[Verse 1 - Drums in] [Bm] On a dark desert highway, [F#] cool wind in my hair [A] Warm smell of colitas, [E] rising up through the air [G] Up ahead in the distance, I [D] saw a shimmering light [Em] My head grew heavy and my sight grew dim, [F#] I had to stop for the night [Bm] There she stood in the doorway; [F#] I heard the mission bell [A] And I was thinking to myself, [E] heaven or this could be hell [G] Then she lit up a candle and she [D] showed me the way [Em] There were voices down the corridor, [F#] I thought I heard them say...
[Chorus] [G] Welcome to the hotel Cali [D] fornia; [F#] lovely place, [Bm] lovely face [G] Plenty of room at the hotel Cali [D] fornia, [Em] time of year, you can [F#] find it here
[Verse 2] [Bm] Her mind is tiffany-twisted, [F#] she got the Mercedes Benz [A] She got a lot of pretty, pretty boys, that [E] she calls friends [G] How they dance in the courtyard, [D] sweet summer sweat. [Em] Some dance to remember, [F#] some dance to forget [Bm] So I called up the captain, [F#] please bring me my wine [A] haven t had that spirit here since [E] nineteen sixty nine [G] And still those voices are calling from [D] far away [Em] Wake you up in the middle of the night, [F#] just to hear them say
[Chorus] [G] Welcome to the hotel Cali [D] fornia; [F#] lovely place, [Bm] lovely face [G] They re living it up at the hotel Cali [D] fornia [Em] nice surprise, bring your [F#] alibis
[Verse 3] [Bm] Mirrors on the ceiling, [F#] the pink champagne on ice [A] we are all just prisoners here, [E] of our own device [G] And in the masters chambers, [D] they gathered for the feast [Em] The stab it with their steely knives, [F#] just (snare) can't (snare) kill the (snare - flamenco fill) beast [Bm] Last thing I remember, I was [F#] running for the door [A] I had to find the passage back, [E] place I was before [G] relax, said the night man, [D] programmed to receive. [Em] You can checkout any time you like, [F#] (F#stop+snare) but you can never leave! (F#F#F#)
[Another Chorus? - use snare to bring back in] [G] Welcome to the hotel Cali [D] fornia; [F#] lovely place, [Bm] lovely face [G] They re living it up at the hotel Cali [D] fornia [Em] nice surprise, bring your [F#] alibis
[Intro BPM 82] Just acoustic D C G D Then flute D C G D Them drums D C G D - finger pick
[Verse 1 - finger pick chords] [D] I'm gonna take a freight train, [C] Down at the station, Lord [G] I don't care where it [D] goes [D] Gonna climb me a mountain, [C] The highest mountain [G] Gonna jump off, nobody gonna [D] know
[Chorus - Strum] [D] Can't you see, can't you [C] see, what that [G] woman been doin' to [D] me (Harmonies in) [D] Can't you see, can't you [C] see, what that [G] woman been doin' to [D] me
[Verse 2 - Strum] [D] I'm gonna buy me a ticket now, [C] As far as I can [G] Ain't never comin' [D] back [D] Take me southbound, [C] All the way to Georgia now [G] Till the train run out of [D] track
[Chorus] [D] Can't you see, can't you [C] see, what that [G] woman been doin' to [D] me (Harmonies in) [D] Can't you see, can't you [C] see, what that [G] woman been doin' to [D] me
(Solo) D C G D x 4
[Chorus] (No drums) [D] Can't you see, can't you [C] see, what that [G] woman been doin' to [D] me (Harmonies + Drums in) [D] Can't you see, can't you [C] see, what that [G] woman been doin' to [D] me
[Repeat until bottled off]
[End]
[Verse 2] this is not sung in the version I found on YouTube [D] I'm gonna find me [C] A hole in the wall [G] I'm gonna crawl inside and [D] die [D] 'Cause my lady, now, [C] a mean ol' woman, Lord [G] Never told me goodbye [D]