Tyler Clark presents: Local Mythologies writesTop 25 Christmas Songs of the Last 25 Years: #24 - The Hives and Cyndi Lauper, “A Christmas Duel”

It's the holiday season, which means Christmas music. Lots and lots or Christmas music, most of which was written before the people listening to it were even alive. While "Jingle Bells" and "We Three Kings" are great, and resilient, we're devoting this year to finding the best Christmas song written since 1989. We continue today with #24, and a duet from two unlikely collaborators.
 

#24: The Hives and Cyndi Lauper, "A Christmas Duel" (2008)

Come on a holiday journey with me for a minute. First, think of "Fairytale In New York," one of the Pogues' greatest songs and the tune that would probably top this list if it hadn't come out in 1987. Remember the couple from that song, the ones whose sentimental deathbed reunion can still wring boozy tears from all but the most flint-hearted of Scrooges? They're great, right? Now, imagine how they must've been years before, back when they were younger and healthier and still being total assholes to each other.

Such is the scenario suggested by "A Christmas Duel," a swaggering carol of infidelity and antagonism that features Howlin' Pelle Almqvist of Swedish garage journeymen The Hives trading suggestive, profanity-laced barbs with none other than Cyndi Lauper. In a genre loaded with high-profile, ill-advised duets (lookin' at you, Bing Crosby and David Bowie), this one is the definitely the least schmaltzy. No wonder it's also probably the most fun.