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For Christ's Sake: Hives And Lauper Record Xmas Single
Alex Denney , November 25th, 2008 06:58

Swedish rockers and '80s star unite for yuletide ding dong

Bubblegum garage stalwarts The Hives have teamed up with Cyndi Lauper for a potty-mouthed Christmas single available as a free download from this Friday (Nov 28).

'A Christmas Duel' sees Hives frontman Pelle Almqvist trade lyrical blows with the 'Girls Just Wanna Have Fun' singer over a kitchen sink Spector-ish number which will be up for grabs as an MP3 from the band's website between November 28th and 30th.

The track opens with Almqvist's less-than-Christian declaration that "I bought no gift this year and I slept with your sister."

Lauper is nonplussed: "I bought no tree this year and I slept with your brother."

She adds: "I wrecked your daddy's car and went down on your mother."

Shades of a certain other seasonal domestic set to song here, perhaps?

Almqvist said of the track in an interview with Rolling Stone: "I think Christmas is just our excuse to go full-out Phil Spector and use two drum kits and the bells and whistles. We wanted to have this juxtaposition of really sweet music and nasty lyrics."

You can watch Almqvist and Lauper locked in stalemate in a blinking competition, here:

The Hives & Cyndi Lauper, 'A Christmas Duel'