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Does anybody actually listen to "Hotel California" outside of gear demos? (answer: apparently so)

restorer-john

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Back in 1976 I went to an Eagles concert and Don Henley told the audience that they had just finished recording a new album earlier THAT DAY. They played some songs from it, which were absolutely killer. They didn't tell us what the name of the album would be but you've probably already guessed. Hearing that song takes me back to one of the most memorable evenings of high school so I'm not an impartial judge, but it hasn't gotten old for me yet.

That's an awesome memory. :)
 

ThatM1key

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I grew up with eagles because my father used to play there music all the time (and also the walk the line soundtrack weirdly). Its hard to describe that song, well I guess mainly for me it sounds good when you got deep bass otherwise it feels a bit too long. Going back & listening to the various Eagles albums, I like the country songs a tad bit better then there rock songs (Ex: My Man).
 

restorer-john

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One of the very first CDs I bought after I traded in my pre-recorded cassettes in 1985 was Best Of Eagles.

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Even my Dad (classical music buff) kind of liked the Eagles.
 

G|force

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Love The Eagles (sorry Dude)
HC is a song I don't need to ever hear again.
Ditto Stairway and Sweet Emotion.
 

restorer-john

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But if you like Don Henley and want some great demo material, have a listen to his album Inside Job from 2000. Taking You Home is a very well recorded contemporary track.

End of the Innocence was also a great effort. Bruce Hornsby is on that/writing/playing too.
 

EJ3

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Funny you mention. Just added this to the rotation. Perfect in Big Lebowski too.

This version is about 100K X better than anything the Eagles ever did. (I feel like this band was Joe Walsh's creative downfall) Thank God it eventually (belatedly) dissolved.
 

G|force

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Lordy Mamma whatcho gonna do with those shoes?

"God knows your looking good enough,
but you're so stupid and the world's so rough"

 

terryforsythe

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This morning the sound of "Hotel California" by The Eagles came blasting from the apartment upstairs. Somehow I had it in my head that this song exists only in the realm of mid-fi audio demos, selected by people going for a "safe," well recorded yet relentlessly upbeat jukebox track, avoiding anything with taste in order to not offend the tasteless, thus pleasing nobody. I thought that anyone with the motivation to buy a stereo and play it would have some personal music preference that does not encompass something so emphatically generic. Apparently I was wrong.

There's no point here, just venting. But if I never hear this song again, it will be too soon.
Back in the mid-late 70s that song was sooooo overplayed, probably only beaten out by Stairway to Heaven. Hearing those songs makes me want to get as far away from the device playing them as quickly as possible.
 

Haflermichi

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If people can admit that they may have once liked, maybe even loved a song I can't fathom why they would "never want to hear that song again" based on it being overplayed, overexposed, overused etc. Familiarity breeds contempt?
If it's a good song that is all that matters to me. It's not the songs' "fault" that it's been played into the ground. And besides, where the heck are you listening or hearing music that is beyond your control? Is someone holding a gun to your head? Why would you let someone else, corporation or next door neighbor alter your choices and taste?
Stairway? Sweet Emotion? Hotel California? Come on. If you are into hard rock those are great songs. Period. Do they become not great, in and of themselves based on the number of times played or heard?
Another perspective. I play rock guitar. Baddly, amateurishly. If you've ever had a slight desire to learn guitar starting from zero experience let me tell you these songs are awesomely rewarding to learn. Its easy to write these song off, and many like them as overplayed. But try and learn the first phrase of Stairway for yourself and you'll realize its freaking hard to play cleanly. Easy to learn, hard to master.
Now I will come off my high horse and admit that I don't love Freebird. Yes, it's true. I do get and can understand everyones desire to "never hear" at least some songs again!
But I guess what I'm trying to say is if you loved it before, what changed? Because it wasn't the song.
 

Newman

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I stayed away from Stairway to Heaven and Free Bird similarly....
Free Bird? I had to look it up on YTM. Never heard it before.
 

GD Fan

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If people can admit that they may have once liked, maybe even loved a song I can't fathom why they would "never want to hear that song again" based on it being overplayed, overexposed, overused etc. Familiarity breeds contempt?
If it's a good song that is all that matters to me. It's not the songs' "fault" that it's been played into the ground. And besides, where the heck are you listening or hearing music that is beyond your control? Is someone holding a gun to your head? Why would you let someone else, corporation or next door neighbor alter your choices and taste?
Stairway? Sweet Emotion? Hotel California? Come on. If you are into hard rock those are great songs. Period. Do they become not great, in and of themselves based on the number of times played or heard?
Another perspective. I play rock guitar. Baddly, amateurishly. If you've ever had a slight desire to learn guitar starting from zero experience let me tell you these songs are awesomely rewarding to learn. Its easy to write these song off, and many like them as overplayed. But try and learn the first phrase of Stairway for yourself and you'll realize its freaking hard to play cleanly. Easy to learn, hard to master.
Now I will come off my high horse and admit that I don't love Freebird. Yes, it's true. I do get and can understand everyones desire to "never hear" at least some songs again!
But I guess what I'm trying to say is if you loved it before, what changed? Because it wasn't the song.
Clearly you need to hear Stairway a few more times....
 

Newman

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When I was studying matric my study buddy had his newly acquired Desperado LP on constant rotation. I was more rock-headed at the time (teenagers, hmph) so I thought the music was soft, but loved the lyrics as a critique of the lone wolf model of manhood. I have never tired of it.
 

Chrispy

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If people can admit that they may have once liked, maybe even loved a song I can't fathom why they would "never want to hear that song again" based on it being overplayed, overexposed, overused etc. Familiarity breeds contempt?
If it's a good song that is all that matters to me. It's not the songs' "fault" that it's been played into the ground. And besides, where the heck are you listening or hearing music that is beyond your control? Is someone holding a gun to your head? Why would you let someone else, corporation or next door neighbor alter your choices and taste?
Stairway? Sweet Emotion? Hotel California? Come on. If you are into hard rock those are great songs. Period. Do they become not great, in and of themselves based on the number of times played or heard?
Another perspective. I play rock guitar. Baddly, amateurishly. If you've ever had a slight desire to learn guitar starting from zero experience let me tell you these songs are awesomely rewarding to learn. Its easy to write these song off, and many like them as overplayed. But try and learn the first phrase of Stairway for yourself and you'll realize its freaking hard to play cleanly. Easy to learn, hard to master.
Now I will come off my high horse and admit that I don't love Freebird. Yes, it's true. I do get and can understand everyones desire to "never hear" at least some songs again!
But I guess what I'm trying to say is if you loved it before, what changed? Because it wasn't the song.
Good points but when I was getting overdosed with these radio was big, sharing radio with others was big, was the mainstay of what you might hear at local bars/restaurants/elevators, you name it when it's really popular.....don't always have control :) I was young when all those came out, too.....so the number of plays may be higher than yours.
 

Dj7675

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I played the DVD The Eagles Hell Freezes over I purchased many years ago. The DTS 5.1 track on it is very enjoyable. In particular the Hotel California sounds really good. Upmixed to a 9.1.7 it is really enjoyable.
 

GD Fan

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I would love to have avoided disinterest due to overexposure but sadly it has been a problem as long as I can remember. I've even gone so far as to try to 'protect' songs from it, e.g. Southern Cross. In the end there are entire albums that I can scarcely revisit because of this (Ten Sumners Tales, almost any Led Zeppelin album, ditto Jimmy Buffett, the list goes on). Maybe it's an OCD issue???
 

Haflermichi

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I would love to have avoided disinterest due to overexposure but sadly it has been a problem as long as I can remember. I've even gone so far as to try to 'protect' songs from it, e.g. Southern Cross. In the end there are entire albums that I can scarcely revisit because of this (Ten Sumners Tales, almost any Led Zeppelin album, ditto Jimmy Buffett, the list goes on). Maybe it's an OCD issue???
I know exactly what you mean. I also "protect" albums, songs and movies. I have to force myself not to watch Blade Runner more than once a year. But I still love it and allow myself to revisit it. It's all about appreciation and control. Let go Luke, let go!
 

JiiPee

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If the original version has been used to ad nauseam, You can always use this "russian" version.
 
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