What is the meaning behind, " Hotel California"?

I've heard the song a million times, and I know most of the lyrics, but what does the song mean? What are the symbolic meanings in the song? To me, it sounds like a strange dream.

What is the meaning behind, " Hotel California"?
Check out snopes. com and wikipedia. The song is not Satanic or about Satan worshippers or any such thing. "Hotel California" is metaphorical for the hedonistic lifestyle that people tend to get swept up in in California, especially musicians and celebrities, of drugs, women and unbelievable riches which quickly cause most people to fall into a downward spiral and feel like they can't get out. Hence the line "You can check out anytime you like but you can never leave." The entire "Hotel California" album is a warning about the "loss of innocence" that can occur with excess and fame.
Reply:The Hotel California is Hell, I think. What do you think? The song says you can never leave, right. What else could that mean?
Reply:I think the song is about the seduction of modern society, especially a place like California. The weather is beautiful, the people are attractive, there's lots of great food and wine. When you get there, you are so seduced by the surroundings and people that you begin to think it's like that everywhere. Except that it's like that only in California and the rest of the world is another place entirely.





It's a pretty good song, actually. Insightful.
Reply:it means hell. duh
Reply:supposely it was about hell.
Reply:It is a strange trip written by two guys who smoked alot of Pot!!!!
Reply:That's what I always thought too, a strange dream. It has been said it has something to do with devil worship.........who knows?
Reply:It is based on the members' experience at The Church Of Satan in San Francisco. The band were members and affiliated back then.





The members stayed at the Church Of Satan (lead by Anton LaVey) in those days and describe some of the things they experienced. The church is still headquartered there to this day/








If you are in San Fran you can visit the headquarters painted black near the foot of the Golden Gate bridge... http://www.churchofsatan.com/home.html
Reply:I've heard its about using Heroin, but I don't know if that is a fact.
Reply:It's about a hotel in California

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