In 1977, a young David Bowieteamed up with legendary crooner Bing Crosby, 74, for one of the most iconic Christmas duets of all time—but it almost didn’t happen. The unlikely duo performed together on CBS’ holiday special Bing Crosby’s Merrie Old Christmas, which aired on Nov. 30 that year, just a few weeks after Crosby’s death.
In a PBS retrospective nearly 50 years later, show writer Larry Grossman recalled that Bowie, then 30, agreed to appear on the Christmas show because his mother “loved” Crosby. But the rock icon initially refused to perform the selected song, “Little Drummer Boy.”
“We had decided that we wanted them to do a duet of a ‘Little Drummer Boy,’ and when we told Bowie about the number, he said, ‘I won’t sing that song,’” Grossman revealed. “We said, ‘Why?’ and he said, ‘I hate that song,’ He said, ‘If I have to sing that song, I can’t do the show.’”
The writing team sprung into action to create a mash-up of the Christmas classic with "Peace on Earth” as a way to “sell” the idea to Bowie.
“Within an hour, we had it written, and we were able to present it to him again,” co-writer Buz Kohan recalled. “Bing loved the challenge, and he was able to transform himself without losing any of the ‘Crosby-isms’ — that relaxed feeling and the atmosphere that he would always create whenever he was on camera.”
The duet came after Bowie and Crosby enaged in awkward chitchat on Merrie Olde Christmas. After Crobsy introduced himself, Bowie said, "You're the one that sings, right?"
The two soon segued into the opening of "Little Drummer Boy" before the "Peace on Earth" add-on. So yes, Bowie did come around.
Bowie talked about working with Crosby in a 1999 interview with Q magazine, calling the experience “ludicrous.” “It's wonderful to watch,” he added. “We were so totally out of touch with each other.”
Bowie also admitted he knew nothing about the legendary "White Christmas” singer before meeting him. “I was wondering if he was still alive. He was just… not there. He was not there at all,” Bowie said. “It was the most bizarre experience. I didn't know anything about him. I just knew my mother liked him.”
Crosby's kids, Nathaniel and Mary, once talked about their dad’s surprise duet, telling Billboard in 2014 that Bowie arrived on set in full makeup, a mink coat, and bright red hair.
"It almost didn't happen,” Nathaniel Crosby shared of the TV duet. “I think the producers told him to take the lipstick off and take the earring out. It was just incredible to see the contrast."
Mary Crosby added, “They sat at the piano and David was a little nervous. Dad realized David was this amazing musician, and David realized Dad was an amazing musician. You could see them both collectively relax and then magic was made."
In 1982, RCA Records released "Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy" as a single, giving the song a new life. The duet remains holiday staple five decades later.
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