December (Collective Soul song)

"December"
"December"
Single by Collective Soul
from the album Collective Soul
Released	March 1995
Recorded	Late 1994
Studio	Criteria (Miami, Florida)
Genre	Alternative rock
Length	4:45
Label	Atlantic
Songwriter(s)	Ed Roland
Producer(s)	Ed Roland; Matt Serletic;
Collective Soul singles chronology
Music video
	"December" on YouTube

"December" is a song by American alternative rock band Collective Soul, released on the band's 1995 eponymous album. Written by singer/guitarist Ed Roland, it peaked at number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Album Rock Tracks chart for nine weeks, surpassing their prior hit "Shine" by one week; it also reached number two on the Modern Rock Tracks chart, making it their highest-ranking single on that particular listing. In Canada the song settled at number two on the RPM Top Singles chart, becoming their highest-charting single until "The World I Know" attained the top spot in March 1996.

Composition[]

In a December 2017 interview with Songfacts, lead singer Ed Roland explained the inspiration behind "December":

We were going through a tough time with our first manager, and I just felt like at the time, a lot of stuff happened really quickly. You've got to remember, we had a hit song before we had a label or even a true band. So, that relationship started to deteriorate. And while we were in the studio, it came pretty natural. I just wanted to talk about how I felt I was being used and whatever I did was not good enough ever.^[2]

Track listing[]

"December" (album version)
"Sister Don't Cry" (acoustic non-album track)
"Where The River Flows" (live)
"December" (live)

Live tracks recorded 3/14/95 at The Thunderdome in St. Petersburg, FL.

Charts[]

Weekly charts[]

Chart (1995)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)^[3]	97
Canada Top Singles (RPM)^[4]	2
Canada Rock/Alternative (RPM)^[5]	2
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)^[6]	34
US Billboard Hot 100^[7]	20
US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)^[8]	11
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)^[9]	14
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)^[10]	2
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)^[11]	1
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)^[12]	7

Year-end charts[]

Chart (1995)	Position
Canada Top Singles (RPM)^[13]	26
Canada Rock/Alternative (RPM)^[14]	11
US Billboard Hot 100	41

Cover version[]

Burmese rock band Iron Cross has "copied" the song live in concert.^[15]^[16]

References[]

^ "The 95 Best Alternative Rock Songs of 1995". Spin. p. 4. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
^ "Ed Roland of Collective Soul". Songfacts. Retrieved January 21, 2018.
^ "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles Chart – 17 Sep 1995". ARIA. Retrieved July 5, 2017 – via Imgur. N.B. The HP column displays the highest peak reached.
^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 9043." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
^ "Top RPM Rock/Alternative Tracks: Issue 9205." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
^ "Charts.nz – Collective Soul – December". Top 40 Singles.
^ "Collective Soul Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
^ "Collective Soul Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
^ "Collective Soul Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
^ "Collective Soul Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
^ "Collective Soul Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
^ "Collective Soul Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
^ "RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1995". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
^ "RPM Top 50 Alternative Tracks of 1995". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
^ "Pop Music in Burma". University of Dayton. November 17, 2011. Retrieved February 1, 2018.
^ "Shakira And Collective Soul's Hits, With A Burmese Twist". NPR. December 1, 2011. Retrieved February 1, 2018.

External links[]

Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics

[1] "The 95 Best Alternative Rock Songs of 1995". Spin. p. 4. Retrieved September 18, 2020.

[2] "Ed Roland of Collective Soul". Songfacts. Retrieved January 21, 2018.

[3] "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles Chart – 17 Sep 1995". ARIA. Retrieved July 5, 2017 – via Imgur. N.B. The HP column displays the highest peak reached.

[sc_Canadatopsingles_-4] "Top RPM Singles: Issue 9043." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved March 19, 2018.

[sc_Canadarock_-5] "Top RPM Rock/Alternative Tracks: Issue 9205." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved March 19, 2018.

[sc_New_Zealand_Collective_Soul-6] "Charts.nz – Collective Soul – December". Top 40 Singles.

[sc_Billboardhot100_Collective_Soul-7] "Collective Soul Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 11, 2019.

[sc_Billboardadultpopsongs_Collective_Soul-8] "Collective Soul Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 11, 2019.

[sc_Billboardadultcontemporary_Collective_Soul-9] "Collective Soul Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved August 11, 2019.

[sc_Billboardalternativesongs_Collective_Soul-10] "Collective Soul Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved August 11, 2019.

[sc_Billboardmainstreamrock_Collective_Soul-11] "Collective Soul Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved August 11, 2019.

[sc_Billboardpopsongs_Collective_Soul-12] "Collective Soul Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 11, 2019.

[13] "RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1995". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved August 11, 2019.

[14] "RPM Top 50 Alternative Tracks of 1995". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved March 19, 2018.

[15] "Pop Music in Burma". University of Dayton. November 17, 2011. Retrieved February 1, 2018.

[16] "Shakira And Collective Soul's Hits, With A Burmese Twist". NPR. December 1, 2011. Retrieved February 1, 2018.

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