《加州旅館》，撒旦之歌

《加州旅館》問世三十多年來，以其怪異的曲風，詭異晦澀的歌詞，經典的雙吉他和聲旋律，感人心弦的悲世情懷而經久不衰。人們曾試圖尋找加州旅館的原形，可是終究沒有結果。老鷹樂隊更是對此不置可否。

好像應了那句「此曲只應天上有」，只不過《加州旅館》不是來自天堂的聲音，而更像是魔鬼撒旦的符咒。

在我看來，當然沒有加州旅館這個地方，Hotel California 不過是海洛因和可卡因的另類表達，如果這個假設成立，那些晦澀的歌詞，詭異的場面就好理解了。

歌詞在一開始colitas的暗示，迷失的靈魂需要個地方安放。借酒消愁已經過時，We haven't had that spirit here since 1969；而此時魔鬼撒旦發出了第一個符咒：歡迎來到加州旅館（Welcome to the hotel california）。而且是一年四季，供應充足；歌詞的中段主要是描述吸毒之後的一些感受。比如，Such a lovely Place，Such a lovely face的美妙幻象，這時，魔鬼告訴你靈魂不過是軀體的囚徒，We are all just prisoners here, of our own device。歌詞 的最後實際上是暗示一旦進入了  Hotel California，（粘上了毒癮）就很難回去了（戒不掉了），You can check out any time you like,But you can never leave。這當然是魔鬼的又一道符咒。

嚴重推薦以下古詩版本的加州旅館中文歌詞，可以和白居易的《琵琶行》媲美，英譯漢的最高境界應該不過如此吧。請欣賞：

On a dark desert highway cool wind in my hair
Warm smell of colitas rising up through the air
Up ahead in the distance I saw a shimmering light
My head grew heavy and my sight grew dim
I had to stop for the night
There she stood in the doorway;
I heard the mission bell
And I was thinking to myself
』This could be Heaven or this could be Hell』
Then she lit up a candle and she showed me the way
There were voices down the corridor,
I thought I heard them say...
Welcome to the Hotel California
Such a lovely place
Such a lovely face
Plenty of room at the Hotel California
Any time of year, you can find it here
月黑大漠路迢迢，風高凜冽客思歸，
人倦眼乏昏欲睡，聞香忽見燈火碎，
但見有女娉婷立，耳畔鐘聲如樂起，
天堂地獄兩相忘，渾然不似在人間，
秉燭引路過畫廊，人聲嘈雜迎客至：
加州客棧誠待客，虛位以侯遊子回，
Her mind is Tiffany- twisted, she got the Mercedes bends
She got a lot of pretty, pretty boys, that she calls friends
How they dance in the courtyard, sweet summer sweat.
Some dance to remember, some dance to forget
So I called up the Captain,
』Please bring me my wine』
He said,』We haven』t had that spirit here since nineteen sixty nine』
And still those voices are calling from far away,
Wake you up in the middle of the night
Just to hear them say...
Welcome to the Hotel California
Such a lovely place
Such a lovely face
They livin』 it up at the Hotel California
What a nice surprise, bring your alibis
衣香鬢影佳人意，玉郎終始為君來，
放歌縱舞前廊院，香汗淋漓未盡歡：
縱使笙歌能醉月，情未忘我怎忘情？
便向校官索美酒，經年未備意闌珊，
午夜夢回舊館舍，聲聲呼喚充耳聞，
倦鳥羈留深林久，此間樂哉不思飛，
Mirrors on the ceiling,
The pink champagne on ice
And she said 』We are all just prisoners here, of our own device』
And in the master』s chambers,
They gathered for the feast
The stab it with their steely knives,
But they just can』t kill the beast
Last thing I remember, I was
Running for the door
I had to find the passage back
To the place I was before
』Relax,』said the night man,
We are programmed to receive.
You can checkout any time you like,
but you can never leave
寶鏡倒映燭影晃，寒冰裝點酒色紅，
賓客齊至成盛筵，佳人美酒俱添光，
輕啟朱唇驚四座，投杯停箸不能食：
鋼刀銀叉手中持，心魔猶在不能消，
自我羈押成囚徒，吾輩頹然尚不知。
聞言倉皇尋舊路，四顧茫茫無著處，
明朝更向何處去？更者悠然言少歇：
縱然我輩長別離，此生有命不能棄，
前路漫漫歸舊旅，生此迴環無盡時。

最後附上原英文歌詞和中文直譯：

on a dark desert highway,行駛在昏黑的荒漠公路上，
cool wind in my hair.涼風吹過我的頭髮。
warm smell of colitas,溫馨的大麻香，
rising up through the air.瀰漫在空氣中。
up ahead in the distance,抬頭遙望遠方，
i saw a shimmering light.我看到微弱的燈光。
my head grew heavy my sight grew dim.我的頭越來越沉,視線也變得模糊。
i had 2 stop 4 the night.我不得不停下來過夜。
there she stood in the doorway;她站在門口那兒招呼我
i heard the mission bell.我聽到遠處教堂的鐘聲。
and i was thinking 2 myself,我在心裡對自己說
"this could b heaven or this could b hell".這裡可能是天堂也可能是地獄。
then she lit up a candle,然後她點燃了蠟燭，
and she showed me the way.給我引路。
there were voices down the corridor.沿著走廊傳來陣陣說話聲。
i thought i heard them say...我想我聽到他們在說……
welcome to the hotel california!歡迎來到加州旅館！
such a lovely place!如此美麗的地方！
such a lovely face!多麼可愛的的面容！！
plenty of room at the hotel california!加州旅館有充足的房間！
any time of year,u can find it here!一年的任何時候,你都能在這找到房間。
her mind is tiffany-twisted,她的心為珠寶所扭曲，
she got the mercedes bends.她擁有豪華賓士車。
she got a lot of pretty,pretty boys.她有許多漂亮的小夥子。
that she calls friends.她稱之為朋友。
how they dance in the courtyard,他們在庭院里翩翩起舞，
sweet summer sweat.夏日的香汗伶俐。
some dance to remember!有些舞是為了回憶！
some dance to forget!而有些舞是為了忘卻！
so i called up the captain,於是我叫來領班，
"please bring me my wine."請給我來些酒。
he said"we haven't had that spirit here,他說我們這不供應列酒 since nineteen sixty nine."從1969年起。
and still those voices are calling from far away.遠處仍然傳來他們的話語。
wake u up in the middle of the night.在半夜把你吵醒。
just 2 hear them say...只聽到他們在說……
welcome to the hotel california!歡迎到加州旅館來！
such a lovely place!如此美麗的地方！
such a lovely face!多麼可愛的的面容！
they livin' it up at the hotel california.他們在加州旅館盡情狂歡。
what a nice surprise,好得令人吃驚，
bring your alibis.使你有來到這的借口。
mirrors on the ceiling,天花板上鑲嵌著的鏡子，
the pink champagne on ice.冰鎮著的粉色香檳
and she said"we are all just prisoners here-她說我們都是這的囚徒
-of our own device".但是是我們自願的。
and in the master's chambers.在主人的卧房裡。
they gathered 4 the feast.他們為宴會聚在一起。
they stabbed it with their steely knives.他們彼此間用鋼刀相互砍殺。
but they just can't kill the beast.但他們甚至不能殺死野獸！
last thing i remember,我所記得的最後一件事
i was running 4 the door.是我跑向門口。
i had 2 find the passage back,我必須找到來時的路，
to the place i was before.回到我過去的地方。
"relax",said the night man,守夜人說放寬心，
"we are programmed to receive.我們只是照常接待
u can checkout any time u like.你想什麼時候結帳都可以。
but u can never leave！"但你永遠無法離去！