The Eagles have produced many popular musical hits within the century. One of their most popular and recognized songs is “Hotel California.” However, there is still much stir today over what the song is actually intended to mean. There have been many speculations as to the meaning of the song, such as a trip to jail and the American dream. I disagree with these interpretations and argue that Hotel California is about the trials and tribulations of a drug addict. In the opening stanza, Don Henley, the lead singer of The Eagles, describes his path as “dark” with cold wind running through his hair. This road lay through the desert during the evening. As he is walking on this road, he can smell the “warm smell of colitas” in the air when suddenly he can see a shimmering light at the other end of the road. Since Henley had been walking down this “dark” road for an extended period of time, he feels he must rest and decides to spend the night at a hotel. It is here where he meets a young woman. This young woman both intrigues and ignites something inside of him. Still unsure if running away with this woman is a good or bad idea, he decides to follow her where she is leading him. A dark road is often referred to in the song Hotel California. The pathway is seen as dark because it was Henley's life before he dabbled into drugs. This was a long and lonely road insinuated by the way he describes the road as it lays in the desert. This period was the time he was in the dark in his understanding of addiction. He had not yet tasted the experience of using drugs. While walking through the desert, Henley describes smelling “colitas” in the air. This is a common expression for the drug marijuana. This sets the stage for listeners to relate with their drug problems. Using slang words relates to a larger audience than if Henley used scientific terminology. As he