A long december
Adam Duritz Lyrics

A long December and there's reason to believe
The singer is reflecting on the passage of time and the hope that the new year will be better.

Maybe this year will be better than the last
The singer has hope for the future and anticipates that the upcoming year will be better than the previous one.

I can't remember the last thing that you said as you were leaving
The singer is reminiscing about a past relationship and cannot recall the final words spoken during the breakup.

And the days go by so fast
The artist feels that time is fleeting and is shocked by how quickly the days are passing.

And it's one more day up in the canyons
The artist is spending time in the mountains or hills of California.

And it's one more night in Hollywood
The singer is spending time in Los Angeles.

If you think that I could be forgiven Wish you would Na-na-na-na, na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na Na-na-na-na, yeah
The singer is reaching out to someone and wishes that they would forgive him.

The smell of hospitals in winter And the feeling that it's all a lot of oysters but no pearls
The artist is describing a cold and sterile environment, where things may look nice but lack substance.

All at once you look across a crowded room To see the way that light attaches to a girl
The artist is describing a moment where he observed the beauty of a girl and how the light of the room was reflecting on her.

Drove up to Hillside Manor sometime after 2 a.m. And talked a little while about the year
The artist is describing a conversation he had with someone at a mansion called Hillside Manor in the early hours of the morning.

I guess the winter makes you laugh a little slower Makes you talk a little lower about the things you could not show her
The singer feels the effects of winter and how it makes him quieter and reflective, thinking about things he could not share with his former partner.

It's been so long since I've seen the ocean I guess I should
The artist has not visited the ocean in a while and realizes he should take some time to do so.

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
The singer reflects on the passage of time and the hope that the upcoming year will be happier. He regrets that he did not cherish the moments he shared with others and wants to hold onto them more in the future.

Na-na-na-na, yeah, oh
This phrase is a repeated refrain in the song and has no intended meaning in and of itself.

Yeah
This phrase is a repeated refrain in the song and has no intended meaning in and of itself.