Christmas is getting a little bit sadder, but at least it's for a good cause!
Jimmy Kimmel has teamed up with The Killers for the band's ninth annual Christmas song to raise money for the (RED) campaign. But instead of writing something jolly and cheerful to honor the Christmas season, they decided to create something a little more...dismal.
"Joel, the Lump of Coal" is a song that follows an anthropomorphized piece of coal named Joel. What begins as an exciting adventure for Joel quickly transforms into a heartbreaking tale where Santa Claus is a mean old man instead of the lovable guy we've all come to know and love.
Joel, who is thrilled to learn he'll be accompanying Santa on his annual trip, thinks he will be a present for a good boy or girl, but learns that his fate will land him in the arms of a child who has been bad.
"You're not a special Christmas gift/ You're just a poopy prize," Santa's evil elves sing to Joel.
Initially innocent and carefree, Joel becomes crushed by the fact that he will be given as a present to teach a lesson to a naughty boy, just as the boy is devastated to wake up to a lump of coal.
While the song carries a different tune from other upbeat ditties such as "Jingle Bells" and "Here Comes Santa Claus," "Joel the Lump of Coal" thankfully manages to end on a happier note.
"It's true I've been a naughty boy/ And maybe that's a sin/ If this is how Santa treats the kids/ I'm just glad that I'm not him."
Upon hearing those words, Joel realizes what he has to do. Rather than have both Joel and the badly behaved boy be sad on Christmas, Joel tells the boy to squeeze him as hard as possible. What once was a lump of coal quickly transforms into a gorgeous diamond—yes, please.
"I know how to make your pain into a precious jewel...[Joel] gave his life away for one good naughty little boy had a diamond on Christmas Day."
What do you think of The Killers and Jimmy Kimmel's collaboration? Sound off in the comments below!