14.1.10

California Hotel

I was listening to Hotel California the other day and trying to sing along.  I say trying because I get the phrases mixed up all the time.  Then it hit me, I get the phrases mixed up because they are modular and interchangeable.  To test the theory, I switched the lyrics in as a symmetrical way as possible.  If the first line, first stanzy is two parts, part one being, "On a dark desert highway" and part two being "cool wind in my hair" then you should be able to mix it with the first line of the last stanza.  I took no liberties with words to make it work better, the idea being someone with sound editing powers could remix the song later.  I did nothing really with the chorus other than swapping the last lines.  Some of it works, some of it doesn't, but I'll wager it makes as much sense as the original.

So here it is, "California Hotel."


On a dark desert highway I was running for the door.
Warm smell of colitas to the place I was before.
Up ahead in the distance we are programmed to receive.
My head grew heavy and my sight grew dim, but you can never leave.

There she stood in the door way, pink champagne on ice.
And I was thinking to myself, "Of our own device."
Then she lit a candle and they gathered for the feast.
There were voices down the corrider but they just can't kill the beast.

Welcome to the hotel california
Such a lovely place
Such a lovely face
Plenty of room at the hotel california
What a nice surprise, bring your alibis

Her mind is tiffany-twisted, please bring me my wine.
She got a lot of pretty pretty boys since nineteen sixty nine.
How they dance in the courtyard from far away,
Some dance to remember just to hear them say.

So I called up the captain, she got the mercedes bends
He said, we haven't had that spirit here, that she calls friends.
And still those voices are calling, sweet summer sweat.
Wake you up in the middle of the night, some dance to forget.

Welcome to the hotel california
Such a lovely place
Such a lovely face
They livin? it up at the hotel california
Any time of year, you can find it here

Mirrors on the ceiling, I heard the mission bell.
And she said, "We are all just prisoners here, this could be heaven or this could be hell."
And in the master's chambers, she showed me the way.
They stab it with their steely knives, I thought I heard them say...

Last thing I remember, cool wind in my hair.
I had to find the passage back rising up through the air.
"Relax," said the night man, I saw a shimmering light.
You can checkout any time you like. I had to stop for the night.

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