Since my thing is eclectic music, I suppose my most unexpected oddity that I like in my collection is a Christmas album: Bummed Out Christmas, A Rhino compilation from 1989. In fact it's one song in particular that makes me love this album: "Santa Came Home Drunk" by Clyde Lasley and the Cadillac Baby Specials. The track opens with the slightest introduction ever: the guitar gives and arpeggio and a guy says: Oh sure, there are other brilliant jabs at Xmas on there: "Christmas in Jail" (about the only track I've also heard on the radio), "Santa Got a DWI", even a George Jones tune and Dan Hicks opening with a rollicking "Somebody Stole My Santa Claus Suit". Even the cover is appropriately depressing: a photo of a lighted, white plastic Channukah bush in a hotel room in downtown LA before its rebirth. It's about the only Christmas music that never makes me want to punch humans.
It's just a guy making story riffs using brand names: "He swam the Three Rivers... went up to Ol' Grandad...". Meanwhile there are a couple women in the background singing "ooooh, shame on San-ta... whoo-oohoo-woo... Santa's drunk again." At the end he says "Santa be back again next year. I can't help it, drinkin' this good gin," as the guitar and backing track fade out. "You heard about Sanna Claus?
Santa got drunk last night, and lemme tell ya,
lemme name some of them whiskies..."