Song Of The Day: The Eagles - Hotel California

It's no accident that The Eagles Greatest Hits might one day pass Michael Jackson's Thriller as the best-selling album of all time - the Eagles made great singles. By contrast, their albums could be spotty and strained by self-conscious artistry. The title tune reflected the album's theme of paradise lost in California, painting this picture with a musical arrangement that punctuated strumming guitars with dramatic drums, and perhaps the band's most famous lyric: "You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave." You can argue that "Hotel California" first released in 1976 is overexposed. But love it or hate it, it has all the essentials of a great rock song: interesting and quotable lyrics, guitar work even the snobs can appreciate, radio-friendly hooks, and the distinction of having inspired an urban legend. (No, there is nothing occult-related in the song. Its true subject, the decadence of Southern California in the late 1970s, is frightening enough as it is.) It's one of the great songs of its era.