A John Waters Christmas

2004 holiday album from the world renowned director and arbiter of bad taste.

Baltimore’s greatest filmmaker has demonstrated a deep appreciation for that very American crossroads of kitsch and sensationalism since the late ‘60s, at least. Of course, quirky Christmas anthologies abound already – the three best probably being Christmas Party With Eddie G, American Song-Poem Christmas, and Where Will You Be Christmas Day. But the songs on A John Waters Xmas are novelty songs for the true connoisseur, including recordings so saccharine and horrifying you wonder how the engineers did not run from the booth screaming; "Happy Birthday Jesus" by the precocious Little Cindy is likely the scariest thing you will ever hear in your life. Not everything is so "Outsider"-y and thrift store score; there’s the rocking, funny "Fat Daddy" by Fat Daddy, a delightful song by the Coctails with the singing saw as the lead instrument, and a gorgeous obscure doo-wop number called "Christmas Time Is Coming (A Street Carol)" by Stormy Weather. --Mike McGonigal