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 
Then 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