The Eagles are not saying 'colitas'. They are saying "Goleta's" - a town on the Southern California coast "The warm smell of Goleta's rising in the air".
Don't believe everything you read on lyrics websites.
per wikipedia: Goleta ( /ɡəˈliːtə/; Spanish: ɡoˈleta, "schooner") is a city in southern Santa Barbara County, California, USA. It was incorporated as a city in 2002, after a long period as the largest unincorporated, populated area in the county. As of the 2000 census, the Census-designated place (CDP) had a total population of 55,204, however, a significant portion of the census territory of 2000 did not incorporate into the new city. The population was 29,888 at the 2010 census.
It is known for being near the University of California, Santa Barbara campus, although the CDP of Isla Vista is closer.
Don't believe everything you read on lyrics websites.
per wikipedia: Goleta ( /ɡəˈliːtə/; Spanish: ɡoˈleta, "schooner") is a city in southern Santa Barbara County, California, USA. It was incorporated as a city in 2002, after a long period as the largest unincorporated, populated area in the county. As of the 2000 census, the Census-designated place (CDP) had a total population of 55,204, however, a significant portion of the census territory of 2000 did not incorporate into the new city. The population was 29,888 at the 2010 census.
It is known for being near the University of California, Santa Barbara campus, although the CDP of Isla Vista is closer.
by olderguy September 22, 2011
by george September 24, 2004
by george September 24, 2004
As per the "Hotel California" lyrics: “On a dark desert highway, cool wind in my hair/Warm smell of colitas, rising up through the air...."
Here's some more background into the term "colitas" (quelites).
My partner and I came about this kind of a backwards way. I was studying plants prized by local curanderas (female folk healers) of the Northern New Mexico/San Luis Valley area of Colorado, and came upon "quelites," pronounced "Keh-LEE-tehs." The term specifically refers to a local weed that grows prolifically, colloquially known as "lambsquarters." Further research found quelites is a Mexican/American term for any wild green. We've also seen it as a Spanish translation on a bag of spinach from the grocery store. My partner remarked one day, "I know where I've heard that term before," and sang off the first two lines of the Hotel California song, thus the connection. Quelites and colitas are phonetically identical. The term is used in different geographic regions to refer to specific plants that grow locally, but, much like common names in English, can mean quite different species of plants.
Here's some more background into the term "colitas" (quelites).
My partner and I came about this kind of a backwards way. I was studying plants prized by local curanderas (female folk healers) of the Northern New Mexico/San Luis Valley area of Colorado, and came upon "quelites," pronounced "Keh-LEE-tehs." The term specifically refers to a local weed that grows prolifically, colloquially known as "lambsquarters." Further research found quelites is a Mexican/American term for any wild green. We've also seen it as a Spanish translation on a bag of spinach from the grocery store. My partner remarked one day, "I know where I've heard that term before," and sang off the first two lines of the Hotel California song, thus the connection. Quelites and colitas are phonetically identical. The term is used in different geographic regions to refer to specific plants that grow locally, but, much like common names in English, can mean quite different species of plants.
by LBZeep January 22, 2022