The spirit of Christmas and Bing Crosby will always be intertwined. His classic recording of “White Christmas” has become a national treasure, and his distinctive voice has warmed hearts for decades.
Performing the duet Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy with David Bowie in 1977, just one month before Crosby passed away, cemented his status as an undisputed musical legend.
Even today, the classic rendition of the lovely Christmas song by Crosby and Bowie is regarded. But few are aware of the convoluted background to their collaboration.
It turns out that David Bowie detested the song and chose to perform with Bing Crosby only for that one reason.
Everybody has a different idea in mind when they hear the word “Christmas.”. The most important thing is that we all think about each other and possibly offer assistance where we can, even though everyone celebrates Christmas in a unique way with unique traditions and quite possibly under unique conditions.
Christmas music icon Bing Crosby.
While it’s not necessarily wrong for some people to believe that gifts are the most significant aspect of Christmas, for me, the holiday season is also a time for giving more than just presents. It’s important to express your gratitude and love for those close to you, and Christmas is the holiday that’s best suited for doing so.
We all share a common love of Christmas music because it adds a special and wonderful atmosphere that elevates the holiday season. Now, over the years, a countless number of songs have emerged as holiday favorites. Through the release of holiday music, some artists have even achieved career highs.
One musician, Bing Crosby, is arguably at his most well-known during the holiday season. As many people have already guessed, this is due to his rendition of “White Christmas.”. The song, which was recorded in 1942, became a global hit. It is officially the best-selling Christmas song of all time and the best-selling single in history, having sold more than 50 million copies!
As a result, Crosby came to be associated with Christmas, and over the course of his career, he appeared in no fewer than 42 Christmas television specials. But the one that went down in history was his last, delivered in 1977, just before he passed away.
Bing utilized David Bowie’s skills during his Christmas-themed special. To perform the timeless Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy duet with Crosby, the renowned British musician made an appearance on the program.
The history of their collaboration on Bing Crosby’s Christmas Special is much more intriguing than one might imagine. One thing is for certain: The outcome is one of the greatest Christmas songs ever!
Bowie refused to join Bing Crosby on stage to perform “Little Drummer Boy.”.
It all appears to be warmth and love in the video of Bing and Bowie standing next to each other in the Christmas Special television studio. The British rockstar, however, reportedly initially lacked enthusiasm behind the scenes.
The creators of Bing Crosby’s Merrie Olde Christmas explained to PBS in 2014 why David Bowie declined to perform The Little Drummer Boy with Crosby.
He said, ‘I won’t sing that song. That song is terrible. According to Larry Grossman and Buz Kohan, “I’m doing this show because my mother loves Bing Crosby.”, CBC.
It was imperative that Grossman and Kohan take action. Therefore, they thought of the idea of having a countermelody Bowie could sing while Crosby sang Little Drummer Boy. Peace on Earth was written by Grossman, Fraser, and Kohan.
Fraser said, according to UltimateClassicRock.com, “We didn’t quite know what to do.”. Additionally, he claimed that they worked on it for 75 minutes in the studio’s basement.
Initially, Bing Crosby wasn’t a fan of David Bowie.
After that, Bowie and Crosby spent less than an hour perfecting the song Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy.
Needless to say, the two didn’t exactly click when they first met. Crosby wasn’t impressed when Bowie and his then-wife Angela Bowie showed up at the television studio.
Mary Crosby, Bing’s daughter, recalled, “The doors opened, and David walked in with his wife.”. Their hair was a vibrant red color, and they both wore full-length mink coats. They also wore matching full makeup. Our thoughts were, “Oh my god. ‘”.
Bing’s son, Nathaniel Crosby, added, “It almost didn’t happen.
“I believe the producers instructed him to take off the lipstick and the earring. Observing the contrast was simply amazing. “.
The renowned Christmas singer, however, grew fond of the Englishman as the day went on and they began to collaborate more closely. He described him as a “clean-cut young man and a real fine asset to the show.”. “.
Mary Crosby remembered watching her father change in the recording.
“As they sat down at the piano, David appeared a little frazzled. Dad and David both acknowledged the incredible musicianship of their respective parents. Together, you could see them both unwind, and then magic happened. “.
died prior to the song’s broadcast.
In September 1977, Bing and David cut the song. After having a heart attack, Crosby passed away just one month later. The legendary singer and performer was mourned by the entire world, and his Christmas special was broadcast after his passing.
The track went on to rank among Bowie’s all-time top singles. It reportedly sold an estimated 400,000 copies in the UK alone, according to Far Out Magazine.
How was the beautiful Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy collaboration with Bing Crosby to work on?
It was, in fact, a singular experience, according to David Bowie. Although the two weren’t the best of friends and were, in Bowie’s words, “so totally out of touch with each other,” they nevertheless created something truly exceptional.
“Yes. I questioned whether he was still alive. Simply put, he wasn’t there. He wasn’t at all present. The words were in front of him. “Hi, Dave, nice to see ya here,” said Bowie in a 1999 interview (in a deep Bing voice).
“And he appeared to be an elderly orange sitting on a stool. It was the strangest experience because he had very heavy makeup on, his skin was somewhat pitted, and no one was home at all. I knew nothing about him. My mother likes him, I just knew that. “.
Below, you can listen to this lovely song.
