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A Long December

Chords

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-------------------Author's Note------------------
Standard Tuning
Capo 3rd Fret
Intro:
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
DOn tGhe sEmeconGd G, Dhe GplayEms G Em G as eighth notes.
Chorus "-stop-" goes 2 quarter notes and then two quick staccato eighth notes.
--------------------------------------------------
[Intro]
|   D    G|   Em   G|   D    G|     Em|
[Verse]
GA long DecembeDr and there's reasoAn to believeEm  
Maybe Gthis year will be Dbetter than the Glast
   EmI can't remembGer the Dlast thing that you saidA  
as you were Emleavin'
Now the Ddays go by so Gfast
[Chorus]
And it's Done more day up Gin the canEmyons
And it's Done more night in GHollywooEmd
                         D          G   Em-stop-           D  
If you think that I could be forgiven...I wish you would
naGnanaEmnanaGnanDananGa.. EmyeahEm  
[Verse]
GThe smell of hospiDtals in winteAr
And the Emfeeling that it's Gall a lot of Doysters, but no Gpearls
   EmAll at Gonce you look aDcross a crowded Aroom
To see the Emway that light aDttaches to a Ggirl
[Chorus]
And it's Done more day up Gin the canEmyons
And it's Done more night iGn HollywooEmd
                              D        G   Em-stop-         D  
If you think you might come to California...I think you should
naGnanaEmnanaGnanaDnanaG.. yEmeah
[Break]
|   D    G|   Em    G|   D    G|     Em|
[Verse]
GDrove up to the DHillside Manor Asometime after Emtwo a.m.
And Gtalked a little Dwhile about the Gyear
EmI guess the Gwinter makes you Dlaugh a little Aslower
Makes you Emtalk a little Dlower about
the Gthings you could not show her
[Chorus]
And it's been a Glong DeDcember and there's Areason to belEmieve
Maybe Gthis year will be Dbetter than the Glast
  EmI can't Gremember all the Dtimes I tried to Atell myself
EmTo hold on to these Dmoments as they Gpass
[Outro]
And it's Done more day up Gin the canEmyon
And it's Done more night iGn HollywooEmd
                           D          G   Em-stop-           D  
It's been so long since I've seen the ocean...I guess I should
naGnanaEmnanaGnanaDnanaG.... EmyeahEm  D  
naGnanaEmnanaGnanaDnanaG.... EmyeahEm  

All chords in this song (4)

The story behind the song

"A Long December" by Counting Crows is a ballad inspired by a friend's injury after being hit by a motorist. Despite its tragic origin, the song reflects on looking back at life's changes with an optimistic tone, anticipating positive shifts in the future. It’s about navigating difficult times while maintaining a hopeful outlook. Released as the second single from their 1996 album Recovering the Satellites, the song became a significant hit. At its heart, it plays like a comforting reflection on enduring hardship with the promise of better days ahead.

AI-written from these sources:A Long December — Wikipedia ↗Counting Crows — Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

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A Long December

by Counting Crows

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

-------------------Author's Note------------------

Standard Tuning

Capo 3rd Fret

Intro:

1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4

D G Em G D G Em

On the second G, he plays G Em G as eighth notes.

Chorus "-stop-" goes 2 quarter notes and then two quick staccato eighth notes.

--------------------------------------------------

[Intro]

D G Em G D G Em

| | | | |

[Verse]

G D A Em

A long December and there's reason to believe

G D G

Maybe this year will be better than the last

Em G D A

I can't remember the last thing that you said

as you were leavin'

D G

Now the days go by so fast

[Chorus]

D G Em

And it's one more day up in the canyons

D G Em

And it's one more night in Hollywood

D G Em D

-stop-

If you think that I could be forgiven...I wish you would

G Em G D G Em Em

nanananananananana.. yeah

[Verse]

G D A

The smell of hospitals in winter

Em G D G

And the feeling that it's all a lot of oysters, but no pearls

Em G D A

All at once you look across a crowded room

Em D G

To see the way that light attaches to a girl

[Chorus]

D G Em

And it's one more day up in the canyons

D G Em

And it's one more night in Hollywood

D G Em D

-stop-

If you think you might come to California...I think you should

G Em G D G Em

nanananananananana.. yeah

[Break]

D G Em G D G Em

| | | | |

[Verse]

G D A Em

Drove up to the Hillside Manor sometime after two a.m.

G D G

And talked a little while about the year

Em G D A

I guess the winter makes you laugh a little slower

Em D

Makes you talk a little lower about

the things you could not show her

[Chorus]

G D A Em

And it's been a long December and there's reason to believe

G D G

Maybe this year will be better than the last

Em G D A

I can't remember all the times I tried to tell myself

Em D G

To hold on to these moments as they pass

[Outro]

D G Em

And it's one more day up in the canyon

D G Em

And it's one more night in Hollywood

D G Em D

-stop-

It's been so long since I've seen the ocean...I guess I should

G Em G D G Em Em D

nanananananananana.... yeah

G Em G D G Em Em

nanananananananana.... yeah

About A Long December Chords by Counting Crows

Learn how to play A Long December by Counting Crows with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “A Long December chords”, “A Long December guitar chords”, or “Counting Crows A Long December chords” and you will find this page — transpose to any key, tap chords for diagrams, and use auto-scroll while you play. Perfect for beginners looking for easy A Long December chords and for experienced players who want accurate A Long December lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include D, G, Em, A.

FAQ — A Long December by Counting Crows

How do I play "A Long December" by Counting Crows on guitar?

Open the free chords for "A Long December" by Counting Crows on Free Chord Book. Tap any chord to see its diagram, use transpose to change the key, and turn on auto-scroll to play hands-free.

Are the chords for "A Long December" by Counting Crows free?

Yes. The chords for "A Long December" by Counting Crows are 100% free on Free Chord Book — no sign-up required.

Can I transpose "A Long December" to a different key?

Yes. Use the transpose buttons on the song page to shift "A Long December" up or down by half-steps so it matches your vocal range or capo position.

Can I see chord diagrams for "A Long December"?

Yes. Tap any chord in "A Long December" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.

Is "A Long December" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "A Long December" by Counting Crows with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by Counting Crows below.

What key is "A Long December" in?

The chords for "A Long December" show the original chord names (including D, G, Em, A). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.