[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 - No drums - stacatto down strokes] C C F/C G/C
[Verse 1] You [C] better watch [C] out you [F] better not [G] cry You [C] better not [C] pout I'm [F] telling you [G] why [C] Santa Claus is [F] coming to [G] town [C] Santa Claus is [F] coming to [G] town [C] Santa [Am] Claus is [F] comi [G] ng to [C] town [F][G]
[Verse 2 - Half time B x bB S] He's [C] making a [C] list and [F] checking it [G] twice He's [C] gonna find [C] out who's [F] naughty or [G] nice [C] Santa Claus is [F] coming to [G] town [C] Santa Claus is [F] coming to [G] town [C] Santa [Am] Claus is [F] comi [G] ng to [C] town [C7]
[Bridge 1 - Straight quiet drums] He [Gm] sees you [C] when you're [F] sleeping He [Gm] knows when [C] you're [F] awake He [D7] knows if you've been bad or good (dru [G6] ms B SS B S) - You better be good for goodness sake better be good for goodness sake (triplet fill - full drums in - start on upstroke of strum)
[Verse 3] You [C] better watch [C] out you [F] better not [G] cry You [C] better not [C] pout I'm [F] telling you [G] why [C] Santa Claus is [F] coming to [G] town [C] Santa Claus is [F] coming to [G] town (next chords play straight) [C] Santa [Am] Claus is [F] comin [G] g to [C] town [C][F][G]
[Solo on Verse Chords] C C F G x 4 C Am F G - C C C7 C7
[Bridge 2] He [Gm] sees you [C] when you're [F] sleeping He [Gm] knows when [C] you're [F] awake He [D7] knows if you've been bad or good You [G6] better be good for goodness sake better be good for goodness sake
[Verse 4 - C/Bb-6x555x] You [C] better watch [C/Bb] out you [F/A] better not [Ab] cry You [C] better not [C/Bb] pout I'm [F/A] telling you [Ab] why [C][C] Santa Claus is [F] coming to [G] town [C][C] Santa Claus is [F] coming to [G] town [C][C] Santa [Am] Claus is [F] coming to [G] tow [C]
[Tag - Quiet bit as per intro] C C F/C G/C [C] Santa Claus is [F] coming to [G] town (repeat a few times)
[Ending - Slow] [C] Santa [Am] Claus is [Dm] coming [G] to to [C] wn
