Don't Shoot Me Santa – English Lyrics

• By: The Killers

Lyrics & Translation

Explore the darkly humorous side of Christmas with The Killers' 'Don't Shoot Me Santa.' This song combines rock elements with a twisted holiday narrative, offering a unique way to learn about wordplay and storytelling while enjoying a song that supports a good cause.

[English]

(bells chiming)

♪ Oh Santa ♪

(gentle music)

♪ I've been waiting on you ♪

♪ That's funny kid ♪

♪ Because I've been coming for you ♪

♪ Oh Santa ♪

♪ I've been killing just for fun ♪

♪ Well the party's over, kid ♪

♪ Because I ♪

♪ Because I got a bullet in my gun ♪

♪ A bullet in your what ♪

♪ Santa's got a bullet in his gun ♪

♪ You know it, Santa's got a bullet in his gun ♪

♪ Don't shoot me, Santa Claus ♪

♪ I've been a clean living boy ♪

♪ I promise you ♪

♪ Did every little thing you asked me to ♪

♪ I can't believe the things I'm going through ♪

♪ Don't shoot me, Santa Claus ♪

♪ Well no one else around believes me ♪

♪ But the children on the block they tease me ♪

♪ I couldn't let them off that easy ♪

♪ Oh Santa ♪

(music slows)

♪ It's been a real hard year ♪

♪ There just ain't no gettin' around this ♪

♪ Life is hard ♪

♪ But look at me ♪

♪ I turned out all right ♪

♪ Hey Santa ♪

♪ Why don't we talk about it ♪

♪ Work it out ♪

♪ Believe me ♪

♪ This ain't what I wanted ♪

♪ I love all you kids, you know that ♪

♪ Hell, I remember when you were just 10 years old ♪

♪ Playing out there in the desert ♪

♪ Just waiting for a sip of that sweet Mojave rain ♪

(upbeat music)

♪ In the sweet Mojave rain ♪

♪ The boy was on his own ♪

♪ Don't shoot me, Santa Claus ♪

♪ I've been a clean living boy ♪

♪ I promise you ♪

♪ Did every little thing you asked me to ♪

♪ I can't believe the things I'm going through ♪

♪ Hey Santa Claus ♪

♪ Well no one else around believes me ♪

♪ But the children on the block they tease me ♪

♪ I couldn't let them off that easy ♪

♪ They had it coming ♪

♪ So why can't you see ♪

♪ I couldn't turn my cheek no longer ♪

♪ The sun is going down and Christmas is near ♪

♪ Just look the other way and I'll disappear forever ♪

♪ Woo ♪

♪ Don't shoot me, Santa Claus ♪

♪ Well no one else around believes me ♪

♪ But the children on the street they tease me ♪

♪ I couldn't let them off that easy ♪

♪ Believe ♪

♪ Me ♪

♪ Santa ♪

♪ Santa ♪

(footsteps approach)

(wolf howls)

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
waiting /ˈweɪtɪŋ/ B1	verb - the act of remaining in a state of expectancy
killing /ˈkɪlɪŋ/ B2	verb - causing death
bullet /ˈbʊlɪt/ B1	noun - a projectile fired from a gun
gun /ɡʌn/ A2	noun - a weapon that shoots bullets
shoot /ʃuːt/ B1	verb - to fire a gun
clause /klɔːz/ C1	noun - a particular and separate article, stipulation, or proviso in a legal document or contract
promise /ˈprɒməs/ B2	verb - to undertake to do something noun - a declaration that one will do something
believe /bɪˈliːv/ B2	verb - to accept as true
easy /ˈiːzi/ A2	adjective - not difficult
belong /bɪˈlɒŋ/ B1	verb - to be the property of
year /jɪər/ A1	noun - a period of 365 or 366 days
child /tʃaɪld/ A1	noun - a young person
desert /ˈdɛzərt/ B2	noun - a dry, barren area of land

Key Grammar Structures

• I've been waiting on you

  ➔ Present Perfect Continuous

  ➔ The Present Perfect Continuous emphasizes the duration of an action that started in the past and continues to the present. Here, it shows the speaker has been waiting for Santa for some time.

• Because I've been killing just for fun

  ➔ Present Perfect Continuous with 'just' for emphasis.

  ➔ The use of "just" amplifies the shocking nature of the statement. It implies that the killing was done purely for enjoyment and without any other motive, making it more disturbing.

• Don't shoot me, Santa Claus

  ➔ Imperative (negative)

  ➔ This is a direct plea, using the imperative mood in a negative form. It's a command *not* to do something.

• I've been a clean living boy

  ➔ Present Perfect Simple

  ➔ The Present Perfect Simple describes an action that started in the past and has relevance to the present. It's used to describe a state that has existed from the past until now.

• Did every little thing you asked me to

  ➔ Past Simple with ellipsis

  ➔ This uses the Past Simple to describe completed actions in the past. The phrase "asked me to" implies an omitted verb, such as "do." It means: 'I did every little thing you asked me to do'.

• Well no one else around believes me

  ➔ Simple Present with 'no one' (singular)

  ➔ 'No one' is treated as a singular pronoun, so the verb takes the singular form (believes).

• I couldn't let them off that easy

  ➔ Conditional Past with 'couldn't' (negative ability)

  ➔ 'Couldn't' expresses the inability to do something in the past, often in a conditional context. It means the speaker felt it was impossible or unacceptable to let them off easily.

• Just look the other way and I'll disappear forever

  ➔ Imperative and Future Simple conditional

  ➔ This sentence combines an imperative ("look the other way") with a conditional clause using the Future Simple ("I'll disappear"). It sets up a condition: if you do this, then this will happen.