[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
[Looping - you have to grab the G to B to C during lord I can't change bit - so you can get the solo tone ready] [Intro] [G][D][Em][Em] [F][C][D][D] [G][D][Em][Em] [F][C][D][D]
[Verse 1] [G] If I [D] leave here to [Em] morrow [F] Would you [C] still remember [D] me? [G] For I must be [D] travelling [Em] on now [F] Cos there's too many [C] places I got to [D] see
[G] If I [D] stay here with [Em] you girl [F] Things just [C] couldn't be the [D] same [G] Cos I'm as [D] free as a [Em] bird now [F] And this [C] bird you cannot [D] change
[F] And this [C] bird you cannot [D] change [F] And this [C] bird you cannot [D] change [F] Lord [C] knows I can't [D] change
[Interlude] [G][D][Em][Em] - [F][C][D][D] x 2
[Verse 2] [G] Bye bye, [D] it's been a [Em] sweet love [F] Though this [C] feeling I can't [D] change [G] But please don't [D] take it so [Em] badly [F] Cos the Lord [C] knows I'm to [D] blame
[G] But if I [D] stay here with [Em] you girl [F] Things just [C] couldn't be the [D] same [G] Cos I'm as [D] free as a [Em] bird now [F] And this [C] bird you'll never [D] change, oh oh oh
[F] And this [C] bird you cannot [D] change [F] And this [C] bird you cannot [D] change [F] Lord [C] knows I can't [D] change [F] Lord [C] help me, I can't [D] change
[G][Bb] Lord, I [C] can't change Won't you [G] fly [Bb] high [C] free bird, yeah!
