We once knew Captain Automatic lead man, Josh Kamensky, as the public relations guru for the popular councilman Eric Garcetti and one of the very few at City Hall that was hip to new media. Back in October, Kamensky left the job to pursue other goals, part of that being music.

Last night, the band of of three and a half jews sent us a clip of their holiday song, "(We Used To Have A) Christmas Party." "Some of us left our shopping 'til the last minute; we forgot to record our indie rock Christmas song until the night before the night before Christmas," Kamensky said in an e-mail. So here it is below:

(and after the jump, lyrics and a live video)

(We Used To Have A) Christmas Party

I’ll hang the wreaths up high
Can you guess how long they will stay
They might make it til July
They might be gone by May

You’ll cook up something fine
Your clothes are shiny and red
Sail away on an ocean of wine
Let’s get you out of your head

(head) on in
hear that christmas sound
comfort and cheer
we’ll bring it back around
back next year
don’t let it down
we used to have a Christmas party
we used to hang the lights hang the lights hang out
we used to have a Christmas party
we used to have our friends have our friends around
What happened to our Christmas party
we used to make the night make the life so good
What happened to our Christmas party
we didn’t have the life that we thought we would

Not long before the smile leaves your eyes
Can you guess how long you will stay
We can make it if we make it til July
You’re gone you were gone by May

(May) you hear
your own Christmas sound
comfort and cheer
are gone from this house, this was
our last year
don’t let it down

we used to have a Christmas party
we used to hang the lights hang the lights hang out
we used to have a Christmas party
we used to have our friends have our friends around
what happened to our Christmas party
we used to make the night make the life so good
what happened to our Christmas party
we didn’t have the life that we thought we would

Why didn’t anybody ever want to pull the rug up and dance
You weren’t among the ones who you weren’t among the ones
Why didn’t anybody ever give our love a chance
You weren’t among the ones who tried

We used to ...

Captain Automatic will play next on Tuesday, Dec. 18, 8:30 p.m. at the Silverlake Lounge. Photo provided by Captain Automatic.