Eels frontman E has called the band's somber new Christmas track “pretty unrelenting”.
The singer, born Mark Oliver Everett, 60, has released the band's third holiday 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 a merry Christmas and I've had some very merry Christmases myself.
“As a child growing up in America, I was quite content to sit in the dark watching the tree lights twinkle. I didn't have my Nintendo Switch!
“But I think it's important to remember that BEFORE Ebenezer Scrooge becomes the nice guy who buys everyone Christmas dinner, Tiny Tim is pretty miserable.
“So I thought, 'Let's make him some music.'”
E added of the melancholic feel of the band's new track: “It's pretty unrelenting, but at least the sleigh bells automatically cause snow.
“As an adult, I've had Christmases, probably like everyone else, which are just really bad.
“I wanted to make a song about that guy or girl who just bought their partner an expensive present and then broke up.”
The song has the lyrics: “I put my lights on and hung the mistletoe/So why did you have to leave me alone?”
It follows two more upbeat Christmas songs from the Eels, including B-sides 'Everything's Gonna Be Cool This Christmas' and 'Christmas Is Going To The Dogs'.
