Don't Shoot Me Santa

"Don't Shoot Me Santa" is a song by Las Vegas-based rock band The Killers. The song was released November 27, 2007 (2007-11-27), as a digital download.^[1] A portion of the proceeds from this song went to AIDS charities as part of the Product Red campaign, headed by Bono and Bobby Shriver. It is The Killers' second Christmas download single following 2006's "A Great Big Sled".^[2]

"Don't Shoot Me Santa"
Single by The Killers
Released	November 27, 2007 (2007-11-27)
Genre	Rock, holiday music
Length	4:03
Label	Island
Songwriter(s)	Brandon Flowers, Dave Keuning, Mark Stoermer, Ronnie Vannucci, Jr.
Producer(s)	Stuart Price, Alan Moulder, Flood
The Killers singles chronology
"Tranquilize" (2007) "Don't Shoot Me Santa" (2007) "Human" (2008)
Music video
"Don't Shoot Me Santa" on YouTube

Track listing

• CD Single

1. "Don't Shoot Me Santa" - 4:04
2. "Don't Shoot Me Santa" (Enhanced Video) - 4:34

Release history

Region	Date	Format
United States	November 27, 2007 (2007-11-27)	Download
	December 4, 2007 (2007-12-04)	Compact disc
United Kingdom	December 17, 2007 (2007-12-17)

Music video

According to Japanese Vogue, the video for "Don't Shoot Me Santa" was directed, edited, and co-produced by actor/director/model/visual artist Matthew Gray Gubler, who is also a native of Las Vegas.

The music video starts in a desert with a puppet version of Flowers and a puppet version of Santa in a puppet theater in Santa's trailer. Then, Santa pops up to say his part "I've got a bullet in my gun!" It goes to Flowers tied up in a chair with Christmas tree trimmings and Santa running around him. Later on, Flowers is tied up in Santa's car with Santa driving. It then goes back to Santa's trailer with Flowers still tied up in a chair watching Santa dig up his grave. The band comes up behind 3 small trees, breaks the trimmings, and escapes in Santa's car, trailing him behind. Santa ends up covering up Flowers's puppet, and goes to the band (in puppet form) holding up a sign saying, 'Merry Christmas from The Killers'.

Ryan Pardey

The role of Santa (both singing and acting in the music video) is performed by Ryan Pardey.^[3] He performed this song live, with the band, at KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas in December 2007. He and Flowers were shown dancing together on stage, and he soaked Flowers with a water gun.^[4] The Killers have written a song about Pardey called "Questions With the Captain". The song appears as a hidden track at the end of their B-sides album Sawdust, but can only be found on the CD.

Charts

Chart (2007)	Peak position
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[5]	23
Ireland (IRMA)[6]	49
Scotland (OCC)[7]	21
UK Singles (OCC)[8]	34
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 (Billboard)[9]	8