How ‘The Twilight Zone’ Inspired The Eagles’ ‘Hotel California’
The Twilight Zone had such a significant impact on popular culture that it even influenced a classic rock song. The Twilight Zone was one of the inspirations behind The Eagles’ “Hotel California.” The track did an excellent job of capturing the essence of the TV show.
The Eagles’ ‘Hotel California’ was inspired by ‘The Twilight Zone’ and Steely Dan
During an interview with Ultimate Classic Rock, The Eagles’ Glenn Frey said his band took inspiration from multiple sources when they wrote “Hotel California.” One was fellow 1970s rocker band Steely Dan. Frey said The Eagles “were sort of trying to expand our lyrical horizons and just take on something in the realm of the bizarre, as Steely Dan had done.”
This is when The Twilight Zone entered the picture. “One of the things that impressed us about Steely Dan was that they would say anything in their songs, and it didn’t have to necessarily make sense,” he said. “They called it ‘joke sculpture.’ When we thought of this song ‘Hotel California,’ we started thinking that it would be very cinematic to do it like sort of The Twilight Zone — you just have one line that says there’s a guy on the highway, the next line says there’s a hotel in the distance, then there’s a woman there, then he walks in. It’s just like all one-shots just strung together, and you sort of draw your own conclusions from it.”
How The Eagles got the vibe of the TV show
So, does “Hotel California” feel like an episode of The Twilight Zone? Yes — on multiple levels. Twilight Zone episodes were normally eerie stories that wrapped up pretty quickly but still left an impact. They were often unsettling without crossing the line into horror. “Hotel California” has a similar vibe, as it’s ominous without being terrifying.
In addition, The Twilight Zone often commented on serious topics, such as political freedom, McCarthyism, and World War II. “Hotel California” has its own share of social commentary. The track is clearly an allegory for the dark side of celebrity. Don Henley and company must’ve felt that they couldn’t escape the consequences of their fame — hence the song’s bleak ending, where the narrator is trapped in the Hotel California forever.
Could ‘Hotel California’ make a good ‘Twilight Zone’ episode?
While “Hotel California” feels cinematic, its story is too short to be adapted into a movie. The tune could, however, be adapted into a television episode. Perhaps it should become the basis for a tale from The Twilight Zone.
Or maybe it’s best left alone. We all know the lyrics of “Hotel California” by heart. A Twilight Zone episode based on it wouldn’t work very well because we all know the story and how it would end. The Twilight Zone is famous for its twist endings. Nearly 50 years after its debut, the ending of “Hotel California” might be too famous for its own good. Furthermore, we can only imagine all the terrible television episodes inspired by classic rock songs that such a project could inspire.
The Twilight Zone is one of the best television series of all time. It also inspired one of the best rock songs of all time.
