On a dark desert highway, cool wind in my hairTraveling on a deserted road, feeling the breeze on my face

Warm smell of colitas, rising up through the airSensing the intoxicating aromas of various drugs in the air

Up ahead in the distance, I saw a shimmering lightSpotting a bright light that seemed to be a hotel in the distance

My head grew heavy and my sight grew dimFeeling drowsy and disoriented, possibly due to drugs

I had to stop for the nightStopping at the hotel for the night

There she stood in the doorwayEncountering a mysterious woman in the hotel's entrance

I heard the mission bellHearing the sound of a church bell, possibly signifying judgement day

'This could be heaven or this could be HellFeeling uncertain about the situation, unsure whether it is good or bad

Then she lit up a candle and she showed me the wayThe woman guiding the artist through the darkness, possibly symbolizing temptation or deceit

There were voices down the corridorHearing unsettling sounds coming from a nearby hallway

Welcome to the Hotel CaliforniaReceiving a sinister greeting upon arrival at the hotel

Such a lovely place (such a lovely place)The hotel may seem attractive and enticing at first glance

Such a lovely faceThe people at the hotel may appear charming and welcoming

Plenty of room at the Hotel CaliforniaThe hotel seems to be able to accommodate many guests

Any time of year (any time of year) you can find it hereThe hotel is always open for guests, regardless of the season

Her mind is Tiffany-twisted, she got the Mercedes bendsThe woman has a twisted mindset and a luxurious lifestyle

She got a lot of pretty, pretty boys, that she calls friendsThe woman surrounds herself with attractive men who are at her disposal

How they dance in the courtyard, sweet summer sweatWatching people engage in sensual activities, possibly with drug use

Some dance to remember, some dance to forgetPeople dance either to remember good times or to distract themselves from bad ones

So I called up the CaptainTrying to seek guidance or assistance from a respected figure

'Please bring me my wineRequesting a substance that gives the artist comfort and escape

He said, 'we haven't had that spirit here since nineteen sixty-nineThe hotel seems to have a history of being devoid of the specific substance being requested

And still those voices are calling from far awayHearing enticing voices calling from a distance that seem to draw the singer back in

Wake you up in the middle of the nightBeing haunted or disturbed by these voices during sleep

Just to hear them sayThe singer is lured by and desires to hear the voices again

Mirrors on the ceilingThe hotel is adorned with items that may distort reality or create illusions

The pink champagne on iceBeing offered pleasing or luxurious items that may seem desirable but conceal something sinister

And she said, 'we are all just prisoners here, of our own deviceThe woman reveals that the artist and the other guests have put themselves in a position of captivity without realizing it

And in the master's chambersEntering a secretive and possibly dangerous area of the hotel

They gathered for the feastThe people in the room are engaging in a ritual that may involve consuming something

They stab it with their steely knivesThe singer is horrified to witness something violent or disturbing

But they just can't kill the beastDespite efforts to harm, destroy or escape from something, it continues to persist

Last thing I remember, I was running for the doorTrying to flee from the hotel or a dangerous situation

I had to find the passage back to the place I was beforeSearching for a way to return to a previous, safer state of being

'Relax' said the night manBeing offered a false sense of calm or safety from someone who may be untrustworthy

'We are programmed to receiveThe hotel or the people inside it may have ulterior motives or agendas

You can check out any time you likeBeing allowed to leave the hotel, but with the knowledge that you may want to return

But you can never leave!Implying that once you enter the hotel, you become trapped within it and can never truly escape