Eagles Song Survivor: Hotel California

[Eve]

This mongoose prefers NKIT over HC for the simple reason today is the anniversary of its release in 1976 and for the fact that it's just a great song and Glenn does a bang-up job on the vocals. I consider this one of his best songs. This isn't taking away from HC which is brilliant and will always be associated with the Eagles.

This is only MY personal opinion and this is one time I won't back down from it.


LOL! Good for you!
I find it hard to call "Victim of Love" a masterpiece, JMHO. The last three standing were what I expected. Glad Joe's song made it to the final four, even though I prefer Randy's song. On my list anyway, Prettymaids is my fifth place song.

[Maleah]

Well I haven't participated in the game thus far because every time I would try to load the thread I would get an error, but if I may I will cast a vote for the winning song. :)

As much as I love NKIT, I still think HC deserves to win......therefore I cast my vote for Hotel California for the win!

[AzEaglesFan]

I vote for NKIT

[tequila girl]

I'm gonna vote for Hotel California to win simply because it's above NKIT at the bottom of my list......Like I said at the beginning - it's going to be hard, 'cos I love them all....but HC & NKIT were in my bottom three :shrug:

[Wildthyme]

Hotel California for the win!

[TimothyBFan]

It is interesting....the facts about the Album "Hotel California". Can't argue with the STATS. But NKIT will never come close to LITFL, VOL or HC in my opinion. However, those of you who really love NKIT are not out there all by yourselves by any means. It garnered higher aclaim than I have ever given it credit for.


Singles
Year Single Chart Position
1977 "New Kid in Town" Adult Contemporary 2
1977 "New Kid In Town" Country Singles 43
1977 "New Kid In Town" Pop Singles 1
1977 "Hotel California" Pop Singles 1
1977 "Life In The Fast Lane" Pop Singles 11

And "NKIT" received a Grammy for Best Arrangement for Vocals. It is the only single released that appeared on the Country Charts but not making it into the top 40 there.

It did make it to #1 in Pop as did "Hotel California". LITFL only made it to #11.


And yet it's not in their current setlist! Go figure!!

For the record, the only song on the album I enjoy more is LITFL so I would have gone that way had it come down to those 2.

Like I think I've already said, I honestly didn't care that much for it (for the reasons Mike has stated) when it was first released, but it's grown on me over the years, especially the last few after FP pointed out how great the song is. I listened again, with new ears and realized it was a great song.

[MikeA]

"Victim Of Love" was rather unique on that album and unique for the Eagles:

From the Song Facts website

http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=14771

On the on the run out groove to side 2 of the Hotel California album, scratched into the vinyl is the message: "V.O.L. is a five piece live." This means that the song "Victim of Love" was played live in the studio by all 5 Eagles playing together. Since the Eagles were accused of being so staid and lifeless in the studio, they decided to play live in the studio and then let people know they had done it. The band confirmed this in liner notes to their Very Best of The Eagles compilation.

The ALBUM "Hotel California" was a pivot for the Eagles. A lot of "personnel issues" there.

1. It was the first album Bernie Leadon was NOT a part of.
2. It was the first album Joe Walsh was part of the band.
3. It was the last album that Randy Meisner was on.

[WalshFan88]

"Victim Of Love" was rather unique on that album. It is the only song that wasn't overdubbed for corrections. It was recorded "live" in 5 sessions to get the harmonies and instruments recorded, but once played, it was done.

The ALBUM "Hotel California" was a pivot for the Eagles. A lot of "personnel issues" there.

1. It was the first album Bernie Leadon was NOT a part of.
2. It was the first album Joe Walsh was part of the band.
3. It was the last album that Randy Meisner was on.

I rather quite like Victim of Love. It's one I play in my band that most don't play. I think it should have lasted longer than it did. The intro riff is brilliant, but that is Felder playing it on a Strat. The song itself is an underrated song IMHO.

[pueblo47]

Originally posted by MikeA - The ALBUM "Hotel California" was a pivot for the Eagles. A lot of "personnel issues" there.

1. It was the first album Bernie Leadon was NOT a part of.:weep:
2. It was the first album Joe Walsh was part of the band.:nod:
3. It was the last album that Randy Meisner was on.:ack:

[MikeA]

I rather quite like Victim of Love. It's one I play in my band that most don't play. I think it should have lasted longer than it did. The intro riff is brilliant, but that is Felder playing it on a Strat. The song itself is an underrated song IMHO.


I quite agree with you Austin. A song doesn't have to be complicated to be a really good song.

Look at "I Dreamed Their Was No War". One of the least complicated songs ever written....but Frey won a Grammy with it! When I first heard IDTWNW....I thought..."Hmmmm...an interlude". Then I started paying attention to it and eventually learned to play it. The emotion Frey puts into that guitar is quite astounding.

[WalshFan88]

I quite agree with you Austin. A song doesn't have to be complicated to be a really good song.

Look at "I Dreamed Their Was No War". One of the least complicated songs ever written....but Frey won a Grammy with it! When I first heard IDTWNW....I thought..."Hmmmm...an interlude". Then I started paying attention to it and eventually learned to play it. The emotion Frey puts into that guitar is quite astounding.

Yep, great song. :)

[Ive always been a dreamer]

Several have stated that "Hotel California" "changed out culture". How did it do this. I mean exactly what did it change?

I’ve been out of town, so I haven’t had the opportunity to respond to this, but I’ll take a crack at it now.

First of all, rarely have a song’s lyrics received so much attention, so that fact alone elevated the song in importance. Everyone from theologians, clergy, scholars, politicians, and just plain every day folks were debating, analyzing, and scrutinizing the song’s meaning. Also, it was not absolutely unique, but a six-minute song with the extended guitar solos at the beginning and end was not exactly considered mainstream at the time the song was released.

The bottom line, IMO, is that this band with this album, and this song in particular, are largely responsible for gaining widespread acceptance of rock and roll and bringing it into the mainstream of our culture. Many people back in the day demonized rock and roll, and the Eagles helped change that. Although they had a lot of detractors, their music was so ‘listenable’ with the amazing harmonies, great melodies and music, and intelligent lyrics that it appealed to the masses. People just couldn’t help but like the way they sounded in spite of the fact that they were long-haired, dope smoking rockers.

There was a discussion in another thread just the other day about how some of you were surprised that Led Zeppelin was not more commercially successful. I believe this is exactly what the Eagles (and Hotel California) changed. They brought a certain degree of credibility and respectability to rock and roll that did not previously exist. By extension, that meant more acceptance of the rebellious hippie anti-establishment that rock and roll represented.

As Glenn or Don once put it (I can’t remember which), they achieved perfect ambiguity.

So, for it's part in making rock and roll socially relevant and acceptable ...

I vote for Hotel California to win this game!!!

[sodascouts]

I don't understand - how did the song "Hotel California" turn the tide against the demonization of rock'n'roll if it was becoming known for its supposedly "Satanic" lyrics?

[Ive always been a dreamer]

Well soda – I think what happened is that there was a backlash against the extremist who were claiming that the song was satanic. I think some of their arguments became so outrageous that many people just didn’t accept them. Most people finally decided that much of those claims were a bunch of bs, and they ended up embracing the song. I guess the “perfect ambiguity” that the band achieved was the controversy that made the song so notorious. Ultimately, the general public decided it was a great song, and they liked it, and wanted to listen. And they listened … and listened … and listened some more …

[MikeA]

Dreamer,

Understand, I think that HC IS a milestone for the Eagles. It was sort of the climax to the "themed" concept that the guys were presenting on the general sad state of affairs with this Album....and you can take that as the state of the Eagles, the state of LA, the state of the US or the State of the World....any of the above. But it was a statement...a comment if you will.

And you are absolutely right about Religiosity and the misinterpretations therein <LOL> of the lyrics. I pretty much got kicked out of a church (cold shouldered) back in the 90's because I got into a debate about the so-called "Satanic Lyrics" of that song with a Praise Leader who enlisted the aide of a Pastor to "set me straight"! The whole matter came up because I used the arpeggios of the song to warm up before our Praise Services <LOL>.

I just didn't see that song or any other song by the Eagles or any group for that matter (sic Beatles) changing Culture (with a capital "C"). At best, those songs that had a great impact only gave people who really listened to them, some meat to chew on intellectually. And Hotel California gave me no end to friendly arguments with friends as to the meaning.

The Beatles did change culture. But it wasn't one song. It was an Attitude they had and the youth of the day didn't know it particularly, but we were looking for some "Standard" to follow and the Beatles stepped in and provided that. It was more their "style" and "attitude" as much or more than the music that contributed to the Cultural change. That and the general mess we were in with the Cold War and Politics and Viet Nam and the plastic mold that all kids were expected to follow (high school, college degree, work for "the man" and get married and have a house full of kids). And take the conservative stance no matter WHAT!

Now, with that said and completely disregarding the fact that I voted for NKIT to remain as the last one standing in this game, I truly believe that "Hotel California" is the very best work that the Eagles have composed. Absolutely stands the test of time and is one of the most popular songs ever.

And I will be SHOCKED and somewhat disappointed should HC NOT win this Survivor game....especially as the game pertains ONLY to this Album.

[TimothyBFan]

And I will be SHOCKED and somewhat disappointed should HC NOT win this Survivor game....especially as the game pertains ONLY to this Album.

And you should probably hang your head in shame if it loses by only ONE vote! ;)

[WalshFan88]

And I will be SHOCKED and somewhat disappointed should HC NOT win this Survivor game....especially as the game pertains ONLY to this Album.

I will be too. And I'll be pretty upset. That song is why I started playing guitar and got into them in the first place.

Hotel California is not only my favorite Eagles song, it's my favorite song of all time. I think it's got the best guitar solo of all time in it, and the guitar work is fabulous, I think it has the best acoustic intro of all time. Oh hell, I think it's the best song of all time too! ;) I have STRONG feelings for that song, it's "my song".

[MikeA]

And you should probably hang your head in shame if it loses by only ONE vote! ;)

Well, whatever happens here in the game, it will not change my convictions about the song. Our membership "playing" this thing is a very small statistical universe and if New Kid does win (by "one vote") it is not going to change the price of tea in China.

And don't get me going about the insult to the ladies on the forum here about what the REAL meaning of that misused quote about Tea in China is <LOL>

[sodascouts]

Well, whatever happens here in the game, it will not change my convictions about the song. Our membership "playing" this thing is a very small statistical universe and if New Kid does win (by "one vote") it is not going to change the price of tea in China.

That's true, Mike, but why play a game if you're not going to get into the spirit of it? Deliberately voting for the one you don't like is upsetting to those who DO care (see Austin's post). You sabotaged the chances of the song they truly wanted to win just for the heck of it. Why play at all if that's what you're going to do? I guess I don't understand the fun of that.

[tequila girl]

Have I got this all wrong?? I've never seen the game, but.....
Deliberately voting for the one you don't like is upsetting to those who DO care
I thought this is what you're supposed to do :-?

[Brooke]

I pretty much got kicked out of a church (cold shouldered) back in the 90's because I got into a debate about the so-called "Satanic Lyrics" of that song with a Praise Leader who enlisted the aide of a Pastor to "set me straight"! The whole matter came up because I used the arpeggios of the song to warm up before our Praise Services <LOL>.


This reminds me. A couple weeks ago we went in to church a little early and my husband's cousin plays the bass for the song service. He was playing Comfortably Numb all by himself and just kind of quietly while people entered. My husband recognized it and jokingly told him later, "no more Pink Floyd in Church"! He laughed and said he didn't imagine anyone would recognize it! :hilarious:



I truly believe that "Hotel California" is the very best work that the Eagles have composed. Absolutely stands the test of time and is one of the most popular songs ever.

And I will be SHOCKED and somewhat disappointed should HC NOT win this Survivor game....especially as the game pertains ONLY to this Album.

And since you voted against it, you should be tarred and feathered! Well, not really.........

But really!

[Troubadour]

I vote for Hotel California for the win.

[sodascouts]

Have I got this all wrong?? I've never seen the game, but.....
I thought this is what you're supposed to do :-?

You vote "out" songs in every round except the last one. For this final round, you vote for the one you want to win, not for the one you want to be eliminated. The last round is special that way.

[MikeA]

For grins, next round I'm going to vote for New Kid to win it all <LOL>

Just sticking by my word Nancy. And why did I make that statement? I guess I was a bit frustrated with LITFL going down. I guess I didn't take the game as seriously as maybe I should have.

In Reality, I "play the game" to enjoy the debates on the merits of the contestant songs in the competition. And could get as much gratification by engaging in the debates without casting a vote...an action I will most likely employ in future rounds.

[sodascouts]

I know you didn't mean any harm, Mike. You're a sweetheart and I enjoy reading your comments. The game isn't "life or death" but most people find it fun to forward the song they feel deserves to win. If you don't find that fun, I can understand why you would refrain from voting. But perhaps, if you let yourself get into the spirit of the game, you'd find it fun, too!

[MikeA]

I know you didn't mean any harm, Mike. You're a sweetheart and I enjoy reading your comments. The game isn't "life or death" but most people find it fun to forward the song they feel deserves to win. If you don't find that fun, I can understand why you would refrain from voting. But perhaps, if you let yourself get into the spirit of the game, you'd find it fun, too!

'Harm"....yesh, I certainly HOPE NOT. Willie pretty well nailed it. She said I was a "brat". Never been one of those before. Hmmm, I kinda like it <LOL>

But let me give you a real hint here: I've watched American Idol almost since it first came out. Not once has the contestant I've favored won and seldom, made it even to the finals. A vote from ME is The Vote of DEATH. Appears that it's working again now.

Go "HC"........<LOL>

[Glennsallnighter]

Well for me its obvious......

NEW KID IN TOWN

for the win.

[Peekaboo]

I completely agree with Brooke's statement about this song being the Eagles anthem. I vote for Hotel California for the win.

[sodascouts]

OK - I've finally decided what song I'm going to vote for. I don't think it'll make much of a difference but...

I cast my vote for New Kid in Town!

[sodascouts]

And the winner of Hotel California Survivor is....

HOTEL CALIFORNIA!

Votes
Hotel California - 13
New Kid in Town - 10


Vote Breakdown
Hotel California - Shadowland07
Hotel California - Freypower
Hotel California - EaglesFanatic
Hotel California - GlennLover
Hotel California - timfan
Hotel California - EagleLady
Hotel California - Brooke
Hotel California - Maleah
Hotel California - tequila girl
Hotel California - Wildthyme
Hotel California - Ive always been a dreamer
Hotel California - Troubadour
Hotel California - Peekaboo
New Kid in Town - whitcap
New Kid in Town - Eve
New Kid in Town - pueblo47
New Kid in Town - Koala
New Kid in Town - MikeA
New Kid in Town - TimothyBFan
New Kid in Town - luvthelighthouse
New Kid in Town - AzEaglesFan
New Kid in Town - Glennsallnighter
New Kid in Town - sodascouts


Songs eliminated:
Try and Love Again 11/24
The Last Resort 11/28
Wasted Time 11/30
Victim of Love 12/2
Pretty Maids All in a Row 12/4
Life in the Fast Lane 12/6
New Kid in Town 12/8


CONGRATS HOTEL CALIFORNIA!
Thanks for playing!

[luvthelighthouse]

Well, I've said it a million times... certainly not my favorite, but probably the most famous of all the Eagles songs.

Congrats to HC. I will never pass you by on the radio...

[GlennLover]

CONGRATS HC!

[Troubadour]

I'm just about to go to bed, but it was nice to check in and see that Hotel California has won! Congratulations. Now I'm going to check OUT... and dream about cruising down a dark desert highway with a certain husky-voiced Texan. I think this was the right result. Although HC has suffered from being overplayed, for me, in the past, you can't deny what an incredible, unique, classic song it is. It IS the sound of the Eagles. And it absolutely ROCKS live. :headbang:

[WalshFan88]

Yay!!! I'm SO happy to see that my favorite song of all time won. I was starting get nervous seeing all those votes for NKIT come in. But Hotel is really the greatest song on that album and I'm so glad it won. It made my week a little brighter! :D Great game everyone! Can't wait until the next one! Congrats HC!

[EagleLady]

Way to go HC! :partytime:

[Ive always been a dreamer]

Congratulations to Hotel California!!!

It is no secret that I believe it is the rightful winner of this game. However, I would not have been too upset if New Kid In Town had won. It is an incredible song as well, but so are all the other songs on the album. Since there are so many great songs here, and we were all over the place with the voting, it may be interesting to know which order folks would rank the songs if they had their way. Here's my list:

Hotel California
New Kid In Town
Life In the Fast Lane
Wasted Time
Try and Love Again
Victim of Love
Pretty Maids All In a Row
The Last Resort

[Freypower]

I'm glad HC won too because it has to be the band's masterpiece. Having watched it played live this week & last week you remain blown away by it. The faces Glenn makes during it..... he looks like he's grimacing in pain but he seems to be just experiencing it fully along with the awestruck audience.

Having said that I am personally delighted that New Kid In Town made such a strong showing & despite the band's apparent feelings, will not be forgotten by their truest & most devoted fans.

[Maleah]

Weird, after I posted last night my post wouldn't show up no matter how many times I refreshed the screen. Glad to see it actually made an appearance. ;)


Congrats to HC on the win! Both are excellent songs though!

[Koala]

Congrats Hotel California, great song on a great album!

As usual, is was fun to play this game!

Thanks Soda & Dreamer.

[tequila girl]

Congrats to Hotel California!!!

and Thanks to Soda & Dreamer from me too :)....and Dreamer in reply to your question, i've just had a scrabble about on my desk and found the list I originally wrote in order of preference, it goes like this:

The Last Resort
Wasted Time
Pretty Maids All In A Row
Try And Love Again
Victim Of Love
Life In The Fast Lane
Hotel California
New Kid In Town

Pretty much the exact opposite to most peoples I guess! :hilarious:

[TimothyBFan]

Congrats to Hotel California. No dispute from me that it's the Eagles Anthem but I'm also one who like Troub, agrees that it has suffered for me from being overplayed. I still love it but.....

My list...

8. Try And Love Again
7. The Last Resort
6. Pretty Maids All In A Row
5. Victim Of Love
4. Wasted Time
3. Hotel California
2. New Kid In Town
1. Life In The Fast Lane

[MikeA]

HOTEL CALIFORNIA

Does anyone remember when this song first got "air time"? The DATE the Album was released?

I know that the concert I went to in Wichita in 76 was not the first on the Hotel California tour but for the life of me, cannot remember if that concert was the FIRST time I heard Hotel California. It may well have been.

I've said it before, but will say it again: My brain wasn't exactly a steel trap back there in the 70's.

[Ive always been a dreamer]

Mike - the only question I can answer for you is that the album was released on December 8, 1976. We coincided the game to end on that date. I so wish now that I had seen the band live back in the 70's, but I didn't have the money to go see them.

[MikeA]

Thanks Dreamer. I think that pretty much insures that I heard the song before the concert for I always bought the Vinyl as soon as it was released and the shops I frequented always had the latest releases immediately upon release.

I do remember that at the time of the concert, I was so excited in one way and disappointed in another that Joe was with them. I couldn't imagine Joe playing in such a "controlled environment" as he would be with the Eagles. I couldn't imagine his style of music melding with the Country Rock sound that the Eagles were just beginning to break out of.

To see him on stage with Glenn, Don(s) and Randy was really unreal!

[WalshFan88]

My list in the order from favorite starting at the top to least favorite at the bottom:

Hotel California
New Kid In Town
Life In The Fast Lane
Victim Of Love
Pretty Maids All In A Row
Try And Love Again
The Last Resort
Wasted Time

[Brooke]

Yeah, it really was Mike. I saw them, too, during the HC tour, but don't know if I had heard the song before that or not. I'd have to do some research on that. I just know I was awestruck to just be in the same room (although a very large room it was! lol) with them!

Congrats to Hotel California!

The Eagles signature song and one of my all time favorites! It totally rocks! :yay:

[MikeA]

I really do like all of the songs on the HC album. My "ranking" is very tenuous and changes just about every time I think about it.

Hotel California (Love the guitar work and also the mystical lyrics)
Life In The Fast Lane (Guitar...amazing! Summed up my attitude as a young adult)
Victim Of Love (Just a powerful fast song)
Try And Love Again (Meisner's vocals)
Wasted Time (Henley's vocal performance did it for me on this one!)
Pretty Maids All In A Row (Just because it's Joe)
New Kid In Town (Already beat this one to death <LOL>)
The Last Resort (too long and drawn out.)

[Glennsallnighter]

And from me too, Congratulations to HC. Even though I voted for NKIT, I still love HC. Its the essence of the Eagles and one which so many people identify with. (As in: 'My favourite band is the Eagles'. 'Oh don't they sing Hotel California...... :duh:)

In order I think my favourites would be

1. New Kid in Town
2. The Last Resort
3. Hotel California
4. Life in the Fast Lane
5. Wasted Time
6. Victim of Love
7. Pretty Maids All in a Row
8. Try And Love Again

But then, it all depends on my mood. Ask me again tomorrow and I could give a completely different answer. Its a testament to what a good album this actually IS!

Once again thanks to Soda and Dreamer for all the work they put into this and ALL the survivors!

[Maleah]

If I were to rank them, my choices would be:

1. Hotel California
2. Life in the Fast Lane
3. Victim of Love
4. New Kid in Town
5. Wasted Time
6. Try And Love Again
7. Pretty Maids All in a Row
8. The Last Resort

[sodascouts]

OK, like TG's, mine is really unusual. I understand and accept this, and I hope you will too. ;)

1. Pretty Maids All in a Row
2. Victim of Love
3. New Kid in Town
4. Hotel California
5. Life in the Fast Lane
6. Wasted Time
7. Try and Love Again
8. The Last Resort

[MikeA]

Man, a Shrink would have a heyday with these lists <LOL>.

[TimothyBFan]

Ironically, when the alarm went off this morning, my ipod was starting The Last Resort (I have a pillow speaker & listen to music all night long). So I laid there and listened to the whole song a lot closer than I've probably ever listened to it because of this game.

The first thing I want to say about it is it set my schedule 7 1/2 minutes behind (geesh, it really is a very long song!).

Second of all, I get the whole "we are destroying our land and ourselves" bit, or at least I think that's what it's suppose to mean. But in really listening to it, I feel as if I was being preached at. Seriously? And is he bashing religion also? What's with the line "put up a bunch of ugly boxes and Jesus people bought 'em". So only "Jesus people live in ugly box" homes? I think not! And the line, "Just like the missionaries did, so many years ago. They even brought a neon sign, 'Jesus is coming'". Hmmm-interesting.

And don't even get me started on the whole instrumental parts from 3:10-4:20 and again for the final 1 minute and 23 seconds!

Like I've said, I knew the words before and sang along with it when I did hear (not often) but really listened this time. We could pick this one apart all day I'm sure. In fact....I think I'm heading to the controversial thread and starting on this one!

[Brooke]

The only thing I can say is when he sings Jesus people bought 'em I think there is a pause after Jesus and that he is actually swearing there (or is disgusted) as in Jesus! People bought 'em! I have always thought this. Anyone else?

[TimothyBFan]

Now Brooke, I hadn't even thought of that. :hmm: That very well could be. I guess I was just assuming it was "Jesus people" as in religious people because of the other reference to Jesus later on in the song. Hmm--I'm curious as to which one it is.

[tequila girl]

I think Brooke is definitely right here.....it's an expletive Jesus!! 'people bought 'em' isn't it funny how we all think differently "Jesus People" never entered my head!

[MikeA]

Hanging head in shame,

I have to admit that I was right there with Willie. Went back and studied the lyrics and have to agree with the "expletive" being the meaning Henley was trying to convey.

[GlennLover]

The only thing I can say is when he sings Jesus people bought 'em I think there is a pause after Jesus and that he is actually swearing there (or is disgusted) as in Jesus! People bought 'em! I have always thought this. Anyone else?

This is the way that I interpret that line too, Brooke. I wasn't too sure when I first heard the song so I listened to it more closely & I am quite certain that there is a pause after "Jesus". The HFO performance further proves that to me.

[whitcap]

I also took it as "Jesus people" but looking at the lyrics on EOC I see there is a comma between Jesus and people.

[tequila girl]

When he's singing the song on HFO he sort of shakes his head and has a look of disgust (or maybe exasperation?) as he sings that bit

[TimothyBFan]

You guys are right, I just now looked at the "official" lyrics, AKA Eagles Online Central, and there is a , after Jesus in that line. I stand corrected. I guess I was just thinking he was making a statement about organized religion (Jesus people).

But what's he saying in the other line? Again I guess we should be having this discussion in the Get Over It thread. I would like SOMEONE/ANYONE to analyze the whole song, verse for verse for me. Some of you here on the board do that so well.

It's funny, but this has stuck with me for basically the whole day today. I've only heard the song hundreds of times, but since I really paid attention this morning, it's almost as if I've heard it for the first time.

ETA: Thank you WC & Mike for letting me know I'm not the only one that heard it as "Jesus people". I was starting to feel pretty heathen like about it.

[MikeA]

Well, just because more than one person heard it the way we did doesn't excuse us. I feel pretty Heathen pretty often <LOL>

[Brooke]

tsk, tsk, you all are just heathens! :lol:

[MikeA]

We are a "Band Of Heathens"....who are quite coincidently a FANTASTIC BAND!

[sodascouts]

I actually put the comma there, guys, because I interpreted it as an expletive along the lines of "Oh my God" in "Wasted Time." In other words, those aren't "official" - they're just Nancy's version. ;)

My opinions on the "message" of The Last Resort are very controversial and I hope I don't get too many folks riled up when I post them in the "Get Over It" thread.

[Freypower]

The only thing I can say is when he sings Jesus people bought 'em I think there is a pause after Jesus and that he is actually swearing there (or is disgusted) as in Jesus! People bought 'em! I have always thought this. Anyone else?

Yes, of course. The line is 'Jesus, people bought 'em'. If you watch the HFO performance he shakes his head in bemusement when he sings the line. It is one of my favourite lines in the song. However, as with a lot of Henley's 'preaching' songs I don''t think it has aged very well.

For what it's worth my order of preference of the songs is:

Hotel California
New Kid In Town
Life In The Fast Lane
Pretty Maids All In A Row
Victim Of Love
The Last Resort
Try & Love Again
Wasted Time