Hotel California cover art

  Studio Album · No. 5

Hotel California Songwriting Credits by Eagles

1976 Asylum 9 tracks 43 min

Produced by Bill Szymczyk  ·  Engineered by Bill Szymczyk

Asylum RockSoft RockCountry Rock
100%
Authorship
Complete Artist

Holds writing credit on 9 of 9 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 9 / 9 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 9 tracks with documented writers, by whether Eagles carries a lyricist or composer credit.

100%
9 trackswritten by Eagles 0 tracksoutside writers
Eagles's roles on this album

Share of the 9 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist100%
Composer100%
Producer0%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

9
Tracks
8
Lyricists
1
Producers
2
No.1 Singles
26 million
US Copies Sold
1976
Released

Awards & Recognition 2

Grammy Award for Record of the Year (1978, 'Hotel California')
Grammy Award for Best Arrangement for Voices (1978, 'New Kid in Town')
Data Insight

Hotel California keeps Henley and Frey at the writing center but spreads credit wider than before. The title track came from a Don Felder music idea that Henley and Frey turned into a song, 'Life in the Fast Lane' brought in new member Joe Walsh, and J.D. Souther co-wrote 'New Kid in Town' and 'Victim of Love.' Randy Meisner's 'Try and Love Again' was his last song for the band, and Walsh's 'Pretty Maids All in a Row' marks his arrival as a writer.

Hotel California is the fifth studio album by Eagles, released in December 1976 and their best-selling and most acclaimed record. It was the first album with Joe Walsh, whose harder guitar work replaced the departed Bernie Leadon, and the last full album with founding bassist Randy Meisner. Produced by Bill Szymczyk, it delivered the title track and 'New Kid in Town,' both number-one singles, plus 'Life in the Fast Lane.' Don Henley and Glenn Frey anchor the writing, joined by Don Felder, Joe Walsh, and J.D. Souther across the album. It won two Grammys and was certified more than 25-times platinum, becoming one of the best-selling albums in history.

Track Listing & Credits 9 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
Hotel California #1
Don FelderDon HenleyGlenn Frey Donald William FelderDonald Hugh HenleyGlenn Lewis Frey Bill Szymczyk Don Henley (Lead Vocals)
2
New Kid in Town #1
Don HenleyGlenn FreyJ.D. Souther Donald Hugh HenleyGlenn Lewis FreyJ.D. Souther Bill Szymczyk Glenn Frey (Lead Vocals)
3
Life in the Fast Lane #11
Don HenleyGlenn FreyJoe Walsh Donald Hugh HenleyGlenn Lewis FreyJoseph Fidler Walsh Bill Szymczyk Don Henley (Lead Vocals)
4
Wasted Time
Don HenleyGlenn Frey Donald Hugh HenleyGlenn Lewis Frey Bill Szymczyk Don Henley (Lead Vocals)
5
Wasted Time (Reprise)
Don HenleyGlenn FreyJim Ed Norman Donald Hugh HenleyGlenn Lewis FreyJim Ed Norman Bill Szymczyk Don Henley (Instrumental)Glenn Frey (Instrumental)Don Felder (Instrumental)Joe Walsh (Instrumental)Randy Meisner (Instrumental)
6
Victim of Love
Don FelderDon HenleyGlenn FreyJ.D. Souther Donald William FelderDonald Hugh HenleyGlenn Lewis FreyJ.D. Souther Bill Szymczyk Don Henley (Lead Vocals)
7
Pretty Maids All in a Row
Joe WalshJoe Vitale Joseph Fidler WalshJoe Vitale Bill Szymczyk Joe Walsh (Lead Vocals)
8
Try and Love Again
Randy Meisner Randall Herman Meisner Bill Szymczyk Randy Meisner (Lead Vocals)
9
The Last Resort
Don HenleyGlenn Frey Donald Hugh HenleyGlenn Lewis Frey Bill Szymczyk Don Henley (Lead Vocals)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 14 contributors

DH
Don Henley
Writer · Vocals
On this album7 written
DH
Donald Hugh Henley
Writer
On this album7 written
GF
Glenn Frey
Writer · Vocals
On this album7 written
GL
Glenn Lewis Frey
Writer
On this album7 written
DF
Don Felder
Writer · Instrumental
On this album2 written
DW
Donald William Felder
Writer
On this album2 written
JS
J.D. Souther
Writer
On this album2 written
JW
Joe Walsh
Writer · Vocals
On this album2 written
JF
Joseph Fidler Walsh
Writer
On this album2 written
JE
Jim Ed Norman
Writer
On this album1 written
JV
Joe Vitale
Writer
On this album1 written
RH
Randall Herman Meisner
Writer
On this album1 written

More from Eagles

1972 80%
Eagles
Asylum
10 tracksProd. Glyn Johns
1973 91%
Desperado
Asylum
11 tracksProd. Glyn Johns
1974 70%
On the Border
Asylum
10 tracksProd. Bill Szymczyk
1975 100%
One of These Nights
Asylum
9 tracksProd. Bill Szymczyk
1979 100%
The Long Run
Asylum
10 tracksProd. Bill Szymczyk
2007 75%
Long Road Out of Eden
Lost Highway
20 tracksProd. Eagles

Frequently Asked Questions Hotel California

Who wrote the song 'Hotel California'?
Don Felder wrote the music, and Don Henley and Glenn Frey wrote the lyrics. Henley sang lead on the finished song.
Was Hotel California Joe Walsh's first Eagles album?
Yes. It was the first album with Joe Walsh, who replaced founding guitarist Bernie Leadon and co-wrote 'Life in the Fast Lane.'
Who produced Hotel California?
It was produced by Bill Szymczyk, who had worked with the band since On the Border.
Did Hotel California win Grammy Awards?
Yes. The title track won Record of the Year, and 'New Kid in Town' won Best Arrangement for Voices.
Was this Randy Meisner's last Eagles album?
It was his last full studio album with the band. His song 'Try and Love Again' was the final track he wrote and sang for the Eagles before leaving in 1977.
How well did Hotel California sell?
It is certified more than 25-times platinum in the United States and ranks among the best-selling albums of all time.

Sources

Wikipedia: Hotel California (Eagles album) MusicBrainz: Hotel California (release group) Cover Art Archive: Hotel California Cover Art Archive: Hotel California by Eagles