[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
[Verse 1] I play the [Fm7] street life, because there's [Bbm7] no place I can go [Cm7] Street life, Its the [Fm7] only life I know. [Fm7] Street Life, and there's a [Bbm7] thousand cards to play, [Cm7] Steet Life, until you [Fm7] play your life away.
[Chorus-quick changes] You [Bbm7] let the people [Db/Eb-x66666] see, just who you [Cm7] wanna be, [F7#9-13x214] And [Bbm7] every night you [Db/Eb-x66666] shine, just [Abmaj7] like a superstar. The [Abm7] type of life that's [B/Db-x44444] played, a [F#maj7] temptin' mas[Gm7-5-343363] querade You [Bbm7] dress you walk you [Db/Eb-x66666] talk, You're [Abmaj7] who you think you are [C7#5#9-hendrix-x32344]
[Verse 2] [Fm7] Street life, You can [Bbm7] run away from time, [Cm7] Street life, For a [Fm7] nickel, or a dime, [Fm7] Street life, But you [Bbm7] better not get old, [Cm7] Street life, Or you're [Fm7] gonna feel the cold.
[Chorus] There's [Bbm7] always love for [Db/Eb] sale a [Cm7] grown-up fairy [F7#9] tale Prince [Bbm7] Charming always [Db/Eb] smiles behind [Abmaj7] a silver spoon And [Abm7] if you keep it young [B/Db] your [F#maj7] song is always [Gm7-5] sung Your [Bbm7] love will pay your way [Db/Eb] beneath [Abmaj7] the silver moon
[Chorus - To play the horn part at end of B7 play 10 and 12 on B string, then 6 and 8 on E string for F] [Emaj7-0x999x] Street life [B7/D#-11x999x][C#m7][B7] [Emaj7] Street life [B7/D#][C#m7][B7] [Fmaj7-133211] Street life [C7/E-0x5556][Dm7][C7] [Fmaj7] Street life [C7/E][Dm7]
[Verse] I play the [Fm7] street life Because there's [Bbm7] no place I can go [Cm7] Street life It's the [Fm7] only life I know [Fm7] Street life And there's a [Bbm7] thousand cards to play [Cm7] Street Life Until you [Fm7] play your life away- oh
[Chorus - To play the horn part at end of B7 play 10 and 12 on B string] [Emaj7-0x999x] Street life [B7/D#-11x999x][C#m7][B7] [Emaj7] Street life [B7/D#][C#m7][B7] [Fmaj7-133211] Street life [C7/E-0x5556][Dm7][C7] [Fmaj7] Street life [C7/E][Dm7][C7]
[Emaj7-0x999x] Street life [B7/D#-11x999x][C#m7][B7] [Emaj7] Street life [B7/D#][C#m7][B7] [Fmaj7-133211] Street life [C7/E-0x5556][Dm7][C7] [Fmaj7] Street life [C7/E][Dm7]
[End - .X = 12(3)(1)] [Fm7] play rhythm once - X x .X .X X
[Mad bit removed from second half of sax solo] C#m7 F#9sus4-111313 - Bmaj7 Bm7 E9sus4-000202 Amaj7 - Bbm7 Eb9sus4-x66666 Abmaj7
[Interlude Riff - play high part with thumb and first finger as naturally mutes the G string with thumb] E --6--------- B ----9p6------- G x---------- D 6---------- A 6---------- E 6----------