(Tempo: Mid-Fast, Driving Rock) (Key: G Major) Verse 1 (Clean, slightly distorted guitar riff, snare heavy drum beat) The calendar flipped, the countdown starts, they traded in the leaves for hearts Of plastic red and glitter gold, a story bought, a lie retold. The radio hums a sickly sweet drone, I swear I've heard that carol twenty times alone. Fake snow is falling on the discount bins, the season of forced smiles begins. You gotta buy, gotta wrap, gotta ship it out, gotta silence every single solitary doubt. Pre-Chorus (Guitar distortion kicks up, bass line gets heavy) The pressure's risin', like the central heat, another year, another ritual to meet! My patience is thin, and the lines are long! Yeah, somethin' in this whole thing feels so wrong! Chorus (Explosive, full band sound. Driving rhythm, heavy crash cymbals.) TINSEL AND TROUBLE! That's what this season brings! JINGLE BELL JANGLE! While the whole damn cash register sings! I'm stuck in the traffic, I'm fightin' the crowd, I just wanna yell this feeling loud! A DECEMBER BREAKDOWN! Underneath the Christmas lights! I'm trading in the peace on Earth for a couple frantic nights! Verse 2 (Tempo settles, same driving energy. Slightly more aggressive vocal tone.) My bank account's got a nasty cold, my temper's frayed and getting old. Got three family dinners I gotta navigate, trying to avoid the conversations I hate. Pretend to love the sweater, pretend to like the pie, just so I can get out before I lose my mind and cry. The fire is bright, the eggnog's strong, but underneath the surface, where did we go wrong? It ain't about the chimney or the sleigh, it's just a holiday built on mandatory pay. Pre-Chorus (Guitar distortion kicks up, bass line gets heavy) The pressure's risin', like the central heat, another year, another ritual to meet! My patience is thin, and the lines are long! Yeah, somethin' in this whole thing feels so wrong! Chorus (Explosive, full band sound. Driving rhythm, heavy crash cymbals.) TINSEL AND TROUBLE! That's what this season brings! JINGLE BELL JANGLE! While the whole damn cash register sings! I'm stuck in the traffic, I'm fightin' the crowd, I just wanna yell this feeling loud! A DECEMBER BREAKDOWN! Underneath the Christmas lights! I'm trading in the peace on Earth for a couple frantic nights! Guitar Solo (Fast, slightly messy, and energetic solo that uses a major key to contrast with the cynical mood, but ends on a dissonant, sustained bent note.) Bridge (Half-time, stripped-down drums. Vocals are spoken/sung, with a slight echo.) Maybe I'm the Grinch, maybe I missed the point. But I just want one moment, away from the pointless anoint. No shopping mall Santas, no forced-fed cheer, Just a single, quiet night, where the coast is finally clear. Chorus (Full blast. Faster, more urgent, the final push.) TINSEL AND TROUBLE! That's what this season brings! JINGLE BELL JANGLE! While the whole damn cash register sings! I'm stuck in the traffic, I'm fightin' the crowd, I just wanna yell this feeling loud! A DECEMBER BREAKDOWN! Underneath the Christmas lights! I'm trading in the peace on Earth for a couple frantic nights! Outro (Guitar riff repeats and speeds up. Drums get heavy. Song ends on a sudden, loud, full-band chord.) MERRY CHRISTMAS! (Shouted) (Final ringing chord and feedback.)
