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HOTEL CALIFORNIA

The Eagles
Improver: Level 2
Skills Needed: Arpeggio picking, solid open chord changes, 16th strumming

Introduction
I have two video tutorials online teaching how to play different arrangements this song. The first 4 pages of
this sheet are accurate to the most recent version, which is at Improver levele 2 and is more like the record,
with capo at 7th fret. The other video is much older and covers how to play an easier version with the capo at
2nd fret, making it appropriate for Level 7 of the Beginner levels. The chords for this are from page 5 onwards.

Verse 1

Em B7
On a dark desert highway, cool wind in my hair
Dsus2 Em/C#
Warm smell of colitas rising up through the air
C G
Up ahead in the distance, I saw a shimmering light
Am7
My head grew heavy and my sight grew dim
B7
I had to stop for the night

Em B7
There she stood in the doorway; I heard the mission bell
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Dsus2 Em/C#
Dsus2 Em/C#
Warm smell of colitas rising up through the air
C G
Up ahead in the distance, I saw a shimmering light
Am7
My head grew heavy and my sight grew dim
B7
I had to stop for the night

Em B7
There she stood in the doorway; I heard the mission bell
Dsus2 Em/C#
And I was thinking to myself this could be heaven or this could be hell
C G
Then she lit up a candle, and she showed me the way
Am7 B7
There were voices down the corridor, I thought I heard them say

Chorus 1
C G
Welcome to the Hotel California.
B7 Em
Such a lovely place, such a lovely face
C G
Plenty of room at the Hotel California
Am7 B7
Any time of year (any time of year) you can find it here

Verse 2

Em B7
Her mind is Tiffany-twisted, she got the Mercedes bends
Dsus2 Em/C#
She got a lot of pretty, pretty boys she calls friends
C G
How they dance in the courtyard, sweet summer sweat.
Am7 B7
Some dance to remember, some dance to forget

Em B7
So I called up the Captain, 'Please bring me my wine'
Dsus2 Em/C#
He said, 'We haven't had that spirit here since nineteen sixty ni
ne'
C G
And still those voices are calling from far away,
Am7
Wake you up in the middle of the night
B7
Just to hear them say...

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Chorus 2

C G
Welcome to the Hotel California
B7 Em
Such a lovely place (Such a lovely place), Such a lovely face
C G
They livin' it up at the Hotel California
Am7 B7
What a nice surprise (what a nice surprise), Bring your alibis

Verse 3

Em B7
Mirrors on the ceiling, The pink champagne on ice, And she said
Dsus2 Em/C#
'We are all just prisoners here, of our own device'
C G
And in the master's chambers, They gathered for the feast
Am7
They stab it with their steely knives,
B7
But they just can't kill the beast

Em B7
Last thing I remember, I was running for the door
Dsus2 Em/C#
I had to find the passage back to the place I was before
C G
'Relax,' said the night man, 'We are programmed to receive.
Am7
You can check-out any time you like,
B7
But you can never leave!'

[Repeat verse chords, one bar of each, to end]

Suggested Strumming pattern (for each chord)

|D DUD DUD DU UDU|


1 &a2 &a3 &a e&a
!

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Strumming Suggestions

In my more recent video, I cover how to play this song like the record. this is covered on the pages previous.
There are around 10 guitars playing at any one time on the record, and the guitars that strum do vary what
they play from time to time.

However, this is the most common pattern that sounds the most like the record for all the verses, chorus and
for the rhythm and chords for the solo sections, which just have the chords from the verses.

Strumming Pattern like the record (capo 7th fret)

V> V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V
D D U D D U D D U D D U U D U

∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑
The following pages show the chords for the easier version, which I teach with a capo at 2nd fret.

I demonstrate both these strumming patterns in that video. The first is easier, then you can add the up strums
from the second pattern if you’re up to it, in line with how I teach harder strumming in my Strumming Course.
More info on that at https://www.andyguitar.co.uk/online-lessons/course/strumming-course/

∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑
Easier Strumming Patterns (capo 2nd fret)

4 4
& 4&V 4VVVVVVVVVVVVVV V VVVVVVV V VVVVVVVV VVV VVV V V
> > > >
∑ 4 4∑ ∑ ∑ ∑
D DDDDDDDDDDDDDD D DDDDDDU D UDDDDDDU DDU DDU D U

Option 1- 8th strumming Option 2 - 8th strumming with embelishments

& &∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑

∑ 14

14
∑ ∑ ∑
& &∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑

∑ 24

24
∑ ∑ ∑ 4
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HOTEL CALIFORNIA
Easier version - capo 2nd fret

CAPO 2

Verse

Am E
On a dark desert highway, cool wind in my hair
G D
Warm smell of colitas rising up through the air
F C
Up ahead in the distance, I saw a shimmering light
Dm
My head grew heavy and my sight grew dim
E
I had to stop for the night

Am E
There she stood in the doorway; I heard the mission bell
G
And I was thinking to myself
D
This could be heaven or this could be hell
F C
Then she lit up a candle, and she showed me the way
Dm
There were voices down the corridor,
E
I thought I heard them say...

Chorus

F C
Welcome to the Hotel California.
E Am
Such a lovely place, such a lovely face
F C
There's Plenty of room at the Hotel California
Dm E
Anytime of year,(anytime of year) You can find us here...

Verse

Am E
Her mind is Tiffany twisted, She got a mercedes benz
G D
She got alot of pretty pretty boys, that she calls friends
F C
How they danced in the court yard sweet summer sweat
Dm E
Some dance to remember some dance to forget

Am E
So I called up the captain; Please bring me my wine (he said)
G D
We haven't had that spirit here since 1969
F C
and still those voice are calling from far away
Dm E
Wake you up in the middle of the night, Just to hear them say
Chorus
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F C
Welcome to the Hotel California.
E Am
Such a lovely place, such a lovely face
F C
There's Plenty of room at the Hotel California
Dm E
Anytime of year,(anytime of year) You can find us here...

Verse

Am E
Mirrors on the ceiling; the pink champagne on ice (an she said)
G D
We are all just prisoners here , of our own device
F C
and in the master's chambers, They gathered for the feast
Dm
They stab it with their steely knives but they
E
just can't kill the beast

Am E
Last thing I remember, I was running for the door
G D
I had find the passage back to the place I was before
F C
"Relax" said the night man; we are programmed to receive
Dm
You can check out anytime you like
E
But you can never leave...

Guitar solos to end, repeat to fade


|Am     |E     |G     |D     |  
|F     |C     |Dm     |E     |  
 

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Sheet Music Plus Order 1385026055. 1 copy purchased by gregpieters1@hotmail.com on Mar 4, 2017.

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