☝️ Key Points
- The song addresses loss and sorrow during the Christmas season, narrating the singer's experience of remembering a loved one who is no longer with them.
- The first verse shows that the singer tries to alleviate their loneliness and sadness through alcohol and is reminded by an old Christmas song that evokes shared times.
- The chorus makes it clear that the Christmas season and especially the sound of bells are no longer the same for the singer, as they only revive memories of better times.
- The sadness of farewell and the feeling of loss are intensified through images of children singing Christmas carols and songs that the missed person used to sing.
- The singer describes wanting to overlook the entire month of December, until all traces of Christmas and thus all memories of the loss have disappeared.
Interpretation
The song 'Christmas Bells' by
James Arthur is an emotional ballad that revolves around loss and grief during the Christmas season. The singer reminisces about someone who is no longer with him and how it has affected his perception and experience of the holidays.
The first verse 'Daylight is fading, turn on the lights / I'm drinking daily into the night' shows that the singer is trying to alleviate his sadness and loneliness through alcohol. The line 'The radio's playing that old song by Slade' suggests that music, specifically an old Christmas song by Slade, reminds him of shared times.
The chorus 'When the Christmas bells ring out, they don't sound / Like they did every year you were here' describes how the Christmas season is no longer the same without that person. The bells, which usually signify joy and festivity, now only evoke memories of better times.
In the line 'Snow-filled globe all around / On the day that you left town', the sadness of the departure is emphasized. The images of children singing in the streets and songs that person used to sing to him intensify the melancholy and sense of loss.
The verse 'Close my eyes until December ends / And all of the whiskey has been drank / All the wrapping paper has been torn / Just like my heart when you left home' makes it clear that the singer wishes he could skip the entire December until all traces of Christmas - and thus all memories of the missing person - have disappeared.
Overall, 'Christmas Bells' is about the difficulty of dealing with loss and grief during a time that is normally filled with joy and togetherness. The song is a reminder that the holidays can be a time of sadness for some people.