Counting Crows Sheet Music: "A Long December"

Explore piano solo arrangements by Jennifer Eklund of the Pop Rock classic "A Long December" by Counting Crows.

About Counting Crows:

Counting Crows is an American rock band formed in 1991 in the San Francisco Bay Area, California. The band’s lineup includes guitarist David Bryson, drummer Jim Bogios, vocalist Adam Duritz, keyboardist Charlie Gillingham, multi-instrumentalist David Immerglück, bass guitarist Millard Powers, and guitarist Dan Vickrey. Notable past members include drummers Steve Bowman and Ben Mize, as well as bass guitarist Matt Malley.

They rose to fame with their debut album, “August and Everything After” (1993), featuring the hit single “Mr. Jones.” The album sold over 7 million copies in the US, and the band received Grammy nominations in 1994. Counting Crows continued to achieve success with subsequent albums, including “Recovering the Satellites,” which topped the US Billboard 200 chart.

The band’s popular singles include “Rain King,” “A Long December,” “Hanginaround,” and a cover of Joni Mitchell’s “Big Yellow Taxi.” They received a 2004 Academy Award nomination for “Accidentally in Love,” featured in the film Shrek 2. Counting Crows has sold over 20 million albums and is recognized for energetic live performances. Billboard ranked them as the 8th greatest Adult Alternative Artist of all time.

Their latest full album, “Somewhere Under Wonderland,” was released in 2014. In 2021, they released a four-song EP titled “Butter Miracle: Suite One,” with plans to expand it into a full album.

About “A Long December”:

“A Long December” is a ballad by the American rock band Counting Crows, released as the second single from their second album, “Recovering the Satellites” (1996). Lead singer Adam Duritz wrote the song after a friend was hit by a motorist, using the experience to reflect on tragedy with a positive outlook. The song reached number five on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and topped the Canadian RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart.

Inspired by personal events, Duritz explained that the song is about looking back on life, acknowledging changes, and anticipating positive transformations in the future.

Despite not being eligible for the Billboard Hot 100 due to not being released as a physical single in the US, the song performed well on other charts, reaching number six on the Hot 100 Airplay chart and number one on the Adult Alternative Songs chart. In the UK, it charted twice, initially peaking at 62 in 1996 and at 68 upon its re-release in 1997. The music video, directed by Lawrence Carroll and featuring Courteney Cox, exudes a somber mood with scenes of snow and dull colors, portraying Duritz playing a piano in the woods and Cox writing a letter. The video received acclaim for its poignant portrayal.