Was Hotel California based on a Jethro Tull song?

Excerpt from the Songfacts Interview with Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull.
Read the whole transcript on our website www.songfacts.com/int/2009/09/...
more Songfacts for Hotel California: www.songfacts.com/detail.php?i...

[@derek-press]

I worked for that major telecom company in England back in the 80s 90s and I installed a fax line at his premises he was an absolute gentleman, as I was finishing putting the phone socket on the wall he was a few yards away sorting some paperwork out and we were just chatting together like we'd known each other for 30 years,a nice memory

[@BrettOwen71]

Ian is ever so polite, then he broadsides you with the "tribute Rolex", which is a polite way of saying, "copy"! Brilliant!

[@stevejaubert2892]

Brett Owen Yeah, He seems to have put it pretty good and besides all art is pretty much imitation. I guess at this point they're all rich so what the hell!

[@jamesluby6705]

Yes, just a gentle aside, they might be fake JT but so what... 🤣

[@roccocandida7728]

Don't knock it unless you bumped elbows with Ian Anderson like I have about a dozen years ago at the Carefree theater in West Palm Beach backstage actually back of the venue. Talked for about 10 minutes face to face... Anyone else? Yeah I didn't think so hey got to be in the right place at the right time. Where is lovely chat about life... Just listen to the lyrics you learn the meaning of life. I know I live my life vicariously through these lyrics since 1970. Where were you? There was a dozen of us on the southside of Chicago ... known as TULL freaks

[@MFE92]

Right? "Blah blah blah all well and good, no harm no foul, just a chord sequence that will happen to anybody who plays long enough, I'm flattered, but it's a copy, and a cheap one at that". Savage!

[@jasoncharles9481]

@@MFE92 not an unusual chord progression.

[@ignatiusdemonseed]

Ian is such a class act.

[@clarkedgeworth3802]

It is a phenomenon called class, one with which we have just had a close encounter. Viva the man and immortal spirit of Ian Anderson.

[@BenPittoors]

"It's a bit like this tribute Rolex that I'm wearing." Ian Anderson, I salute you sir!

[@davidcooke8005]

Best concert I ever saw was Tulls 25th anniversary tour. 5 guys on a stage, with instruments and monitors. No light show, no fireworks, no theatrics. Just 5 dudes tearing it up flawlessly. 22 minutes of Thick as a Brick.

[@beatlemaniac1966]

Why is everybody complaining about Ian? Instead of suing the Eagles for all they've got, or even considering it, he says that it was most likely a subconscious act and that their song is great, even though he clearly doesn't like them much as people. In my opinion, that's very respectable and it makes me look up to Ian even more as a person and musician.

[@ozmonatov]

"It's a bit like this tribute rolex that im wearing." That made my day.

[@rickdoehler502]

Ian"s description of how things are is perfect.

[@njfxnjfxmcgfmhgb]

Ian Anderson is a legend.

[@njfxnjfxmcgfmhgb]

they were quality.

[@njfxnjfxmcgfmhgb]

***** I am being trolled by Condelltards, lol they've infiltrated 3 of my vids lmao

[@njfxnjfxmcgfmhgb]

***** check Malala lol

[@plantfeeder6677]

Tell that to the r&rhof. Evidently they don't even know this GROUP ever existed.

[@donnakesler1408]

My first concert in 1973 was Jethro Tull!! Amazing!!!!!!!!

[@reedcriswell6654]

Anderson's take is such a fresh breath in a time when everyone and their dog are running to court claiming plagiarism.

[@wmason1961]

"Tribute Rolex" has got the be the most subtle dig ever.

[@aesoundforge]

lol yup, though he was being cool.

[@misdangered4326]

0:38 “because they were….. cunt…ryfied“ rates as the the most subtle dig ever imho 😁😉

[@user-nj7hb9ro4z]

It’s a “Circle of Fifths” type of progression which is classically influenced and actually fairly common in a lot of rock/pop music songs

[@Gerard_2024]

There is a certain type of English who are just dripping with class, and nobody else in the world is in their league. Ian Anderson embodies this type to perfection. Methinks as an Irish man.

[@dontlooknow.]

@MichaelKingsfordGray Meds time Michael. 😂

[@efilrekib4446]

Agree...... as a Scots man.

[@gareththomas6465]

LOVE TULL, EAGLES ,LED ZEP, YES, QUEEN ,THIN LIZZY, AND I'M SO GLAD I WAS IN MY TEENS IN THE 70'S, JUST LISTEN TO THE MUSIC AND ENJOY IT !

[@michaelmcclure7987]

Ian Anderson's got CLASS. "We Used To Know" one of my favorite songs ever. It brings a tear to my eye.

[@NigelFortune]

Hahaha i love Ian! Master storyteller and musician.

[@NAHAJI133]

A poet.

[@NigelFortune]

kat Mats Yep definitely Kat.

[@NAHAJI133]

I was about 12 when I first heard Jethro Tull. They were always a favorite of mine. Only recently I started to give them a new listen again. Funny how we remember the words to songs. The music sounds just as fresh as yesterday. == Kat

[@NigelFortune]

kat Mats I was about 15 when a friend first played me some Tull. I think it was "Songs From The Wood". I loved them from the very first song and have all their albums :) I've seen them live 3 times but they seem to have stopped now with Ian Anderson doing his own thing which is a shame. And you're right Kat their music still sounds fresh today! - Nigel :-}

[@iamrocketray]

Bit like this tribute Rolex I'm wearing LOL nice one Ian.

[@imranatheistformer-muslim3884]

This is a real classic rock legend. Its about the music to him. He is too polite and cool to sue. Don Henley on the other hand would sue in a New York Minute (pun intended)

[@flamindigo]

Ian is also an educated musician; henley is just a closet-communist. he whines, cries and sues

[@haroldburrows4770]

@@darrendonahue2797 , dude that is a joke, your putting us on right?

[@roccocandida7728]

@@darrendonahue2797 well nobody likes your comments, for obvious reasons. You just don't know what you're talking about. And you can take that to the bank. Cuz you ain't nothing but a skank

[@roccocandida7728]

@@haroldburrows4770 no he's just a person of little knowledge. Self-centered isolated views hasn't branched out and grasp the concept of variety is the spice of life. Not everybody understands the lyrics in Jethro Tull songs . some people just don't get it

[@porgytirebiter7848]

Oh Darren, astutely put for a mellifluously challenged feller.Guessing ya loved him on miami vice as well, eh?

[@pamandrobtrust7624]

Ian Anderson being a true English man and basically saying its all music. Top guy with a top group.

[@rogerf9176]

+Rob Trust - But he'd suck as an American. He should sue big and settle out of court. He wouldn't even have to pay for lawyers. They'll do it for a piece of the action - which only makes them work even harder.

[@Bruce-1956]

+Rob Trust He's Scottish...................

[@pamandrobtrust7624]

Even better. My mother was.

[@fretbuzz59]

He may have been born and spent his early boyhood in Scotland, but he's got an English accent. Were his parents Scottish? If so, I'd expect him to sound more like them.

[@Bruce-1956]

Not if he lived in England for a long time. What does the accent of the parents got to do with anything?

[@marcio3santos]

What's undeniable is that "Take It to the Limit" by the Eagles is very similar to "If You Don't Know Me By Now" which was written 3 years prior. The intro, chord sequence, and waltz time signature are all very similar

[@emarc37]

what? i see no similarities

[@sambolino44]

Beautiful! Civil, generous, kind, and then, BAM! That Rolex comment! I knew he had a long shadow, but I didn't know he was such a master of throwing shade. Bravo!

[@jeffchantler9198]

Aqualung was the first album I ever bought ( about 45 years ago) . Then I bought it in cassette. Then I bought it in c.d.. Then I bought it for my iPod. along with many many other J.T. tunes. I still play them all from time to time, at high volume and they are still great (meaningful lyrics/ exceptional music). I had some Eagles albums way back when too . Liked them then, don’t miss them one bit. They didn’t age well. Cheers

[@markriobr]

Always loved J Tull and Ian, now even more. Such a cool man

[@scottnasta5251]

tull, what a performer, awesome

[@kangarootha]

Even the lead break is very similar. The whole thing is unmistakable, musically.

[@rickmorrow993]

I saw Jethro Tull on their Passion Play tour in San Diego. They put on a great show. Everyone in he band was top notch. What I remember most about the concert 45 years ago were the organist and Ian Anderson not just playing the flute and the guitar, but also his stage theatrics. I remember seeing him jump about eight feet to the stage in his boots while not missing a note on the flute, but the music was the thing. It was one of the best concerts I ever attended.

[@thommichaels6593]

God bless John Evans

[@ralphviscusi5184]

Classy guy about the chord progression sequence on Hotel California, no animosity at all. He is awesome!

[@petebeach6204]

Possibly the most unselfish acceptance of being ripped off I've ever heard!

[@TheWorld_2099]

Yeah, actually a ‘song’ is the melody and lyrics. You can’t trademark chords, or even a song title. He was very generous about not whining about it, but it’s very hard to say that they were ripped off

[@biserkasertic1208]

Even more obvious "stealing" of this song is "Reflections" from Charlie Daniels.

[@pagani29]

well, but he is very ironic...

[@johnkuipers7829]

@@TheWorld_2099 Exactly. A songwriter may hear a tune, even long ago. and some of it stays. Not being plagiarism, it can be accidental.

[@johnkuipers7829]

A songwriter may hear a tune, even long ago. and some of it stays. Not being plagiarism, it can be accidental.

[@boutchie06]

Anderson has a beautiful speaking voice also. He’s special.

[@arnoldcaines9012]

Love Ian's attitude. So rare in the music biz.

[@dillmandilley]

What a gracious and humble attitude towards the affair! Cheers Ian!

[@shadowheart52]

Good for Ian. No "They stole my song!". Just a sober, reasoned response to a supposed controversy that he was smart enough not to buy into.

[@tonyhelton2788]

That was perfect my friend. Right on point!!

[@tomblack6965]

With all respect , it has nothing to do with being sober. Hotel California is one of the most famous songs ever , and its beyond doubt it was clearly.. CLEARLY ripped off. Even the famous guitar solo is mimicked.

[@misdangered4326]

I think it has more to do with Mr Anderson potentially finding himself in a suicidally expensive legal battle against a huge record company with bottomless pockets. Discretion is the better part of valour, though that hasn’t stopped him having a few subtle sharp digs at them about it while on the surface politely distancing himself from it all. ‘The large print giveth, while the small print taketh away…’ 😉

[@davidranger13]

Amen

[@ChrisLawton66]

@@tomblack6965 I guess not everyone is smart enough not to buy into it.

[@marty3888]

So so glad to hear Ian say these comments. It seems like when writing a song you have to be afraid of being accused of plagirism, like the case of George Harrison being sued by the Chiffons. They should be ashamed of themselves. And good for you, Ian.

[@garthzares]

If I was Martin Barre I'd feel aggrieved as the Hotel California guitar section is clearly based on his solo in We Used To Know. However, both are truly great songs and I listen to them both regularly.

[@tommy..980]

Ian a truly wise intellectual to say the least!!!!!😂😂😂 just listen to his work!!! INCREDIBLE.🧐🧐🧐

[@tgifhounds]

Ian is not only a gentleman but he also "gets it", accolades.

[@dapinelli]

My understanding is that Don Felder wrote the music for the song that became Hotel California and Don Henley wrote the lyrics. Don Felder wasn't a member of the Eagles in the early 1970's so he wouldn't have toured with Jethro Tull.

[@63mckenzie]

True, but there is no denying Hotel California does sound like it. Maybe Felder saw them on tour? Perfect example of the many coincidences in music. There really aren't that many melodic chord sequences to go around.

[@thelawman4684]

@@63mckenzie True, if you are talking about C-FG7 and C-Am-F-G, etc, But the chord sequence to Hotel California is more complex. I very much doubt that two bands in such a short period of time would have come up with with the same sequence. It's a clear and deliberate copy, although as Ian Anderson says, you can't copyright a chord sequence. If it happened now, though, I think one would have lawsuits flying about ...

[@63mckenzie]

@@thelawman4684 Yet, Randy California sued Page and Plant over just a short sequence at the beginning of Stairway. Whoever came up with the D A G sequence should be be a billionaire!

[@ronjames-music]

It's nearly impossible to find a chord progression that has never been used before. Ian admitted that he was happy for them and had no ill-will whatsoever. So what's the big deal? I'm sure that there are chord sequences in some of Tull's music that were used before. Ian is a class act!

[@rockista4195]

"They were countrified laid-back polite rock and we were a bit whacky and English and doing weird stuff, I don't think they liked us and we didn't much like them". This sums it all up quite well!

[@GerOffYeWeeBastard]

A flute...and a codpiece. It takes a special man to pull that off.

[@reddhouse3702]

I was once honored to cook breakfast for Jethro Tull.

[@soarornor]

The earlier version of the band with Glenn Cornick and Clive Bunker? Now that would be memorable. I saw them during that incarnation with Martin Barre an Guitar in 1971 I think. They were touring in support of Benefit. In Chicago at the Aragon Ballroom. They were superb.

[@billbogg3857]

I thought his seed spreader was a fine piece of equipment.

[@johnkochen7264]

Tasting the smell of toast as the butter runs spilling crumbs.....?

[@davidmaholchic6146]

Ian Anderson is a standup guy but I went and listened to the tall song wow so similar to hotel California even the guitar solos at the end

[@jimwolabaugh3608]

Did they request Tull glasses of OJ?

[@gettinemail]

Class act. He understood it's flattery. He had no jealous tone in that interview.

[@jrhunter007]

I'm a far bigger 'Tull fan than for the Eagles, who are "easy listening" compared to Tull (I have every 'Tull release, and just one Eagles CD). However, in fairness to Don Felder, who wrote the music and gave an instrumental demo to Henley and Frey (who then wrote most of the lyrics and gave it the working title "Mexican Reggae"): Felder was not in the Eagles when they were the opening act for 'Tull in '72. He joined them in '74, and "We Used To Know" came out in '69. "Hotel California" came out in '77. I don't listen to jazz, so I don't know how common the chord progression is in that genre, but it is an unusual progression for rock, country or pop. I've read that it's "a common flamenco chord progression, called the 'Spanish progression' (i-VII-VI-V in a phrygian context) that is interspersed with consecutive fifths." (Wikipedia). I give Felder the benefit of the doubt, there is a good probability that the song similarities are simply coincidental, especially if Felder's version had a reggae feel to it. I don't see Felder as a 'Tull fan either, and though I dig both songs, and used to listed to "We used to Know" back when it was first released, the songs have quite a different flavor to me, despite the similar chord progression (one is in 3/4 time, and the other in 4/4). When H.C. came out it didn't remind me of W.U.T.K. at all. Both songs have great lead guitar. Love Barre's wah wah action! One thing's for sure, Anderson and Henley (and Co.) are all ego.

[@joeldcanfield_spinhead]

"It's not plagiarism; it's just the same chord sequence. It's in a different time signature, different key, different context." Not just polite, but intelligent: it's not plagiarism. Not even necessarily connected.

[@johnkuipers7829]

So why the comparison?

[@Janko1972]

Just add a reggae beat like everyone else at the time. I heard some Jamaican sounding group doing what was essentially "Knockin on Heaven's Door". If you really want a doppelgänger, check out REM "The One I Love" and then listen to Neil Young's "Into the Black" written 8 years before.

[@muddypool7537]

Both are 8 bar chord progressions where the 7th bar differ acutely. So, not the same chord sequence. The _"Hotel California"_ 7th bar is a 4 chord (Lydian) while _"We Used To Know"_ is a Dorian major.

[@jonathanhanser5914]

Tell that to Gaye s daughter

[@muddypool7537]

@@johnkuipers7829 - The comparison is to the chord sequence as Joel D Canfield pointed out. If the melody were same or similar the plagiarism claim might stand. But as I pointed out the 7th chord is so different the melody will differ.

[@dcs002]

"It's a bit like this tribute Rolex that I'm wearing" XD (I think I just peed myself...)

[@sinagong69]

+dcs002 What a cleverly gentle put down.

[@Kimdino1]

+dcs002 Brilliant line, absolutely brilliant

[@qhazwel]

+dcs002 wicked chap... I mean... wicked, chap!!! :)

[@paulbangkok248]

and he is exactly right :)

[@wrmhall4735]

he always was extremely clever....nice how he brought that in at the end....

[@monstersince]

i can argue about water with my sisters. first tune i strummed on guitar was hotel california. jethro tull have seen me through decades of lifes experience and back again

[@glamorgan5888]

most of the people with a patchy knowledge of the music of the 60/70's love the Eagles,when you ask them about the byrds and other groups they say they don't know them. They think hotel california is the only song of that period of time! Jethro tull was john lennon favourite group

[@CManInTheD]

Burton Cummings of The Guess Who is a Tull fan and he also appreciated The Doors as he has commented. Himself, possibly the best male rock vocalist from North America.

[@johnkochen7264]

Someone should play this interview in court the next time the estate of Marvin Gaye sues someone for plagiarism.

[@PeterMayer]

He didn't. Lawyers did. The same could be said for the disappointing move at Jeff Lynne and Tom Petty did.

[@tonybates7870]

I played We Used To Know to a (much younger) friend of mine recently, and the first thing he said was "it's good, but they've ripped off Hotel California"! I didn't have the heart to tell him the Tull song predated the Eagles one by nearly a decade. Now, I don't think you can copyright a chord sequence (and if you want to split hairs, they're in different keys, are not truly identical chordally and as Anderson says, they're in different time signatures - Tull's song is in 3/4 time, Hotel California in 4/4), but I reckon Ian Anderson was being pretty charitable here - he was almost bending over backwards to be reasonable about it all. I've also heard people say the Stones' "Angie" is a Hotel California steal - one, it's not that similar at all, and two, "Angie" predates the Eagles' track too!

[@ptownscribe1254]

And Don Felder, who wrote Hotel, didn't even know the Eagles when they shared a bill with Tull. So there's that.

[@ruelsmith]

Ian is spot on except that the guy that wrote Hotel California didn't join the band until 1974 and didn't tour with Jethro Tull. It was definitely just a coincidence in this instance.

[@thegreatuniversalprotectio1203]

unless he heard the record

[@BeeBumper]

Good point it gets confusing with Don rewriting history

[@plantfeeder6677]

How you figure that. We Used to Know came out in 1969....on their 2nd lp...Stand Up. Don Felder could've heard this song for over 5 years before joining the Eagles.

[@ruelsmith]

@@plantfeeder6677 It still doesn't stand up to Ian Anderson's claim.

[@rangerwhite7091]

Felder had a "reggae type song" on tape and took it to Henley and Frey, who put up lyrics for it. It then became Hotel California. Probably one of the greatest rock songs of all time.

[@Snarf071158]

However hard I try, I always lose interest in Hotel California somewhere along the way. In contrast to We Used to Know, which grips you and doesn’t let go until the last chord!

[@dylanphelan3010]

* Chord *

[@55vermeer]

Most Eagles' songs bore me.

[@pawelpap9]

@@55vermeer I’m so sorry for you! Did you always have this affliction or has it developed recently?

[@htwrk2]

Probably blame that on FM radio with the short song playlist. Overplayed then and overplayed now. I'm not knocking the song, it's a good song. I liked it when local FM stations would play an hour or so of songs off of albums not heard on the short playlist. Imagine if I got a penny for every time Bohemian Rhapsody was played all these years, I'd be rich. Again I'm not knocking the song.

[@55vermeer]

@@pawelpap9 No, I've never been a corporate rock swilling yuppie.

[@robertscoggin]

It's the EXACT same chord progression ,that's all. I knew it the first time I heard "Hotel..." I've never heard another song with that same progression. Same with TLC's "don't go chasing waterfalls" it's just like the first 8 bars of Billy Joel's "still rock and roll". And it's a unique progression too. I don't think you can copyright chord progressions and most earthlings can't hear that they're the same if the beat's different.

[@tyrannosauruszeppelin2205]

The ''don't go chasing waterfalls'' from TLC also was just completely stolen from Paul McCartney's song ''Waterfalls''.

[@foxfire1229]

💯

[@Deu_terio]

Except that We used to know/hotel California it's nothing like a unique chords progression: it's a circle of fifth

[@robertscoggin]

@@Deu_terio it's not exactly a circle of fifths, but ...oh well...

[@Deu_terio]

@@robertscoggin yes you're right, it's not a perfect circle of fifth. It hinges on the fifth interval though: Em-B then D-A then C-G. Only now it breaks the sequence with the F#7-B7

[@BubbaZen10]

"It's difficult to find a chord sequence that hasn't been used ... harmonic progression is a very, almost a mathematical certainty you're gonna crop up with the same thing sooner or later if you sit strumming a few chords on the guitar." And that right there is music ladies and gentleman. Perhaps my all-time favorite quote about it.

[@davidmaholchic6146]

Ian Anderson is a standup guy but I went and listened to the Tull song and boy is it similar to hotel California even the guitar solos at the end

[@charltonbaker6479]

Except Don Felder wrote the music, and he didn't join the Eagles until 1974, two or three years after the Eagles toured with JT...

[@23Robusto]

Exactly

[@marcelwilliamson7384]

That’s the first thing I thought as well

[@jsilence418]

@beatlemaniac1966 I have several Jethro Tull albums, I have no eagles albums that aint gonna change anytime soon !

[@sidthetech7623]

Ian is a realist despite the whimsicals in his music. Where he acknowledges and gives credit to it being just a chord sequence, and compliments the Eagles of doing a good job... Seemingly most mainstream bands or "artists" would jump on a lawsuit to protect their "intellectual property". Side rant: IMO, the Rock & Roll hall of fame doesn't want Jethro Tull nominated simply because their talent makes many artists look bad... JT is not mainstream, but I'm glad I took a chance to watch just 1 of their live performances 1977, and immediately became a real fan.

[@raven_of_zoso455]

Damn, that "Tribue Rolex" line is a wicked burn! Ian is such a great man!

[@UkuleleBobbyKemp]

Well, this is a new one 😇 on me - so I just had a good listen to ‘We used to know’. To qualify: I’m a fairly established songwriter (tho’ not famous or successful), plus I’ve long taken an interest in most/all the plagiarism cases which have appeared in the last few years, (& the arguments and opinions around them). My opinion: Crikey! This is an absolute SHOCKER!! Ian Anderson shows incredible Grace and Restraint here - hats 🎩 off to him, for real!! 🙏 👏👏. Bobby 🌺🎶

[@davedavis5809]

when i was in soledad prison, we had a jethro tull tribute band called jethro away the key

[@EnchantedStarlight]

+David Davis That's rad

[@OneAndZer0]

I love the mentality that he has of just being happy for them for writing a good song even if it was in someway inspired by his.

[@ozone1959]

All the towns and all the bars, you have to.... Inevitable 😁👍♥

[@dannykrinkle4726]

True gentleman.

[@williambaldridge1203]

So I guess I could use this same chord sequence and write my own song. I think I would call it, "The hotel we used to know in California."

[@bemersonbakebarmen]

Two songs having the same chord sequence is like two completly diferent people havinf the same haircut

[@Lea99Jones]

Indeed. Melodies and lyrics are copyrightable. But Hotel Cal didn't copy those things, just the chord progression. Sixteen tons and what do you get?

[@Lea99Jones]

@@bemersonbakebarmen Not just sorta different people?

[@tommyhunter9641]

I have never thought of these two songs other than being two different songs. Used To Know would be my favorite if I ever did.

[@ronniefarnsworth6465]

Ian always Class !!! : D

[@jrmahan3405]

Most of Hotel was written by Don Felder, who wasn't in the band on that tour. 🤔

[@andrewdunn49ers]

Yup. And he wrote it in a much more Flamenco style initially too

[@jimcrowell5093]

Exactly it wasn't introduced into the band until Walsh era

[@hepenypacker]

Was going to say the same thing

[@adalecarter]

Spot on point. I used to they borrowed from JT, but not now. Felder wrote the harmony but didn't join the Eagles until way after that tour.

[@hepenypacker]

@@adalecarter Exactly.....totally different scenario to let's say, Stairway to Heaven and the song Taurus.......but that's a debate for another day....lol

[@spinningnumbers]

despite what people are saying here.... I think the songs are very very similar. You need to be tone deaf not to hear it.

[@michelangelolucco7018]

Right. ;-) The chord sequence is exactly the same.

[@mrfester42]

Despite what YOU"RE saying here, you know diddly about music. Listen to EXACTLY what Ian Anderson says in this interview. For starters the old sayings, "There's nothing new under the sun" and "All art is derivative" are totally true. Some similarities are more obvious than others and you needn't dig very deep to make the same insinuations about countless other musical compositions, and art in other media as well, to make yourself believe that there's widespread plagiarism going on. There isn't! The fact is that even if two musical passages are identical, that in itself means nothing and is certainly not enough to get accomplished musicians to believe that plagiarism took place nor is it enough to prove it so in a court of law. In other words, what you hear is not enough to prove it.

[@schifferbrainz]

Fucking relax, Fester.

[@arhatyellow]

mrfester42 Well said. The Eagles didn't need to copy shit - anyone or anything. Plus, We used to Know is a great song on its own merits.

[@arhatyellow]

mrfester42 Well said. The Eagles didn't need to copy shit - anyone or anything. Plus, We used to Know is a great song on its own merits.

[@danlittlebear469]

Ian .....What a great man!!

[@dublinbluetune]

It's a good thing it wasn't the other way around and Ian Anderson had lifted that chord progression from Don Henley.

[@flynlulus]

A MATHEMATICL Certainty' your going to stumble upon the same sequence at some point in time. ...so many harmonics etc... Ian makes good sense here' and shows his Integrity' humbled and respectfully acknowleged their success with it.

[@JacquiParker]

He says this in the interview....

[@flynlulus]

and i quasi'qouted him.

[@ginomanzanero6396]

One example to use is that the same chord progression for 'Stairway to Heaven' is used for 'This Masquerade'. I'm sure Led Zeppelin and Leon Russell aren't pointing fingers and debating who copied who.

[@RussRusso]

Gino Manzanero But Taurus' song Spirit is claiming Zep stole their progression and they are suing them

[@flynlulus]

Jacqui Parker i know i quoted him'

[@richardgrier8968]

The problem with his hypothesis that the tune was picked up by the Eagles during their tour together is that Don Felder, who wrote the music, wasn't a member of the band in '71/'72. He joined the band in '74.

[@dr.pendyke4887]

Very true, I was going to type this but you already did. Felder wrote the music in 1975, including the melody and had never heard this Jethro Tull song when he did.

[@richardgrier8968]

@@dr.pendyke4887 Yes, exactly right. It kind of makes Anderson's witticisms on the topic moot. He gratuitously insults the Eagles. I highly doubt that they didn't think much of Tull.

[@thosdot6497]

@@dr.pendyke4887 - aside from not really knowing the genesis of each part of Hotel California; how on earth can you say Felder had never heard 'We Used to Know' when JT were one of the biggest bands in the world at the time its album came out, and by 1974 their star hadn't dimmed that much either? Not only does the melody in the verse remind me of Hotel California, but the guitar solo in 'We Used to Know' almost sounds like a parody of the instrumental section of HC, they're that close.

[@dr.pendyke4887]

@@thosdot6497 I say this because he has been asked numerous times and has said no numerous times. Felder stated clearly that he had not heard that particular song by Jethro Tull, he was not a fan, and had never toured with them so he only heard the Tull songs that most of America heard, the ones played on the radio.

[@thosdot6497]

@@dr.pendyke4887 - he may say that in response to a specific question, and he may not have set out to listen to the song/album, but the thing about subliminal influence is just that - it's below the level of attention. Who knows whether he heard it as background music in a cafe or whatever. He can say he's never heard it, but I can listen to them both and say that overall, there are similarities that are obvious to me and others.

[@m.r3681]

Back in the mid 70s, my dad got me a job Anaheim convention center in Ca, I had to work backstage little that I realize it was crowded and Jethro Tull was backstage Ian Anderson, w/ his flute rubbed, my shoulder. Wish I had an iPhone back then they were nice.

[@avimukta1]

nice man Mr Ian. A fine example for us all. Thank You Sir.

[@jeffliberty8830]

Hotel California is largely a Joe Walsh influenced composition. Anyone who KNOWS Joe Walsh's style knows that the licks and solos on the guitar are primarily his baby not Felder's. Joe was the new boy in the band so he worked collaboratively on it. The chord sequence has been used many times but this was UNIQUE feel and sound. Henley was superb in choosing the lyrics and singing them with such emotion.

[@MiguelBaptista1981]

+jutubaeh right on roger!

[@Joesfosterdogs]

Incorrect...Don Felder composition from top to bottom.

[@drumavidcheckupz4792]

Wow, what a class act!! Did you notice that most law suits today are made by the families of the artists that claim someone successful copied their family member's music? Makes you wonder is not about music, but cold hard greed.

[@makeitsonumberone1358]

'I used to know' is one of my all time fav songs, and i didn't even think about it sounding like hotel California until i see this video 😱

[@brok328]

It just keeps rolling this one. "Life's a long song"!

[@aaronmathrole6778]

I loved the last little shot at the Eagles, right at the end. Just a subtle jab. "...sort of like this "tribute" Rolex that I'm wearing." Implying that the Eagles were a cheap knock-off of JT. Awesome.

[@pwatts8846]

+Aaron Mathrole I think he makes it clear in the interview that Jethro Tull and the Eagles had very little in common musically.

[@peteg9069]

Check out 'Axis of awesome' for a great example of the same four chords in hundreds of songs, because for the most part Western music is a very limited art form. (The following applies to the majority - but certainly not all - of popular music) There is really only 4 useable octaves, so 48 notes. There are a lot of combinations of these notes when used in chords, but the western scale system only uses about 5 combinations per song - excluding key changes. There is only 2 rhythm patters, shuffle and straight. Only 2 time signatures, 4/4 and 3/4. Beats are accented differently to vary the pattern, but the underlying signatures is the same and you only have to be able to count up to 4 or 8. Useable BPM tempo is from 50 to 150, with the bulk of songs being around 90 to 130. So there is a lot of combinations to be had, but there has been an awful lot of songs written; it is inevitable that a lot will sound very similar. But there are about 4,000,000 words in the English language and it is the song that is important - it's always the song.

[@johnrutledge3892]

Jethro Tull is clearly a truly cool person . I forgot how much I feel great when I hear thier music .

[@hansgrueber8169]

Yes, his inventions brought agriculture to a new dawn. We should all thank him for that.

[@mboyer22]

The music for Hotel California was written by Don Felder. He didn’t join the Eagles until 1974. Perhaps he had heard the Tull song somewhere else, but it was not on tour with the Eagles in 1971/2.

[@johnjay6863]

Nobody stole anything. They are both versions of 'La Folia', a popular chord sequence that dates back to the Renaissance. Maybe even further.

[@zarni000]

the only thing is the Eagles didn't listen to La Folia :)

[@duxveritatis2569]

And how do you know they didn't?

[@patsfan4life]

Leandro Contrera he knows.....

[@Mister_Pedantic]

My spider sense is tingling and I detect that john jay is a LedZep fan and apologist.

[@foxontherun4754]

john jay youre wrong. Its a take on the sound the universe made when it open up😏

[@boneeatsdog]

its definitely without a doubt the same progression. yet the 2 songs sound different.Its the tempo and vocals signature that separates the two.

[@handstrong5]

"Like this tribute Rolex I'm wearing". Ian, you're a classic!

[@rickd5997]

Ian Anderson is the best even now he’s still making new music

[@9toonarmy9]

A very gracious and intelligent Ian Anderson. Bet if the Tull's were American this would have been in the law courts!

[@wildbill6976]

Warren Zevon's "Werewolves of London", an obvious copy of Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama" (no lawsuit); Kid Rock's "All Summer Long", a tribute to Sweet Home Alabama, sued by Warren Zevon for plagiarism... go figure...

[@Rumtoad1]

There's no comparison. One is a great piece of music, with excellent lyrics, and played by very talented musicians, and the other is the Eagles

[@michelangelolucco7018]

Sadly, the chord sequence is the same. And Jethro Tull came first.

[@michelangelolucco7018]

First of all, I've not offended anyone, so I expect others to do the same, and I deliver the "idiot" to the sender. Second, the chord sequence is exactly the same, and this can't be denied. Third, I DO HAVE TO DO WITH THE MUSIC, I've worked with many and I know that most of the musicians START writing a tune FROM THE CHORD SEQUENCE. Fourth, Eagles were the supporting act in the first US Jethro Tull tour, in 1970, so it's clear that they knew the song and that WUTK came first. Fifth, maybe there are other song with SOME of this chord sequence: but ONLY ONE with exactly this.

[@klnine]

Utterly outstanding comments sir, many thanks for correcting history !

[@KayakCAN]

LOL!!1

[@Davy.J.Y]

HAA! Fantastic...! love it :)

[@ignatiusdemonseed]

August 29 2003, slightly past the midpoint of a Jethro Tull concert in Cleveland Ohio at the Tower Amphitheater, a Cleveland Indians game ended, and topographically up above the outdoor theater, loud fireworks ensued. Between songs, as the fireworks blared, Ian looked up woefully through the circus tent venue to the fireworks, shook his head, and said, "Thirty-five years in the business, and it's come to this." I was there. I recorded it and have it captured on DAT.

[@amerocker]

Will you please upload it on KZbin?

[@ignatiusdemonseed]

@@amerocker The comment, or the show? I just reviewed that tape, and _I must apologize_. Ian's comment appears to not exist. At about the 45 minute mark, the fireworks are easily heard near the end of "Hunting Girl", and in the beginning of Martin Barre's "As Told By." Nowhere in that time does Ian say anything even close to what I remembered him saying. My bad. I am sorry. An old man's memory is a faulty and dangerous thing. I'll check the tape more closely and also review the 8/20/03 Pittsburgh show tape. I am almost certain I heard him say that.

[@ignatiusdemonseed]

@@amerocker The comment, or the show? I just reviewed that tape, and _I must apologize_. Ian's comment appears to not exist. At about the 45 minute mark, the fireworks are easily heard near the end of "Hunting Girl", and in the beginning of Martin Barre's "As Told By." Nowhere in that time does Ian say anything even close to what I remembered him saying. My bad. I am sorry. An old man's memory is a faulty and dangerous thing. I'll check the tape more closely and also review the 8/20/03 Pittsburgh show tape. I am almost certain I heard him say that.

[@amerocker]

@@ignatiusdemonseed The show!

[@ignatiusdemonseed]

@@amerocker well, ok. listen quick, it'll probably be taken down, and turn it UP, you'll need the volume. kzbin.info/www/bejne/lYfVn6Zohdd0kLc

[@pierreroy8838]

I saw this concert in San Antonio 72' the concert by Tull was so awesome none of us 10 could not remember who the first band was!! The Eagles got their doors blown off completely. Come on Take it Easy or Aqualung then Locomotive Breath who would remember the Eagles, not me!

[@jf_sebastian8387]

I'm sure the Eagles listened to, and loved Jethro Tull like the rest of us.

[@neil2385]

they were too busy wanking each other to realize

[@jf_sebastian8387]

Sounds like Don and Gary love talking out their no talent assholes

[@jf_sebastian8387]

@Gary Yarker oh, I see, you're a Limey, no wonder you don't understand.

[@tomitstube]

"countrified" is right, the eagles were a folk band when they started out, rockers never listened to that shit, even when walsh joined them they were doing pop ballads.

[@MrSteveProctor]

Bless Him !

[@cliffordhatton4444]

The gentlemanly response one would expect from Ian Anderson.

[@donwest1880]

Only problem is Don Felder wrote the riff to "Hotel California " and joined the Eagles in 1974 . The tour was in 1971 or 1972.

[@JasonGabler]

And the band said to Felder, "Hey, you ever heard 'We Used To Know' by Tull? We were on tour with them a while back and we really got turned onto the song and wrote our own version. Why don't you go listen to 'We Used To Know', bang out some riffs and we'll finally finish it. "

[@bassman5123]

Well, I think Felder only wrote the acoustic intro. So it's very possible that the rest was written together as a band and the original members had remembered "We Used To Know."

[@bassman5123]

@4Q2 smith That's a stupid statement. And not all of their songs are even commercial.

[@rrdream2400]

@@bassman5123 Felder wrote all the music for Hotel California including the bassline. He wrote the solos he played, Joe Walsh may have written some of the solos he played, but the harmony solos was Felder's writing. Henly and Fry wrote all the lyrics but none of the music.

[@rrdream2400]

@4Q2 smith I don't like music by record sales or what the artists intentions are. Some of the guys in the Eagles seem like dinks in particular Don Henley, money driven too but they made some great music for a time in the 1970's. Brilliant guitar work from Bernie Leadon and later Don Felder. Great hooks and harmonies. I have zero interest in them recently. Lots of artists have integrity and sincere intentions, it doesn't mean their music is good either. We like what we like and nothing any of us can do about it.

[@laydbakk1]

Many, many songs are spin offs of other songs in their creator's heads... Chord progressions are standard and, virtually every song save the Classical pieces, mostly just use different arrangements, breaks, tempo changes, and/or personal stories and, lyrics to make the song unique to that artist... From the most common ones in country music to the standard 3 chord blues progressions, there's nothing really new about music except for the individual artist's way of putting it all together... There are thousands of examples of songs mimicking other songs or music from Stray Cats to Eagles to ELP... Only thing I really don't like is one artist stealing the lyrics and/or story from another artist's work just to spin their own musical tale... One exception to that being Weird Al Yankovic's or, other parody musicians versions of hit songs for comedic reasons; all of which, are legally licensed to do so...

[@deelynn9932]

Although many of we native Californians love The Eagles, love Jethro Tull...Ian Anderson really was a music lover's showman back in that era that impressed a sibling of mine that had become ho-hum about live concertgoing altogether. The touring circuit for many well-known artists/bands had become routine and predictable in their sets. We were seeing 2-3 a week, while also being bombarded with local radio stations that overplayed (understatement) many 'top-rated' songs/albums. Hotel California, the song, was one of them. I can't listen to it to this day! But, I also cannot listen to Jim Morrison's/The Doors' 'Light My Fire' or most of Queen's catalog, either. Overplayed and too commercialized is always a problem for 'niche' music, but those that can form a loyal fanbase are always a joy to see as they have aged and matured and their contribution to the vast array of music genres is forever appreciated.

[@ND13a]

Class act, Ian!!!!! Like he said, it's almost impossible to not to use chord sequences that haven't been used before.