Formed in 1985, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones started playing in Boston clubs in the mid-1980s. After a brief period of inactivity due to the schooling commitments of its members, they reformed and released their album Devil's Night Out on Taang! Records. The Bosstones toured relentlessly throughout the 1990s, playing hundreds of shows a year, releasing albums and spinning off the popular rock radio hit "Someday I Suppose". They were eventually signed to Mercury Records. The band appeared in the movie Clueless. In 1997, the success of their single "The Impression That I Get" and its follow up, "The Rascal King" earned them mainstream recognition. In 2000 they put out their critically acclaimed disk Pay Attention. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones released their last album on Side One Dummy Records. They officially went on hiatus in 2003, citing too much time on the road and desire to branch out and do different things. In 2007, the Bosstones announced that they were reforming. They played their 10th Hometown Throwdown in Boston and released a new album, Medium Rare, which consists of rare B-sides, and 3 new songs, including the single, "Don't Worry Desmond Dekker".
The band announced their split in early 2022.
Xmas Time
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A cold rain is fallin down
Kenmore square's deserted
The college kids have left town
Sure don't feel like christmas time
Sure doesn't feel like christmas time (2x) to me
Down in filene's basement
Pretend I'm shoppin for a friend
You've got nothing you can spend
Sure don't feel like christmas time
Sure doesn't feel like christmas time (2x)
It's the holiday season
And it's freezing cold
Noone'll have me
I'll have noone to hold
I'll have no halls to deck
I've got nowhere to be
It sure doesn't feel like christmas time to me
Now I'm standing in downtown crossing
And I've got nowhere to go
I might sleep here on the sidewalk
I'm tired and cold
The colored lights on the common they
Don't shine so bright for me
There's no such thing as peace on earth
There's no peace or harmony
Sure don't feel like christmas time
Sure doesn't feel like christmas time (4x)
It's the holiday season
And it's freezing cold
Noone'll have me
I'll have noone to hold
I'll have no halls to deck
I've got nowhere to be
It sure doesn't feel like christmas time to me
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones's Xmas Time is a melancholic song that captures the emptiness and isolation that some people experience during the holiday season. The song is set on the twentieth of December, and the singer is wandering around Boston's Kenmore Square and downtown Crossing as a cold rain falls down on him. The college students have left town, and the city is deserted, which heightens the singer's sense of loneliness. He tries to shop for a friend in Filene's basement but realizes that he cannot afford a gift. The festive season holds no meaning for him, and he has nowhere to go or anyone to be with. His attempts to find a place to sleep are futile, and the colored lights on the common offer no solace. The singer's longing for human connection and warmth is palpable, and his despair is acute.
The lyrics of Xmas Time paint a poignant picture of how empty the holiday season can feel for some people. Despite the cheerful decorations and festivities, some people can still feel disconnected and lonely. Xmas Time has gained a cult following and has become an anti-Christmas classic for those who do not subscribe to the joyous and festive spirit. The song's longevity is a testament to its ability to capture the darker side of Christmas and to provide comfort to those who feel the same way.
Line by Line Meaning
It's the twentieth of december
The date is nearing Christmas but the atmosphere is not that festive.
A cold rain is fallin down
The weather is not conducive to feeling festive, and it is affecting the mood of the singer.
Kenmore square's deserted
The college students have left for the holidays, leaving the place empty.
The college kids have left town
The absence of the college students who usually fill the area adds to the singer's sense of loneliness in the holiday season.
Sure doesn't feel like christmas time (2x) to me
Despite the time of year, the singer is not feeling the usual cheer of the Christmas season.
Down in filene's basement
The singer is in a store, but the mood is not festive.
Pretend I'm shoppin for a friend
The singer tries to imagine they are shopping for someone else in an attempt to feel the holiday spirit.
This time of year means nothing
The singer feels that the holiday season has lost its meaning and has become overly commercialized.
You've got nothing you can spend
The singer has no money to buy gifts, adding to their sense of holiday despair.
It's the holiday season
Despite the lack of festive atmosphere, it is indeed the time of year most closely associated with Christmas.
And it's freezing cold
The singer is emphasizing the chilly atmosphere that does not add to the holiday mood.
Noone'll have me
The singer is feeling very lonely, nobody wants to spend Christmas with them.
I'll have noone to hold
The singer does not have a partner to share the warmth of the season with, again exacerbating their sense of loneliness.
I'll have no halls to deck
The singer has no one or no where to decorate for the holiday season.
I've got nowhere to be
The singer is aimless and without plans for the holidays, adding to their sense of emptiness and sadness.
Now I'm standing in downtown crossing
The scene shifts and the singer is now in a different location, feeling similarly despondent.
And I've got nowhere to go
Once again, the singer is without plans or purpose for the holiday season, intensifying their feelings of loneliness and detachment.
I might sleep here on the sidewalk
The singer is feeling so lost and helpless that they may end up sleeping on the street.
I'm tired and cold
The singer is emphasizing their physical discomfort; they are not feeling good and this further detracts from their mental well-being.
The colored lights on the common they
The singer is referring to the festive decoration on the streets but it is not having a positive effect on them.
Don't shine so bright for me
The lights of the holiday season have lost their luster for the singer.
There's no such thing as peace on earth
The singer is dejected and disillusioned with the world, and the traditional notions of peace on earth seem like impossible fantasies.
Sure doesn't feel like christmas time (4x)
The singer is repeatedly emphasizing the theme that despite the season, they are not feeling the appropriate festive happiness.
Contributed by Jackson C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
cabralscalls
Can't let a 20th of December go by without listening to this one!
Robert Silverman
Hallelujah!
Grendel53
my fave Christmas song. I know it's sad or bleak, but it really hits home. Makes me count my blessings.
Jeff Watkins
One of my favorite Christmas songs. Bosstones give it a nice touch.
Jeff Rogers
My favorite Christmas song!
jack florek
Great song
The Beardiest
Merry Christmas to all those who are having a hard year. I have, but I can't let go of the possibility that it will get better! Love all of you internet bastards!
christopher mccarthy
i fucking love this song soooooo much!!!!
cygnetseven
I was there once. It sucks. It gets better. Not tomorrow. Not next week. But it gets better. Hold on. If to nothing else, hold on to yourself.
ThePolishSausage87
dogmatics rule, mighty mighty bosstones rule favorite christmas song