The American Wedding: You Can Check Out, But You Can Never Leave

By Liv Foust

Eagles' Hotel California (1977), and Frank Oceans American Wedding (2011) utilise effective musical techniques to illustrate hauntingly themed stories. Their storytelling is supported by the timbre, (how the sound can be described), and minor key, (the overall melancholy sound of the instruments). The obvious sampling of Hotel California used by Ocean in American Wedding continues the use of a vintage timbre, carried throughout the sustained minor key. The contrast between these two pieces can be found in the lyrics. Ocean completely changes them, while simultaneously playing with the pre-existing connotations of the haunting topics that exists within the sound of Hotel California. These connotations used by Eagles to create the aura around their song were built using the timbre and key that Ocean expands on in his interpretation.

Hotel California holds its icon in its self awareness, as a melodic advertisement that descends into the dark reality of Hollywood. The timbre of the warm electric guitar is one engrained in the image of the American West Coast. Before the lyrical story even begins, we are transported to the location. This edged, rich, vintage Americana sound stands as the backbone for the lyrical storytelling sung by Don Henley, and is repeated throughout the entirety of the song. It provides a flavour for the lyrics, pushing the narrative of light and darkness of the "Tiffany-twisted" Hollywood driven media industry (Reese, Meaning of the eagles' Hotel California 2022). The listener becomes encapsulated in this world, just as entangled as the narrator. Falling to the knees of the stories unfortunate decisions, we can "check out any time we like," (stop listening to the song), "but can never leave," (escape the effects of the industry) (Henley, Hotel California 1977). To maintain the haunting, stripped American timbre, Frank Ocean abandons the term 'inspiration' when it comes to the backing track of American Wedding, and uses the exactly that of the original. The twist that Ocean takes to the original, is one that relies heavily on lyrical differences. While the lyrics are changed to illustrate the story of mistakes made while caught in the whirl of young love, Ocean maintains the West Coast sound that pulls the listener back to the messages conveyed in the iconic original. Those rough metallic riffs, like the original, tell the listener how to feel before the lyrics even begin. The "tattoo on (his) left hand" (Ocean, American Wedding 2011), mentioned by Ocean is a perfect metaphor for the permanence of mistakes highlighted in the Eagles’ version. The strong, unique sound of the guitar used in both the original Hotel California, and Oceans American Wedding, transports the listener to the rusty environment of salt air, celebrities and palm trees. The legendary riffs are an unmistakable reference to the darkness of the original, as clearly utilised by Frank Ocean in his rendition. (Hotel California 2023).

The story told by Frank Ocean and Eagles translates a depressing, melancholy feeling; both commonly used descriptors of the minor key. The minor key is used by Eagles in their original composition as a storytelling device to again, set the background that supports the lyrics. Given the massive success of the song, we can say that they used this minor key to its full potential. The minor sound played on the electric guitar, coupled with the tropical sound of the hissy snare drum places the listeners of both versions into a haunting paradise. Both tracks include a long instrumental break at the end of the song, forcing the listener to sit in what they have just heard, idling in the melancholy representation of surrender. While the timbre aids in the translation of the setting, the use of a minor key is what places the listener in the feeling. Given that Ocean uses the exact instrumental track created by Eagles, while telling a different lyrical story, he portrays the feeling of the original track. It makes sense that the minor key was used to compose this track. If Eagles had coupled uncanny lyrics like: "we are all just prisoners here, of our own device” (Henley, Hotel California 1977) with a happy sounding major key, something would feel out of place. This wouldn’t be an effective use of musical techniques to propel their lyrical story telling. Oceans use of an identical instrumental track, including the minor key, lead to him falling into a lawsuit with Eagles. In which, Don Henley accused Frank Ocean of "not understanding the concept of intellectual property and copyright." Oceans retaliation being, "why sue the new guy?" Oceans accusation of Henley being intimidated by his rendition backs Oceans respectable belief that his rendition utilised the original to an extremely effective extent (The Eagles' Don Henley accuses Frank Ocean... of song theft 2014). The minor key remains an integral part of both renditions, serving as the cornerstone of the overall musical emotion.

Both Eagles' Hotel California and Frank Oceans rendition American Wedding are transported to a new level of musical quality through their use of timbre and a minor key. Eagles use these techniques in harmony, so place the listener in the exact environment they are conveying. Ocean takes excellent advantage of the emotional foundation, using it to tell his own equally as gloomy narrative. The cultivation of both auditorial setting, and emotional conveyance, was done specifically through the use of vintage American timbre and the melancholy minor key. Both Eagles and Frank Ocean are supported by these elements, using them to propel their mournful storylines.

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