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Message: <blockquote data-quote="webhound" data-source="post: 974502" data-attributes="member: 32004">The lyrics of the song describe the title establishment, a hotel where "you can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave." On the surface, the song is a tale of a weary traveler who becomes trapped in a nightmarish hotel that at first appeared tempting. There are many urban legends about the meaning of this metaphor. The song is generally thought to be about the hedonism and self-destruction in the Hollywood music industry; the idea is that Hollywood is likened to a luxury hotel which is initially welcoming, but which ends up trapping its residents through their own self-destructive wiles ("we are all just prisoners here of our own device").The original version of the song is performed in slow rock style, opening with a long, repeated acoustic twelve string guitar motif. During the verses, guitar and bass provide melodic counterpoint to the vocal. The end section of the song consists of a series of guitar solos building to a multi-layered variation on the opening theme with multiple guitars in chorus. The song is also well known for its guitar solos, which are performed by both Joe Walsh and Don Felder, with Glenn Frey playing rhythm guitar. The guitar solo has been ranked by many as one of the best guitar solos of all time.</blockquote>

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