December (Collective Soul song)

"December"
Single by Collective Soul
from the album Collective Soul
ReleasedApril 3, 1995 (1995-04-03)[1]
StudioCriteria (Miami, Florida)
GenreAlternative rock[2]
Length4:45
LabelAtlantic
Songwriter(s)Ed Roland
Producer(s)
Collective Soul singles chronology
"Gel"
(1995) 		"December"
(1995) 		"Smashing Young Man"
(1995)
Music video
"December" on YouTube

"December" is a song by American alternative rock band Collective Soul, released on the band's 1995 eponymous album. It was serviced to album rock radio on March 17, 1995.[3] Written by singer and guitarist Ed Roland, it peaked at number 20 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart for nine weeks, becoming that chart's most successful song of 1995. In Canada, the song reached number two on the RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart, becoming the band's 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.[4]

Track listings

US 7-inch single[5]

A. "December" – 4:09
B. "Gel" – 2:59

US cassette single[6]

  1. "December" (edit)
  2. "Where the River Flows" (LP version)

German and Australian CD single[7][8]

  1. "December" (LP version)
  2. "Sister Don't Cry" (acoustic)
  3. "Where the River Flows" (live)
  4. "December" (live)

Charts

Cover version

Burmese rock band Iron Cross has "copied" the song live in concert.[26][27]

References

  1. ^ "More Progressive Releases". Radio & Records. No. 1088. March 31, 1995. p. 69.
  2. ^ "The 95 Best Alternative Rock Songs of 1995". Spin. p. 4. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
  3. ^ "Billboard". 18 March 1995.
  4. ^ "Ed Roland of Collective Soul". Songfacts. Retrieved January 21, 2018.
  5. ^ December (US 7-inch single vinyl disc). Collective Soul. Atlantic Records, Rising Storm Productions. 1995. 7-87157.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  6. ^ December (US cassette single sleeve). Collective Soul. Atlantic Records, Rising Storm Productions. 1995. 4-87157.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  7. ^ December (German CD single liner notes). Collective Soul. Atlantic Records, Rising Storm Productions. 1995. 7567-85587-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  8. ^ December (Australian CD single liner notes). Collective Soul. Atlantic Records, Rising Storm Productions, Warner Music Australia. 1995. 7567855872.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  9. ^ "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.
  10. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 9043." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
  11. ^ "Top RPM Rock/Alternative Tracks: Issue 9205." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
  12. ^ "Collective Soul – December". Top 40 Singles.
  13. ^ "Collective Soul Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
  14. ^ "Collective Soul Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
  15. ^ "Collective Soul Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
  16. ^ "Collective Soul Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
  17. ^ "Collective Soul Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
  18. ^ "Collective Soul Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
  19. ^ "Brazilian Top 100 Year-End 1996". Crowley Broadcast Analysis. April 3, 2018. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  20. ^ "RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1995". RPM. Retrieved August 11, 2019 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  21. ^ "RPM Top 50 Alternative Tracks of 1995". RPM. Retrieved March 19, 2018 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  22. ^ "Billboard Top 100 – 1995". Billboardtop100of.com. Retrieved October 28, 2021.
  23. ^ "The Year in Music: Hot Album Rock Tracks". Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 51. December 23, 1995. p. YE-76.
  24. ^ "The Year in Music: Hot Modern Rock Tracks". Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 51. December 23, 1995. p. YE-77.
  25. ^ "The Year in Music 1995: Top 40/Mainstream Top Titles". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 3, no. 51. December 15, 1995. p. 8.
  26. ^ "Pop Music in Burma". University of Dayton. November 17, 2011. Retrieved February 1, 2018.
  27. ^ "Shakira And Collective Soul's Hits, With A Burmese Twist". NPR. December 1, 2011. Retrieved February 1, 2018.