According to my contact in LA, such a place really did exist! As you entered
the town of El Centro, California from "a dark, desert highway" it was one
of the first things that you saw. While closed to the public, it burned to
the ground in February of 1969 ("We haven't had that spirit here since
1969.") after some homeless people had accidentally set fire to it while
taking shelter from the elements. Trapped inside, ("We are all just
prisoners here of our own device.") all eight of them burned to death.
Emergency personnel tried in vain to put out the fire with the water from
the fire hoses ("They stab it with their steely knives but they just can't
kill the Beast.") So, if you are ever traveling down a certain "dark, desert
highway" and you see "a shimmering light" coming from where this hotel once
stood.....well, you know what to do.
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Hotel California
by The Eagles
On a dark desert highway, cool wind in my hair
Warm smell of colitas rising up through the air
Up ahead in the distance, I saw a shimmering light
My head grew heavy and my sight grew dim
I had to stop for the night
There she stood in the doorway; I heard the mission bell
And I was thinking to myself this could be heaven or this could be hell
Then she lit up a candle, and she showed me the way
There were voices down the corridor, I thought I heard them say
Welcome to the Hotel California
Such a lovely place, such a lovely face
Plenty of room at the Hotel California
Any time of year (any time of year) you can find it here
Her mind is Tiffany twisted, she got the Mercedes bends
She got a lot of pretty, pretty boys that she calls friends
How they dance in the courtyard, sweet summer sweat
Some dance to remember, some dance to forget
So I called up the captain; please bring me my wine
We haven't had that spirit here since nineteen sixty-nine
And still those voices are calling from far away
Wake you up in the middle of the night, just to hear them say
Welcome to the Hotel California
Such a lovely place, such a lovely face
They livin' it up at the Hotel California
What a nice surprise (what a nice surprise) bring your alibis
Mirrors on the ceiling, the pink champagne on ice
And she said we are all just prisoners here of our own device
And in the master's chambers, they gathered for the feast
They stab it with their steely knives but they just can't kill the beast
Last thing I remember I was running for the door
I had to find the passage back to the place I was before
Relax said the nightman We are programmed to receive
You can check out anytime you like but you can never leave.
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Peace,
Captain Kundalini
