Legal Battle Unveils First Drafts of Hotel California Lyrics

A criminal trial unfolding in Manhattan has thrust handwritten pages containing the initial iterations of the iconic rock anthem “Hotel California” into the spotlight. Glenn Horowitz, Craig Inciardi, and Edward Kosinski face charges of conspiring to sell pages from a yellow lined pad featuring early versions of the Eagles’ hit song, along with other lyrics, without proper rights. The trio pleads not guilty, and the trial is set to feature Eagles member Don Henley as a key witness.

The dispute arose in 2012 when manuscripts, including more than 80 pages of draft lyrics from the 1976 Hotel California album, were put up for sale. Henley claimed they were stolen, leading to an investigation by Manhattan prosecutors. The charges against Horowitz, Inciardi, and Kosinski include conspiracy to possess stolen property and other offenses, not theft itself. Prosecutors must prove the documents were stolen for the charges to hold, while defense lawyers argue that the documents were not stolen.

The origins of the disagreement trace back to the late 1970s when writer Ed Sanders worked on an Eagles biography. The band had reportedly granted Sanders access to their archives, including lyric-filled notepads. Sanders later sold them to Horowitz, a rare-books dealer, in 2005 for $50,000. Horowitz subsequently sold the lyrics to Inciardi and Kosinski, a memorabilia company owner. Henley told a grand jury he never provided Sanders with the lyrics.

The trial also highlights pages from other songs, such as “Life in the Fast Lane” and “New Kid in Town.” Defense lawyers cast doubt on Henley’s memory, suggesting he voluntarily provided the lyrics to Sanders. Despite the legal battle, “Hotel California” continues to be a cultural phenomenon, with the Grammy-winning song boasting over 220 million streams in the US alone last year and 136,000 radio plays, while the album of the same name has sold 26 million copies nationwide.