Christmas In L.A.
The Killers Lyrics


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Woke up, the sun streaming in my room
Warm beach from palm December afternoon
You close your eyes
Another year blows by
Somewhere in the wind
Just another life

My parents sent a Christmas card and then it's true
We understand you're staying
And we're proud of you
There's a well-rehearsed disinterest in the atmosphere
I don't know if that's what this time gave me
Or if it lead me here

And I played so many parts
I don't know which one's really me
Don't know if I can take

Another Christmas in L.A.
Another pitcher of Sangria
In an empty beach café
Another Christmas in L.A.
Hold me tighter Carmelita
I don't know how long I can stay

Left a girl behind in my old man's truck
Sometimes I wonder where she ended up
Maybe she got married, had a couple of kids
Who do you think you're fooling man?
Of course she did

I'm walking in that tennis bar
Try and talk with Harry Bean
I don't know if I can take

Another Christmas in L.A.
Another casting call on Thursday
For a job that doesn't pay
Another Christmas in L.A.
Another burnout in a tank top
It seems your basket is the case
A fat protagonist in flip flops
With an extensive resume
From Echo Park to Catalina

Dreaming of a white Christmas
The one I used to know
Tree tops glisten, children listen
To sleigh bells in the snow

Another Christmas in L.A.





Read more: The Killers - Christmas In LA Lyrics | MetroLyrics

Overall Meaning

The Killers’ song “Christmas in L.A.” paints a vivid picture of a disillusioned artist stuck in a city that he’s come to hate. The opening lines describe the warm and sunny atmosphere of an L.A. beach in December, but the artist doesn’t feel the joy that such a climate usually brings. Instead, he feels trapped and hopeless, aware that another year has passed without bringing him any closer to his dreams. The lyrics hint at a broken relationship with a girl, a lack of genuine connections in the city, and the endless struggles of pursuing an acting career in one of the harshest industries.


The chorus of the song repeats the phrase “another Christmas in L.A.”, accompanied by images of empty beach cafés and crowded casting calls. The artist wishes he could hold onto the holiday spirit of his childhood, dreaming of a white Christmas with sleigh bells and glistening tree tops. But the reality is far from that, with his life in L.A. feeling like an endless audition that doesn’t pay off.


The song tells a story of loss and disillusionment that many aspiring artists in L.A. can relate to. It’s a reminder that even in a city that shines as bright as L.A., it can be easy to lose yourself along the way.


Line by Line Meaning

Woke up, the sun streaming in my room
I woke up in the warmth of a December afternoon with palm trees outside my window


You close your eyes
Another year has passed and you wish you had accomplished more


Another year blows by
Time has passed, and you reflect on what you have achieved


Somewhere in the wind
Memories fade and get lost in the past


Just another life
My life is not extraordinary, and sometimes it feels like it's going nowhere


My parents sent a Christmas card and then it's true
My parents sent me a Christmas card, confirming that they acknowledge my life choices


We understand you're staying
My parents accept that I am staying in Los Angeles and not coming home for Christmas


And we're proud of you
Even though they do not entirely agree with my choices, they are proud of what I have accomplished


There's a well-rehearsed disinterest in the atmosphere
I sense that my family is indifferent to my absence, and it seems rehearsed


I don't know if that's what this time gave me
I'm unsure if this moment in reality has made me think this way or if it's just me


Or if it lead me here
Maybe what I've done and where I am right now is a result of my choices, or maybe it's just fate


And I played so many parts
I've acted as someone else so often that I don't know who I am anymore


I don't know which one's really me
I'm having trouble identifying which of those personas are really me and which ones are just a facade


Another Christmas in L.A.
I'm spending another holiday season in Los Angeles


Another pitcher of Sangria
I'll be drinking another pitcher of Sangria while sitting alone in an empty beach café


Hold me tighter Carmelita
I'm asking Carmelita to hold me tighter to ease the loneliness, but I fear that I must leave her soon


I don't know how long I can stay
I don't know how long I can keep living like this, away from my family, friends, and loved ones


Left a girl behind in my old man's truck
I left a girl behind in my past, and I wonder if she has found happiness without me


Sometimes I wonder where she ended up
I often think about where she is and what she is doing, but I am too afraid to find out


Maybe she got married, had a couple of kids
I like to imagine that she moved on, moved on with her life, and found someone who loves her


Who do you think you're fooling man?
I'm trying to convince myself that she's happy without me, but deep down, I know that it's just an illusion


Of course she did
I'm afraid that she did indeed move on, and I'm left with nothing but memories


I'm walking in that tennis bar
I'm wandering in a tennis bar, trying to find someplace where I can belong


Try and talk with Harry Bean
I'm trying to strike a conversation with Harry Bean, someone I know but not someone I'm close to


Another casting call on Thursday
I've got another casting call on the upcoming Thursday for a job that won't pay much, if anything


For a job that doesn't pay
Despite the promise of making it big in L.A., I'm still struggling to make ends meet


Another burnout in a tank top
I see people in tank tops who have given up on their dreams, and it depresses me to think that I might end up like them


It seems your basket is the case
My situation seems hopeless, and there's no escaping it


A fat protagonist in flip flops
I feel like I'm living in a movie where the main character is someone I don't want to be


With an extensive resume
Despite my disappointments, I continue to pursue my dreams and build an impressive resume


From Echo Park to Catalina
I've been all over L.A., from Echo Park to the island of Catalina, looking for my purpose


Dreaming of a white Christmas
I'm dreaming of a white Christmas, the winters back home, and the holiday cheer that comes with it


The one I used to know
The past holiday memories I've experienced, I wish I could relive them again


Tree tops glisten, children listen
The scenery of the holiday seasons that I miss and wish for, such as snowflakes and childrens laughter


To sleigh bells in the snow
The joyous sounds of holiday cheer, specifically the sound of sleigh bells ringing in the winter snow




Contributed by Riley T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

Brett Smithson

This is simply the greatest Christmas song ever written

Haifisch

I come here every christmas evening just to remember how far I have traveled in my life and how much people I have met on my way. This song is my safe place and it will ever be. Merry Christmas and remember that you'll find your way no matter how hard things get

Aurore Duiguo

I feel exactly the same ❤

Adrian Gularte de Vargas

The same here, merry xmas to everyone!

Brett Smithson

Merry Christmas, all year round.

Brett Smithson

Merry Christmas, just jumping into January ❤️❤️❤️

Vinicius Luiz

tks

The Striker

This song gets better and better every year.

Zsuzsa Buzás-Katona

I listened to this song many times some years ago and I realized that you can feel yourself lonely even if you have lots of people around you. This song has this meaning to me.

Brett Smithson

Merry Christmas

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