I found Straight Dope’s answer to Jo from July, I think, Jo was wondering what was the song House Of The Rising Sun performed by The Animals all about. My question is this: what does the Uriah Heep’s Lady In Black all about, does anyone know or maybe The Eagles Hotel California. I read in some magazine that the Eagles are Satan worshipers and that Hotel California is their anthem as well as Stairway To Heaven. Since I like both of those songs I was wondering what could lead someone to say that those rock music masterpieces had anything to do with The Devil or something similar. I thank all of you reading this and special thanks to those who are willing to spare the time and efort to answer me. Thanks again.
Welcome to the board. This post might belongs elsewhere, namely in the Cecil board, where you can talk about his answers.
Well, the first thing I can tell you is that Stairway to Heaven is not an anthem of the Eagles, as it was written and performed by Led Zeppelin. Hotel California is said to be social commentary about the state of southern California in the 1970’s; I don’t know all the details, so maybe someone else can elaborate.
Oh, and welcome to the boards!
Here is the boss on some of Hotel California.
For the other stuff, I’ll send this thread to the literary forum, Cafe Society.
I have never heard any of The Eagles were Satan worshippers, either in the 1970s or now. I’ll bet if you try to find the magazine that said so you won’t be able to.
My music teachers in 1978 (I was in the eighth grade) were two hip, young guys. In their interpretation, Hotel California was a song about dying and going to Hell. YMMV.
Some of the Eagles were pretty heavy drug users back then, though. That might provide some insight into the meaning of the lyrics of Hotel California.
I belive that Ultrafilter has misunderstood me, I didn’t say that Stairway To Heaven is Eagles anthem, I know that Led Zeppelin wrote Stairway To Heaven, I heard that if you listen Stairway To Heaven in reverse you can hear stuff like: lord Satan or 666… I never belived in that but I thought: why not ask others what they make of it. What I meant to say was: Stairwy To Heaven is Satan worshippers anthem. By the way, thank you for welcoming me to our “small” (only 20 000 members) society. Neither one of you has commented on the meaning of Lady In Black, and I really want to know what others think of it. Thanks again.
Thanks, manhattan–I alway wondered what them things were in that song. Now I know!
In one published interview (can’t find it right now) Glenn Fry said that Hotel California was perfect ambiguity. In other words, it really isn’t about anything, it’s just a connected series of vague mataphors upon which the listener is meant to project his own meaning.
For what it’s worth, I’ve always found the drug addiction interpretation the most compelling.
House of the Rising Sun if about a brothel.
Yeah, but how did the Master miss the other connection - The Hotel California = THC = tetrahydrocannabinol = pot?
maybe too obvious for him? He figured we’d understand ?
(Yeah, I know Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds…)
First of all, can someone translate ‘INFLAMMATION OF THE LARGE INTESTINE’ in something more ordinary since I’m not an American, I don’t know what that means. Now for the thing I really want to ask is: what do you think Uriah Heep’s Lady In Black is all about? I know I might be boring you to death, if that is the case don’t read this what I’m going to write below.
Why am I so opsesed with the Lady In Black. Here goes: I don’t know did anyone of you feel something I call “Divine Inspiration” It’s when you feel something that makes you think so hard that you can’t get it out of your head. Well, that happened to me, I recently heard that song and needed to share it with other people, I just needed to know what others think about it since it means so much to me. Don’t get me wrong I know what it means to me, I was just wondering what it means to others. Thanks and I promiss you won’t hear from me anymore about this topic.
Tummyache.
Inflammation of the large intestine? Oh, I know. That is from the aforementioned “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”. You know, “The girl with colitis goes by…”
Thanks number six, I owe you one.
Inflammation of the large intestine? Oh, I know. That is from the aforementioned “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”. You know, “The girl with colitis goes by…”
No, I don’t know actually, but thanks anyway.
Don’t know “Lady in Black”. Is she Johnny Cash’s sister? (Groan)
Has anyone else heard or read about the similarity of certain “Hotel California” lyrics and some lines from the writings of Henry David Thoreau. I know Henley has a major jones for “Walden” and Thoreau; and the article I read (Entertainment Weekly, I think) jokingly suggested Henley had been borrowing or rewriting Thoreau lines for years. Anyone know more or can cite examples? Just to muddy attempts to find the meaning of the song a little more.
Barun - you know he was joking about the eyes, right? The song has “kalidoscope eyes” (sp?). Another joke. A lot of mangled lyrics are here
When I made the joke about colitis, I hadn’t clicked on the link manhattan had provided to the Master’s article, where he made the joke first!
I couldn’t figure out why barun was talking about inflammation of the large intestines. Apologies to everyone, including barun, manhattan, Cecil…
In truth, colitis is no laughing matter. The Little Lagomorph had it as an infant and it is quite painful, at any age.
This is wrong, since Tetrahydrocannabinol is an alcohol it can’t be pot, it might be some supstrat of the cannabis plant but it’s probably lethal, so much on that theory. As for the jokes, I’m very sorry to inform you that I didn’t get any of them, sorry people, I guess I’m just stupid. Thanks for trying though. Or as we in Croatia would say: hvala!
Yup, that’s me. I read Cecil’s explanation obout the meaning of ‘colitas’. In one part he says something about a friends idea that colitas is a part of the feminine anatomy, WHAT PART? Did I miss anything or am I just stupid, I’ve gotta take a break from straight dope’s boards, I’m getting adicctet to them. So much to know, and yet so little time…
Before any raging potheads come in to correct you, I’ll do it myself. THC, Tetrahydracannabinol (sic) is the main active ingrediant in pot.
As for Hotel California, I read it as a metaphor for Californian decadence at that time. A lot of people read it as a metaphor for drug addiction.