Bing Crosby and David Bowie teamed up to sing the Christmas song “Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy” in 1977. The duo initially sang together before Bowie took on the lead tenor vocal while Crosby delivered a sonorous baritone part.
The song features Bowie singing lyrics from “Peace On Earth” while Crosby sings lyrics from “Little Drummer Boy”, creating a unique mashup that sounds natural.
The collaboration was almost called off due to Bowie’s refusal to sing a straight-ahead version of the song, but Crosby’s musical directors Ian Fraser and Larry Grossman wrote “Peace On Earth” in just over an hour. This feat is a testament to the superb musicianship of both Bowie and Crosby, as well as the songwriting trio who cooked it all up for them.
The song peaked at number three in the UK and became one of Bowie’s biggest hits. Just a month after the session, Crosby died following a heart attack. The Washington Post called the song “one of the most successful duets in Christmas music history.”
The video below shows the pair performing the duet.