48, new jersey

Can you have a better album?
Scott, 17, Sherrill