Lana Del Rey’s favourite song by the Eagles
When Lana Del Rey achieved widespread success with her single ‘Video Games’ in 2011, it marked the start of an illustrious career which has led the singer to become one of the most important musical voices of the 21st century. After cutting her teeth in dingy New York bars, Del Rey struggled to find acclaim even after signing her first record deal, resulting in her debut album being shelved. Yet, a few years later, she broke through into the mainstream with 2012’s Born to Die, which became particularly popular online.
Since then, Del Rey has released seven more albums, defining a generation with her aesthetically-driven and lyrically evocative music, becoming a linchpin of alternative pop. Del Rey has sustained a dedicated fanbase due to her willingness to experiment with genre; for example, soft rock defines Ultraviolence, whereas jazz is one of the main influences on Honeymoon. However, Del Rey consistently blends past and present, often mixing modern trap beats and hip-hop influences with classic instrumentation.
By doing so, Del Rey’s music puts a fresh spin on her vintage influences, inspired by artists like Amy Winehouse, who took a distinctively modern approach to jazz and soul. Moreover, Del Rey often references the classic artists that inspire her music within her songs, whether through overt references or melodic allusions; for example, ‘West Coast’ samples The Beatles’ riff from ‘And I Love Her’.
Del Rey is not afraid to name-drop her favourite artists, such as Billie Holliday in ‘The Blackest Day’ and Bruce Springsteen in ‘American’. In ‘God Knows I Tried’, the singer references two songs by classic rockers the Eagles: ‘Tequila Sunrise’ as she sings, “Sometimes I wake up in the morning/ To red, blue, and yellow skies/ It’s so crazy I could drink it like tequila sunrise”, and ‘Hotel California’, with the lyrics “Put on that Hotel California/ Dance around like I’m insane”.
It’s unsurprising that Del Rey admires the Eagles due to their status as a quintessentially Californian band. Many of her songs reference the state, such as ‘West Coast’, ‘California’, ‘Freak’, ‘Shades of Cool’, and ‘Fuck it I Love You’, to name just a few.
With that, Del Rey cites ‘Hotel California’ as one of her go-to tracks, revealing to Fashion Magazine, “Every shoot I do, I have a theme. I’ve been watching old Spanish films, and my new record has a Spanish guitar on it so that actress-senorita vibe. So, it has been on my mind. We always listen to the Eagles’ ‘Hotel California’ while we get ready.”
The song remains the band’s well-known cut, praised for its lengthy guitar solo. It topped the US Billboard Hot 100 charts upon its release in 1977, winning ‘Record of the Year’ at the Grammys. You only have to listen to Norman Fucking Rockwell! to hear the song’s clear influence over Del Rey’s sound.
Revisit the track below.
