December
Waterboys · Waterboys [1983]
December is the cruelest month
but this time for once my cheeks are warm
After long years in the monkey-house
I am ready for the storm
Let them throw all their cannonballs
let all their strongmen come
I'm ready to go anywhere
through venom, sick and scum!
December isn't always cold
but this year she's mine and I know why
Somewhere a flower has to grow
for every flower that dies
I'm stricken with fever
but my heart is strong as steel
I'm ready to go anywhere!
I can believe, I can feel!
December is a trusted friend
I always recognise her face
It's a plague of fool blown aside
forever by her soft and silent grace
She is reckless as a Mayday
gentle as a stone
And ready to go anywhere
to carry me back home!
December fell deep in the bleak
mid-winter time when Jesus Christ
Howled a baby saviour's howl
a primal truth as pure as ice
And though we crucified him on a cross
and dragged his name from payer to curse
He was able to go anywhere
he was almost one of us!
December - Waterboys
Released on the 1983 self-titled album, 'December' stands as a defining track in the Waterboys' early catalogue, capturing the band's signature blend of jangle-pop and theatrical rock. The song features the distinctive vocal harmonies and melodic structures that would characterize their subsequent work, including hits like 'A Pagan Place' and 'Fisherman's Blues.' As a staple of their discography, it reflects the post-punk revival energy of the early 1980s while establishing the emotional depth and melodic sophistication that made them a cult favorite. The recording remains a key example of their transition from a local act to a nationally recognized band, showcasing the intricate guitar interplay and atmospheric production that defined their era.