By continuing you agree to eChinacities's Privacy Policy .
Sign up with Google
Sign up with Facebook
Q: Why is the song "Hotel California" so popular in China?
I'm an itinerant guitar player and I gig a lot in my 2nd-tier city with a bunch of local bands doing corporate events, dinners, weddings, etc. It's extra dough to pay the monthlies and it's fun.
What I don't get, what thoroughly puzzles me to no end is the popularity of the Eagles song, Hotel California. What's up with that?
We have to play it at every gig and it seems it's the only song that really pumps up the crowd. Is there a story, a history, or something that explains why the song is so well known and popular? Was it a radio hit in the 70s here in China? Was it a college cult thing? Was it a political theme song thing?
Can anyone shed any light on WHY Hotel California is so big here?
(Frankly, I hate the song, burned out on it in the 70s, but feel obliged to play it again and again...)
10 years 50 weeks ago in Arts & Entertainment - China
well, it's a very nice song, that's why it's been so long and still so famous here.
Chinese people just like to hear old songs for some reason.
I still like The Eagles. Where I live years ago there were hardly any radio stations, now there are tons, but all oldies. I often wonder if music just died cause they never play any new stuff. Even old artists still put out new albums, but I never hear them on the radio.
The song Hotel California, if you listen to it, the words are song slowly, maybe that helps it.
Red_Fox:
Teddy Bear, Don't get me wrong. I like the Eagles, too. They were and still are an awesome band. But so much of their material is superior to that one song - the one I hate to play: Hotel California. A primary-school rip-off of Spanish flamenco chord progressions in the wrong key... BTW, you got decent radio, today?
TedDBayer:
When I first came to China, the first song I heard that I recognized was a Chinese cover band doing Hotel California.
"You can never leave." Maybe they can relate to it.
Red_Fox:
Ok. I haven't got an "educated" or "documented" answer yet to my question, but I'm thumbing this one up because it's the funniest and most intelligent answer so far...
the singers or recording studio does not exist for copyright lawsuits anymore. they dont actually have to pay every time they play the song , requirement in the wto that china conveniently forgets.
because like most eagles songs it is a damn good song.
Haven't heard that one much...what about 'My heart will go on'?:
P
They're just weird like that. I don't think there's any explanation. Same with Yesterday Once More by the Carpenters. I'd never even heard that song till I came to China, and then it was everywhere.
Is it more popular than the 10 year old pop song Hey Oh by Tragedie that plays in every clothing shop?
"Hotel California" is where all Chinese dream about going. The darker interpretations of the lyrics are lost in translation so the song is a happy one in China.
BTW I don't think there is an "educated or documented" answer to your question.
Why? Because it's a darn good song, it falls into the easy listening, mellow pop style that dominates here, the verses are almost spoken so they're easy to understand, and the chorus also seems easy to understand.
If you want to avoid playing it, do what I do, tell them you don't know how! Haha, I can sing it but I can't play it. LIfe in the Fast Lane is more my style but no one would listen here.
But hey, when you play you play for the crowd, right? So grin and bear it. A paying gig is a paying gig. I don't get to play what I want, either. I don't think Slither would go over well here. And for that matter I'm not sure what the song is about but it's fun to play.
Anyway, ask them what "colitas" means!! Bwahahahaha Ever drive in southern California?
ambivalentmace:
https://www.nationalreview.com/2019/06/california-third-world-state-corruption-crime-infrastructure/
The most depressing story of California I have ever read.
