Female Trouble - Christmas at the Davenports

More on difficult family-interrelationships during Christmas season with this beloved moment from John Water's Female Trouble. Gave a whole new meaning to the words "cha-cha heels." It stars the late, great Divine, and it ain't "It's a Wonderful Life," that's for sure.

The Hives & Cyndi Lauper in A Christmas Duel

This Christmastime number isn't your typical sanctimony for the season. Post-punk rock band got a helping hand from Cyndi Lauper in 2008 for this rare, underground -- but proficiently produced -- holiday song that's far from standard fare. A dueling couple (21st Century George & Martha?), as it turns out, with some choice words for each other as well as the Christmas tree. It's a riot, and all to a very Spectoresque production well captured by Swedish garage band, The Hives', musicians, while lead vocalist Lauper lets it rip with her Merman-goes-rock'n'roll vocals. The driving melody owes a debt (I think this is what's called an homage, actually) to Phil Spector's "And Then He Kissed Me."

That's Sweden's own Howlin' Pelle Almqvist with the deep, sexy voice, at odds in a wonderful way with Cyndi. Hope you like it. Goes good with a little holiday booze.