Gipsy Kings - Hotel California

April 5, 2008

Talk of the Coen brothers films last week reminded me of the Gipsy Kings version of "Hotel California" (featured in The Big Lebowski) and, as usual, YouTube provides. Bear in mind that I consider "Hotel California" — despite being played to death– one of the greatest rock songs of the era and the lyrical solo by the Joe Walsh/Don Felder duo remains one of my favorite guitar solos of all time. In other words, I wouldn’t praise another version lightly (and, indeed, most of the cover versions are terribly). But not only do the Gipsy Kings do a great job of re-interpreting the song while retaining what makes it great, but the video makes me want to go watch The Big Lebowski again. The Dude abides.