David Bowie & Bing Crosby's Gorgeous Duet On "Peace On Earth/Little Drummer Boy"

Here’s an unexpected duo: Bing Crosby, a classic star from the past, joined forces with a young David Bowie to sing the beautiful Christmas song "Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy."

The performance starts with a brief comedy act. Then, the two deliver a slow and emotional version of "Little Drummer Boy." They begin singing together, but soon Bowie takes the lead with his soaring tenor voice, while Crosby adds a deep and smooth baritone.

During part of the song, Bowie sings "Peace on Earth" while Crosby sticks to "Little Drummer Boy." The two melodies overlap in a unique way that feels surprisingly natural. This memorable recording was made back in 1977.

Recently, the duet has gained attention because it was included in this year’s release of Bing Crosby's Christmas Gems. You can watch the duo perform the song in the video below.

The story behind this collaboration is quite unusual. Bowie, always known for breaking the mold, arrived at the taping of Crosby's TV special with his wife Angie. The pair stood out with bold red hair and full makeup. Nathaniel Crosby, Bing’s son, remembered that the shoot almost didn’t happen. He said producers asked Bowie to remove his lipstick and earring, describing the contrast between Bowie and Crosby as "unbelievable."

Bowie didn’t stop shaking things up there. Crosby’s music directors, Ian Fraser and Larry Grossman, had planned a simple version of "Little Drummer Boy" for the two to sing. But Bowie wasn’t happy. Fraser recalled Bowie saying, "I hate this song. Can I sing something else?"

Faced with Bowie’s dislike of the song, Fraser, Grossman, and scriptwriter Buz Kohan quickly wrote "Peace on Earth" on the spot. They finished the new arrangement in just over an hour. Bowie was satisfied with the change and recorded it with Crosby soon after. The final performance, captured on tape, is what you see in the first video above.

Recording directly onto tape in those days left little room for error. Yet Bowie and Crosby delivered a flawless version of the duet in a single hour. This showed their incredible talent and the skill of the team behind the song. Kohan noted that Crosby embraced the challenge of singing the new arrangement and adapted beautifully without losing his signature style.

The song, "Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy," climbed to number three on the UK charts and became one of Bowie’s biggest hits. Sadly, Crosby passed away from a heart attack just a month after the session. The Washington Post later called the duet "one of the most successful Christmas music collaborations in history."