Comfortably Numb vs. Hotel California

[Mr Natural]

Tough choice.

 

[ChrisL]

I'm the only one to vote for Hotel California. It's not necessarily the better song, but I think the Eagles are the more talented musicians who didn't have to rely on sound effects and synthesizers, etc., to sound decent. No fancy light shows, not much of a "cult" type of following. None of that. They were popular because they were a good band with talent, period.

 

[IsaacNewton]

I'm the only one to vote for Hotel California. It's not necessarily the better song, but I think the Eagles are the more talented musicians who didn't have to rely on sound effects and synthesizers, etc., to sound decent. No fancy light shows, not much of a "cult" type of following. None of that. They were popular because they were a good band with talent, period.

Again I don't think the two are at odds with each other, each stands on its own.

But to claim Pink Floyd didn't have musical talent is just wrong. Some of the guitar solos are considered the best in rock history. Many think the solo in Comfortably Numb is the best ever.

I would say the guitar solo in Hotel California ranks in the top ten as well, even though it doesn't get the recognition it deserves.

 

[ChrisL]

I'm the only one to vote for Hotel California. It's not necessarily the better song, but I think the Eagles are the more talented musicians who didn't have to rely on sound effects and synthesizers, etc., to sound decent. No fancy light shows, not much of a "cult" type of following. None of that. They were popular because they were a good band with talent, period.

Again I don't think the two are at odds with each other, each stands on its own.

But to claim Pink Floyd didn't have musical talent is just wrong. Some of the guitar solos are considered the best in rock history. Many think the solo in Comfortably Numb is the best ever.

I would say the guitar solo in Hotel California ranks in the top ten as well, even though it doesn't get the recognition it deserves.

I didn't say Pink Floyd didn't have talent. I said the Eagles are the MORE talented band. They had Joe Walsh. Listen.

 

[ChrisL]

 

[ChrisL]

I think I've proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that The Eagles were the more talented band. Unless you are willing to claim that David Gilmour is a more talented guitarist than Joe Walsh? Hmm? Anyone going to make that claim??

 

[ChrisL]

They should make poll results public so we can see who doesn't know about rock and roll or sheer raw talent.

 

[ChrisL]

I would put Pink Floyd in the same category as the Grateful Dead. The Eagles are in a league of their own.

 

[ChrisL]

I find The Eagles music is more diverse than Pink Floyd too. All of the members were so multi-talented.

 

[ChrisL]

And the lyrics to Hotel California - better.

On a dark desert highway, cool wind in my hair
Warm smell of colitas, rising up through the air
Up ahead in the distance, I saw a shimmering light
My head grew heavy and my sight grew dim
I had to stop for the night
There she stood in the doorway;
I heard the mission bell
And I was thinking to myself,
"This could be Heaven or this could be Hell"
Then she lit up a candle and she showed me the way
There were voices down the corridor,
I thought I heard them say...

Welcome to the Hotel California
Such a lovely place (Such a lovely place)
Such a lovely face
Plenty of room at the Hotel California
Any time of year (Any time of year)
You can find it here

Her mind is Tiffany-twisted, she got the Mercedes bends
She got a lot of pretty, pretty boys she calls friends
How they dance in the courtyard, sweet summer sweat.
Some dance to remember, some dance to forget

So I called up the Captain,
"Please bring me my wine"
He said, "We haven't had that spirit here since nineteen sixty nine"
And still those voices are calling from far away,
Wake you up in the middle of the night
Just to hear them say...

Welcome to the Hotel California
Such a lovely place (Such a lovely place)
Such a lovely face
They livin' it up at the Hotel California
What a nice surprise (what a nice surprise)
Bring your alibis

Mirrors on the ceiling,
The pink champagne on ice
And she said "We are all just prisoners here, of our own device"
And in the master's chambers,
They gathered for the feast
They stab it with their steely knives,
But they just can't kill the beast

Last thing I remember, I was
Running for the door
I had to find the passage back
To the place I was before
"Relax, " said the night man,
"We are programmed to receive.
You can check-out any time you like,
But you can never leave!

 

[IsaacNewton]

I think I've proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that The Eagles were the more talented band. Unless you are willing to claim that David Gilmour is a more talented guitarist than Joe Walsh? Hmm? Anyone going to make that claim??

David Gilmour is the better guitarist. But again they were pretty much different genres. Pink Floyd was more ethereal, The Eagles were about relationships.

I don't want to disparage either so I'm done here. Enjoy them both.

 

[ChrisL]

I think I've proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that The Eagles were the more talented band. Unless you are willing to claim that David Gilmour is a more talented guitarist than Joe Walsh? Hmm? Anyone going to make that claim??

David Gilmour is the better guitarist. But again they were pretty much different genres. Pink Floyd was more ethereal, The Eagles were about relationships.

I don't want to disparage either so I'm done here. Enjoy them both.

Than Joe Walsh?? Please . . . Joe Walsh has a natural talent and ability. He didn't need all the "sound effects." The Eagles were just straight up rock and roll.

 

[ChrisL]

I think I've proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that The Eagles were the more talented band. Unless you are willing to claim that David Gilmour is a more talented guitarist than Joe Walsh? Hmm? Anyone going to make that claim??

David Gilmour is the better guitarist. But again they were pretty much different genres. Pink Floyd was more ethereal, The Eagles were about relationships.

I don't want to disparage either so I'm done here. Enjoy them both.

What the heck would you participate on a thread for then? Argue your point. Show some clips to prove your claims.

 

[ChrisL]

 

[IsaacNewton]

I think I've proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that The Eagles were the more talented band. Unless you are willing to claim that David Gilmour is a more talented guitarist than Joe Walsh? Hmm? Anyone going to make that claim??

David Gilmour is the better guitarist. But again they were pretty much different genres. Pink Floyd was more ethereal, The Eagles were about relationships.

I don't want to disparage either so I'm done here. Enjoy them both.

What the heck would you participate on a thread for then? Argue your point. Show some clips to prove your claims.

Check any top 100 guitarists list. I'm not sure you will find Joe Walsh though I love his work. Gilmour will be front and center.

I'm not sure why this is an argument to you. I hold both bands as great, period.

 

[ChrisL]

I think I've proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that The Eagles were the more talented band. Unless you are willing to claim that David Gilmour is a more talented guitarist than Joe Walsh? Hmm? Anyone going to make that claim??

David Gilmour is the better guitarist. But again they were pretty much different genres. Pink Floyd was more ethereal, The Eagles were about relationships.

I don't want to disparage either so I'm done here. Enjoy them both.

What the heck would you participate on a thread for then? Argue your point. Show some clips to prove your claims.

Check any top 100 guitarists list. I'm not sure you will find Joe Walsh though I love his work. Gilmour will be front and center.

I'm not sure why this is an argument to you. I hold both bands as great, period.

Well the topic of the thread is which is better. I say overall the Eagles are the more talented band. I say Joe Walsh is a better and more talented guitarist than Gilmour. The Eagles music was more varied and they didn't have to rely on light shows and special effects sounds to gain fans. You say Gilmour was better, but you don't provide any examples to prove that claim. I hope you don't just expect people to agree with you, like you did about your rain sound effects.

Joe Walsh IS considered one of the best guitarists.

In Cleveland power trio the James Gang, Joe Walsh combined Who-style fury with Yardbirds-style technical fireworks and R&B crunch, notably on 1970's "Funk #49." The humor in Walsh's bluesy facility came out in the talk-box flight on his '73 solo hit "Rocky Mountain Way." But it was when he joined the Eagles in 1975 that he truly lodged himself on classic-rock radio. Walsh brought a hard-rock edge to the Eagles' easygoing pop songs, creating a series of indestructible licks in the process: See his staccato-snarl riff in "Life in the Fast Lane" and his elegant aggression in the dueling-guitars section of "Hotel California." Walsh influenced the Who's 1971 classic, Who's Next, although he didn't play a note on it: He gave Pete Townshend, as a gift, the 1959 Gretsch Chet Atkins guitar that Townshend played all over that album. Townshend later repaid the favor while talking to Rolling Stone in 1975: "Joe Walsh is a fluid and intelligent player. There're not many like that around."

Read more: Joe Walsh - 100 Greatest Guitarists
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[westwall]

.... which is the better song?

Musically and/or lyrically?

Damn that's a hard one. I'll have to go with Floyd.... Barely...

 

[ChrisL]

Joe Walsh inspired Pete Townsend.

 

[ChrisL]

As far as Joe's talent on the guitar. Well, just watch. Definitely one of THE best. And he's pretty old here but still jamming out! I love this kind of guitar work. It's like he has a natural ability.

 

[jillian]

.... which is the better song?

Musically and/or lyrically?

everything by pink floyd sucks.