A Long December
Counting Crows Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴A long December and there's reason to believe
Maybe this year will be better than the last
I can't remember the last thing that you said as you were leaving
Now the days go by so fast

And it's one more day up in the canyons
And it's one more night in Hollywood
If you think that I could be forgiven

I wish you would

The smell of hospitals in winter
And the feeling that it's all a lot of oysters
But no pearls
All at once you look across a crowded room
To see the way that light attaches to a girl

And it's one more day up in the canyons
And it's one more night in Hollywood
If you think you might come to California
I think you should

Drove up to Hillside Manor sometime after two a.m.
And talked a little while about the year
I guess the winter makes you laugh a little slower
Makes you talk a little lower about the things you could not show her

And it's been a long December and there's reason to believe
Maybe this year will be better than the last
I can't remember all the times I tried to tell myself
To hold on to these moments as they pass

And it's one more day up in the canyon
And it's one more night in Hollywood
It's been so long since I've seen the ocean
I guess I should

Yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah

Overall Meaning

"A Long December" by Counting Crows is a melancholic and reflective tune about the passing of time and the longing for better days. The opening line "A long December" suggests a period of darkness and coldness that moves slowly, and there's "reason to believe" that the new year will bring warmth and hope. The singer is hopeful for a better future and is willing to let go of the past. However, he regrets not being able to recall the last words his loved one said to him before leaving, and this incident seems to have left an impact on him as "the days go by so fast."

The chorus "And it's one more day up in the canyons, And it's one more night in Hollywood" represents a feeling of stagnancy and a sense of being trapped in a cycle, wanting to leave but being unable to do so. The recurring phrase "if you think" shows the singer's yearning to reconnect with someone and make amends. The lines "The smell of hospitals in winter, And the feeling that it's all a lot of oysters, but no pearls" describe the unfulfilling and unsatisfying experiences of life, where things appear beautiful from a distance, but when looked at closely, they don't live up to expectations.

Overall, "A Long December" explores the themes of time, hope, and regret in the midst of the holiday season, making it a poignant and relatable song.

Line by Line Meaning

A long December and there's reason to believe
Even though it's December and things seem bleak, there is hope that better things are on the horizon.

Maybe this year will be better than the last
There is a glimmer of hope that the coming year may bring more happiness than the last.

I can't remember the last thing that you said as you were leavin'
The singer is fixated on the moment their loved one left, they cannot remember the last words they said.

Now the days go by so fast
The artist is experiencing time passing quickly, perhaps due to feeling adrift and unfulfilled.

And it's one more day up in the canyons
The artist is spending another day feeling lost and without direction.

And it's one more night in Hollywood
The singer is spending another night in a place that brings them no comfort or joy.

If you think that I could be forgiven I wish you would
The singer wants to be forgiven by someone but is unsure if they deserve it or if the other person is willing to forgive them.

The smell of hospitals in winter
Hospitals have a distinct smell, and it's particularly noticeable in the winter.

And the feeling that it's all a lot of oysters, but no pearls
Life seems frustrating and not worth the effort. It's as if they're sifting through a bucket of oysters, but aren't finding any pearls.

All at once you look across a crowded room
In a moment of realization, the artist sees something significant across a crowded room. It may be something they've been searching for or a new perspective.

To see the way that light attaches to a girl
The singer sees beauty and wonder in the way the light reflects off of a girl.

If you think you might come to California I think you should
Even though California hasn't brought the artist any joy, they still believe that other people may find happiness there.

Drove up to Hillside Manor sometime after two a.m.
The singer recalls a specific moment when they drove up to a place called Hillside Manor in the early morning hours.

And talked a little while about the year
The singer and someone else discussed the events of the past year, most likely reflecting on the good and bad times.

I guess the winter makes you laugh a little slower
The cold and dark of winter seem to sap the singer's joy, making it harder to find reasons to laugh.

Makes you talk a little lower about the things you could not show her
The artist seems to want to share something important with someone, but cannot bring themselves to do it. Winter makes them feel even more hesitant.

It's been a long December and there's reason to believe
The month of December, and perhaps the year overall, has felt long and hard to handle. But there is still hope that things will get better.

I can't remember all the times I tried to tell my myself
The singer has attempted to reassure themselves of something, but cannot fully recall what it was or what they were trying to believe.

To hold on to these moments as they pass
Perhaps the singer is experiencing a lot of change or hardship, and they want to remember and cherish the good moments as they occur.

It's been so long since I've seen the ocean I guess I should
Even though the artist has been in California for some time, they haven't experienced what most people would consider a quintessential California activity. They feel that they should make an effort to see the ocean again.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
This repeated phrase at the end of the song could be interpreted as a reaffirmation of the artist's muted hopefulness, or as a sense of closing the book on an important but difficult year.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Adam Duritz, Ben Mize, Charles Gillingham, Daniel Vickrey, David Bryson, Matthew Malley

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it