《加州梦想》与《加州旅馆》，曾几何时为之痴迷，心中所感欲行之笔端，但失于惰而不勉以勤，终至未竟。今心有所触方草草成书。
《加州梦想（California Dreaming）》和《加州旅馆（Hotel California）》是两首截然不同的歌。
有些歌你会一见钟情，比如《加州梦想》。我是偶然听到其旋律后就彻底喜欢上了它。双亲乐队（The Mamas and the Papas）以一种略带忧伤的平静语调为我们描摹出一个漂泊于江湖的浪子形象。有些歌却有太强的个性，开始使你无法接受，但经过漫长的磨合期后，你就再也离不开她了。为什么呢？不是她变了，而是你变了，她强烈的个性改变了你。《加州旅馆》就是这样的歌。坦率的说，初次听《加州旅馆》甚至有些讨厌：讨厌它冗长的过门，讨厌它不优雅的曲调，讨厌它过于晦涩的歌词。但是，慢慢地竟喜欢上了它。老鹰乐队（The Eagles）用嘶哑的声调为我们传递着类似这样的信息：颓废、暧昧、混沌、挣扎。习惯安逸生活的你也许本能地选择拒绝，一旦由于某种契机接受她之后，她将伴随你一生。
下面是我对两首歌的解读。不过我对歌曲的背景并不了解，以下想法全凭感觉。谬误之处还请大家指明。
《加州梦想》
主人公怀着梦想从自己的家乡洛杉矶来到加州。他显然不适应这里的一切，似乎已有了返乡的念头。但是他现在没有回去也不决定回去了：为了躲避冬日的严寒，他不顾神父的憎恶，走进教堂假装祈祷（比起自己的梦想，这些又算什么呢？）。那么，是什么挽留了他，使他坚持了自己的梦想？“If I didn’t tell her I could leave today”。那么“she”是谁呢？我们不知道。也许是主人公的爱人，或者亲人，甚或偶然相遇的陌生人。但也许这个“she”不过是拟人化的手法，主人公内心的梦想终于战胜了独在异乡为异客的孤独寂寞。可以说，最后的这句歌词为我们留下了无尽的遐想空间。我相信这首歌可以打动每个客居他乡的游子的心。
《加州旅馆》
主人公不堪旅途劳顿，准备就宿于“加州旅馆”。但这是一个什么样的旅馆呢？淫乱、暴力、萎靡、堕落。它利用一切手段挑逗你的欲望，让你融入它的怀抱！这里是天堂般的地狱，囚禁在这里的人都是心甘情愿的奴隶。这里没有任何使你产生斗志的东西（烈性酒），缺乏理想的囚徒们只能靠声色犬马忘记自己的过去、自己的不堪、自己的堕落！这里的守夜人说得好极了：“你可以随时结帐离开，但你能够吗？”有人说“加州旅馆”是当时美国社会的写照，但是我想说的是我们每个人心中都有一个“加州旅馆”，我们是否已经沉迷进去了呢？当我们不堪生活的劳顿时，会选择“加州旅馆”吗？
附录：
《加州梦想》歌词
California Dreaming
All the leaves are brown
And the sky is grey
I’ve been for a walk
On a winter’s day
I’d be safe and warm
If I was in L.A.
California dreamin’
On such a winter’s day
Stopped into a church
I passed along the way
Well I got down on my knees
And I pretend to pray
You know the preacher likes the cold
He knows I’m gonna stay
If I didn’t tell her
I could leave today
《加州旅馆》歌词
Hotel California
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 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
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
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
They stabbed 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
