Eels frontman E has branded the band’s sad new Christmas track “pretty relentless”.
The singer, born Mark Oliver Everett, 60, has released the band’s third festive song – ‘Christmas, Why You Gotta Do Me Like This’ – which serves as the final track on a new compilation ‘Eels So Good: Essential Eels Vol. 2 (2007-2020.)’
He told The Sun about his feelings on Christmas: “I’m all for the jolly Christmas and I’ve had some very jolly Christmases myself.
“As a kid growing up in America, I was pretty satisfied just to sit in the dark watching the tree lights blink. I didn’t have my Nintendo Switch!
“But I do think it’s important to remember that BEFORE Ebenezer Scrooge becomes the nice guy who buys everybody Christmas dinner, Tiny Tim’s pretty miserable.
“So I thought, ‘Let’s do some music for him.’”
E added about the melancholy feel of his band’s new track: “It is pretty relentless, but at least the sleigh bells automatically evoke snow falling.
“As an adult, I’ve had Christmases, probably like everybody, which are just very bad timing.
“I wanted to do a song for that guy or girl who has just bought an expensive present for their partner and then got broken up with.”
The song features the lines: “I put up my lights and I hung the mistletoe/So why did you have to leave me all alone?”
It comes after two more upbeat Eels’ Christmas songs, including B-side ‘Everything’s Gonna Be Cool This Christmas’ and ‘Christmas Is Going To The Dogs’.