In one of the most successful duets in Christmas music history, and surely the strangest, 30-year-old David Bowie and 73-year-old Bing Crosby achieved the number one song in the UK with “Peace On Earth / Little Drummer Boy”. The song had been recorded in September, 1977 when Crosby was in Great Britain to tape a TV special called Merrie Olde Christmas. Having him share a number with Bowie was the brainchild of producers Gary Smith and Dwight Hemion. After the recording circulated as a bootleg for several years, RCA decided to issue it as a single. It has since become a holiday standard, but it is entirely possible that neither Crosby or Bowie were familiar with each other’s work.
There’s no way in hell that Bowie didn’t know who Bing was, but every certainty that Bing had no idea who Bowie was.
I’m distantly related to one of those dudes… wish I could sing like that
I’m still blown away by how sweet Bowie’s voice could be. Just this crystalline, gentle thing caressing your ears.
And Crosby, ffs, like a warm whiskey on a cold day.
But you wouldn’t think those two voices would weave around each other so well until you hear this, if you had heard them individually before.
Synergy.
