December (Collective Soul song)

"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. 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.

"December"
Single by Collective Soul
from the album Collective Soul
Released	March 17, 1995 (1995-03-17)
Studio	Criteria (Miami, Florida)
Genre	Alternative rock[1]
Length	4:45
Label	Atlantic
Songwriter(s)	Ed Roland
Producer(s)	Ed Roland Matt Serletic
Collective Soul singles chronology
"Gel" (1995) "December" (1995) "Smashing Young Man" (1995)
Music video
"December" on YouTube

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 listings

US 7-inch single^[3]

A. "December" – 4:09

B. "Gel" – 2:59

US cassette single^[4]

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

German and Australian CD single^[5][6]

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

• All live tracks were recorded on March 14, 1995, at The Thunderdome (St. Petersburg, Florida)

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1995) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[7] 97 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[8] 2 Canada Rock/Alternative (RPM)[9] 2 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[10] 34 US Billboard Hot 100[11] 20 US Adult Pop Airplay (Billboard)[12] 11 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[13] 14 US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[14] 2 US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[15] 1 US Pop Airplay (Billboard)[16] 7

Year-end charts Chart (1995) Position Brazil (Crowley)[17] 66 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[18] 26 Canada Rock/Alternative (RPM)[19] 11 US Billboard Hot 100[20] 41 US Album Rock Tracks (Billboard)[21] 1 US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard)[22] 7 US Top 40/Mainstream (Billboard)[23] 21

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United States	March 17, 1995	Album rock radio	Atlantic	[24]
	March 24, 1995	Top 40 radio
	April 3, 1995	Progressive rock radio		[25]

Cover version

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