“Hotel California”这首歌是老鹰乐队的代表作，写的是美国进入70年代时，那些60年代的自由不羁和反叛的灵魂被之后的消费享乐主义社会“招安”后，感觉到的苦闷、无奈和不甘。歌词充满了隐喻和双关等修辞，比较难懂。这里是我的中文翻译。其中的一些要点如下：

• “加州旅馆”是对70年代消费享乐主义社会的隐喻，旅馆外面是指60年代的自由解放的社会
• 进入旅馆，指那些提倡自由解放的人终于玩累了，安顿了下来，进入之后的“主流社会”
• 来了就无法逃脱，是因为你无法逆转时间和历史的洪流
• “spirit”有烈酒和精神两种意思，一语双关（这个中文里没有恰当的词实现这种双关，只能用个比喻姑且为之）
• “Mercedes bends”：一个文字游戏，bends与benz谐音，但同时与上一句结尾的“twisted”对仗

Hotel California

歌词的意思就是徜徉在自由世界中的“我”终于累了，进入了“加州旅馆”歇歇脚，却看到了一派享乐主义的景象。“我”自然是不愿与之为伍，便想借酒浇愁，然而此时早已没有了这种“酒”（精神）。于是只好倒头睡去来逃避，可是还是会被洗脑一样的享乐主义的“主流声音”不断地唤醒。就这样，“我”陷入其中无法自拔，恐怕只能听从主流思想的劝告在此浑浑噩噩地得过且过了。

现在几十年过去了，这首歌看似过时，而实际上对现在人们的生活形态仍然有着深刻的现实意义。在加拿大抑郁地生活着的我何尝不是住进了“加国旅馆”呢？对于志在出离红尘跳出三界的修行者，也何尝不是正住在“红尘”这个“加州旅馆”里呢？

另外八卦一下：这张专辑的封面设计出自英国著名艺术导演John Kosh之手。他选择了在位于加州著名富人区的比弗利山庄酒店拍摄。由于歌曲对“加州旅馆”是做的负面描写，所以酒店老板曾向Kosh抗议，威胁他不要用该照片。但由于专辑大卖，反而使得该酒店客人增加了三倍，所以酒店老板也就不了了之，闷声发大财去了。

Hotel California
加州客栈

On a dark desert highway
大漠夜黑路迢迢
cool wind in my hair
凉风习习抚发梢
Warm smell of colitas, rising up through the air
茱萸随风熏人暖
前路漫漫万里遥

Up ahead in the distance
极目四望现客栈
I saw a shimmering light
遥见灯火静飘摇
My head grew heavy and my sight grew dim
人困马乏夜已深
I had to stop for the night
移步客栈医苦劳

There she stood in the doorway
迎客少女好窈窕
I heard the mission bell
寒寺钟声随风到
And I was thinking to myself
蓦然心下暗思量
This could be heaven or this could be Hell
此地吉凶实难料

Then she lit up a candle and she showed me the way
秉烛引路移莲步
There were voices down the corridor, I thought I heard them say
回廊远处声缥缈

Welcome to the Hotel California
加州客栈迎君到
Such a lovely place (such a lovely place), Such a lovely face
楼阁华美人娇俏
Plenty of room at the Hotel California
客房万千任君选
Any time of year (any time of year) you can find it here
一年四季随君挑

Her mind is Tiffany-twisted
佳人眼中尽珠宝
she got the Mercedes bends
香车宝马心头绕
She got a lot of pretty, pretty boys
左拥右抱皆美男
that she calls friends
友人乃是彼称号

How they dance in the courtyard
欢歌纵舞大堂前
sweet summer sweat
香汗不觉尽嬉闹
Some dance to remember
或欲追忆往日情
some dance to forget
或欲权做忘情药

So I called up the Captain
抬手招将店家来
Please bring me my wine
进酒令吾将愁消
He said
小二脸上现难色
we haven’t had that spirit here since 1969
此间绿蚁实难找

And still those voices are calling from far away
昏昏睡去忽惊起
Wake you up in the middle of the night, Just to hear them say
回廊远处声缥缈

Welcome to the Hotel California
加州客栈迎君到
Such a lovely place (such a lovely place), Such a lovely face
楼阁华美人娇俏
They livin’ it up at the Hotel California
人人长久居此间
What a nice surprise (what a nice surprise), bring your alibis
流连忘返真美妙

Mirrors on the ceiling, The pink champagne on ice
宝镜烛光水晶杯
And she said
佳人却将实情告
we are all just prisoners here
吾辈皆尽陷囹圄
of our own device
囹圄却是吾辈造

And in the master’s chambers
主人房内正喧嚣
They gathered for the feast
欢聚一堂进佳肴
They stab it with their steely knives
刀殂可将鱼肉斩
But they just can’t kill the beast
未闻能令心魔消

Last thing I remember, I was running for the door
I had to find the passage back to the place I was before
回首仓惶觅旧道
Relax, said the night man
执夜拱手缓相告
We are programmed to receive
吾辈只管迎宾至
You can check out any time you like
随时结账无须逃
But you can never leave
一入此地深似海
谁人可解连环套
不如忘却来时路
但留此间乐逍遥