Welcome to the Hotel California
Yes, as you see from the title of this blog, we are traveling down a dark desert highway. On this journey, you may or may not feel the cool wind in your hair. It all depends on your perception of the Eagle’s classic, “Hotel California.” And to be completely candid, I used to be fearful of this song. But now I have heard the mission bell and believe it to be genius. We all agree the song is iconic, yet I have recently discovered that the songwriting is masterful.
Many may ask, “How does this song relate to 90’s CCM?” Well nothing, as far as the time period. And I know the song is not in the Christian genre. Yet the message of “Hotel California” is timeless, and it will preach! So in mixtape theology fashion, let’s take a journey. The journey begins with how I perceived the song years ago when I would hear it. We will then make our way through the corridor, and look at the intended meaning by Eagle’s band member and writer, Glen Frey. If you feel like you are running for the door by the end, I promise to conclude with biblical principles that bring hope and rise above the fatalistic warning the song entails.
If your head is growing heavy and your sight is growing dim, let me pull back the curtain and give some background on my experience and early perception of this classic. You see, I grew up in a very conservative, old-school religious church. And honestly, there are some great things that I wouldn’t take back, and remain thankful for that upbringing. Sure, there are some things that I scratch my head about, like watching “A Thief in the Night” on a Friday night at church as a second grader and having nightmares about Jesus coming back and being attacked by giant-winged creatures. Or maybe the time that my family and other church families attended a Christian “rock” concert to determine whether this kind of music was appropriate for Christians. Can you sing about Jesus while electric guitars and drums are playing? Thankfully, my parents approved and surmised that kids enjoy the beat and the sound, and if they are singing about Jesus it must be ok. Of course I was already listening to Michael Jackson’s “Billy Jean” and the song “Heaven’s Just a Sin Away.” The Kendalls sang about heaven and sin, so it must be a church song. Cue track for special music! Then there was “Somebody’s Knockin’” by country singer Terry Gibbs. You know, the one about the devil knocking and him having blue eyes and wearing blue jeans? If we could listen to those songs, surely we could rock for Jesus.
Around this time, I saw The Dangers of Rock Music documentary. We watched the special on VHS during Wednesday night Bible Study in my early youth group years. The year was 1987, and I can assure you that the video we viewed at Bible Study had me as frightened as I was at the winged creatures and guillotines from “A Thief in the Night.” This documentary-style show unveiled all that a Christian needed not to be duped by the devil as you listen to music. Backmasking was an issue, and we learned that if you play “Another One Bites the Dust” by Queen backwards, it said, “starting to smoke marijuana.” Red flags flew from the Beatles to Ozzy, AC/DC, Bruce Springsteen and John Denver. And even though I’m poking fun, some of the warnings were valid. There is a great deal of music that Christians should not listen. Satan is alive, and he often lures people in his traps through music. Christians must be very cautious with everything they consume in media; I would never make light of that. Don’t be surprised when your faith and life falter when you are constantly dieting on garbage.
However, during this video, I was taught that “Hotel California” was about as satanic a song that existed. The lyrics wreak of demonic overtones. A candle was being lit, and this could be heaven, or it could be hell. Excess of colitas (I’ve recently learned is marijuana), Mercedes Bends, and wine and champagne run amuck. And there is even that final call to relax. You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave. Since viewing this video in 1987, I spent my life positively affirming the song is of the devil. And sadly, even upon believing that, I secretly liked the song. I liked the sound and chord progression and acknowledged there was something different about it. If I were ever with friends and we were cruising around, and it came on the radio, I simultaneously hit the two drum beats in the intro on the dashboard of my car like a pro.
This past year a guitar student of mine wanted to learn the Eagles standard. I reluctantly said yes, but first took a trip back to this famous hotel. I soon changed my tune! I discovered was that Glen Frey was talking about temptation, just not as the VHS special stated. Frey saw the danger as the Eagles were making their name in music and experiencing fame and fortune coming their way. He saw the entrapments. The lure of debauchery and excess entrapped in pride and acceptance was a real struggle. The sad truth of fame is that one often has to pay the price, and it is a steep price. Once you are enticed and drug in, you lose yourself.
And as I previously stated, that message will preach. Isn’t this the same message that we instill in our children and teens? As a college student, I would proudly wear my “What Would Jesus Do?” bracelet. It was more than a fashion statement. The bracelet was a reminder of how I was to perceive the world. My Christian worldview wasn’t on what I wanted or could gain. To the contrary, Jesus knows better than the world what is best for me. Yet Satan and the world will do all they can to lure us in. Do you hear the voices calling from far away? Do they wake you up in the middle of the night? Beware, and “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” (1 Peter 3:8) I guess the more I think about it, the song is satanic. It is a warning against the traps that the devil sets. And I have learned this incredible truth: Sin always makes promises that it can never keep. When it comes to the price you pay, it is just not worth it.
Satan has a lovely face. And Satan makes the sinful places that tempt us look like lovely places. The Apostle Paul warned us in 2 Corinthians 11:14, “ And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.” Before God cast Satan out of heaven, he was a beautiful angel. (Ezekiel 28:12-19) The evil one still knows how to mask his malevolence with beauty, and that is precisely how he entraps many. Temptation is not really temptation if it doesn’t look good on the surface!
How do we overcome? There is a line in “Hotel” that was supposedly one of the core satanic ideas in the song. “They stabbed it with their steely knives, but they just can’t kill the beast.” Upon my recent education of the song, I learned this was a nod of the hat and easter egg in the song referencing the rock band Steely Dan. Steely Dan made an Eagles reference in their song, “Everything You Did,” and Frey was returning the favor. But the playful reference still gets to the heart of the meaning: excess in America. Temptation. Pride. The beast seeks to devour people as they succumb to the trappings of success. Can the beast be defeated?
Furthermore, can you check out but not leave? Here is where we find hope in the promises of scripture. “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13) Jesus is the answer, and the power of the Holy Spirit surpasses the enticement of the evil one. Our hope is to trust in Him, and He will rescue us!
I have no idea if any of the band members of the Eagles know this biblical truth, but that has no bearing on the raw message of temptation. As Christians, we know the answer. The beast will be defeated. We can run for the door, and that door is Jesus.
“And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.” (Revelation 12:11)
Thankfully Jesus has prepared a place for us, and it is not a hotel with mirrors on the ceiling. The place is certainly not in California.
The place is in Him.
