David Bowie and the little Drummer Boy

[gregkidman]

Did Bowie do a duet with Bing Crosby singing a Christmas song? Was it 'The Little Drummer Boy?' Is the duet song commercially available? I have tried to search on iTunes (99 cent a song is a great idea) but I couldn't find anything. Any suggestions?

 

I know that this forum is more sex-oriented but I find that this forum is read by a very diverse group and extremely helpful.

 

Cheers,

Greg

[Rick Munroe]

Maybe the search engine is case sensitive because the medley is actually called "Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy." I've seen the CD single so it must be available for download. Personally, I'd prefer the video over just the audio, because without the video you don't get to see Bing's neat-o Izod sweater.

 

http://www.teenagewildlife.com/Singles/POELDB1982/cover-small.gif

[eastbayguy]

>Did Bowie do a duet with Bing Crosby singing a Christmas

>song? Was it 'The Little Drummer Boy?' Is the duet song

>commercially available? I have tried to search on iTunes (99

>cent a song is a great idea) but I couldn't find anything.

>Any suggestions?

 

FYI, this duet and a few others making the rounds this holiday season are dubs. The Crosby version of LDB was recorded ages before Bowie. The dub was down a couple of years ago, long after Crosby's death.

 

I've never been quite sure if I think this is a good idea or not. But, it kinda seems like the same thing as Turner colorizing B&W movies. The original intent is changed, after the artist(s) themselves can react. Somehow, that just doesn't seem quite right.

 

--EBG

[rland]

I seem to remember them being together on one of Bing Crosby's specials doing the duet together. I do not think this was a dub. I remember when hearing that David Bowie was going to be on the program with Bing Crosby as what a strange combination. But all in all it turned out extremely well and is now a classic.

[Rick Munroe]

>FYI, this duet and a few others making the rounds this holiday

>season are dubs. The Crosby version of LDB was recorded ages

>before Bowie.

 

That's not true. They sang it live on Bing's Christmas special...MTV shows it every year.

[Trixie]

There may be dubs floating about, but Bowie did sing a live duet with Bing, on a tv X-mas special.

And the song used to be re-issued year after year as a 45 for Christmas. As a punky young lad-thing, working in a record store through much of the eighties, I'd marvel at it every year, wondering how such things happen... I think Bowie was in his Ziggy Stardust/Aladdin Sane phase when he was on Bing's show... at the very least, Bing Crosby must have had some respect for Bowie's vocal talents.

It STILL strikes me as a weird anomaly! Akin to 50Cent performing at the White House.

Trix

[gregkidman]

Thanks, Rick! I *knew* I was going to get fast results. This thread has even mis-information as well (dubbing? I don't think so). I remember seeing this video when I was a kid. For a minute, I thought I was imagining things. Anyone have any idea when it will show on MTV this year?

 

Again, thanks to all.

 

Happy Hannukah, Kwanzaa, and Christmas to all of you.

 

Hugs,

Greg

[Guest vinotinto]

>I've

>seen the CD single so it must be available for download.

 

It is available. You gave me a good idea, and I down;loaded last night too.

[Flower]

>That's not true. They sang it live on Bing's Christmas

>special...MTV shows it every year.

Damn, you're good!! :*

[eastbayguy]

>>FYI, this duet and a few others making the rounds this

>holiday

>>season are dubs. The Crosby version of LDB was recorded

>ages

>>before Bowie.

>

>That's not true. They sang it live on Bing's Christmas

>special...MTV shows it every year.

 

The Crosby part on the Bowie/Crosby version I have is absolutely identical in every way I can measure without test equipment to a Crosby version of LDB recorded in the 50s. Got it on vinyl and CD both. Maybe they did sing a live duet at some point. I'd love to hear and see the MTV version. Could well be that more than one version is floating around out there.

 

Going to have to research this a little further. It could also be patched. Or, they could have sung the TV version to the track from the original Crosby album (which sometimes violates broadcast union agreements in LA, not sure about New York).

 

I'll do some digging and report what I find.

 

--EBG

[eastbayguy]

>his Ziggy Stardust/Aladdin Sane phase when he was on Bing's

>show... at the very least, Bing Crosby must have had some

>respect for Bowie's vocal talents.

>It STILL strikes me as a weird anomaly!

 

There's also a duet from with Frank Sinatra and (I think) Cindi Lauper doing Santa Claus is Coming To Town. On both of these duets, the younger perform does sing very well. Heck, especially in his early years, Bowie sang really well. I expect he still could, he just doesn't seem to work as hard at it lately.

 

--EBG

[eastbayguy]

>Did Bowie do a duet with Bing Crosby singing a Christmas

>song? Was it 'The Little Drummer Boy?' Is the duet song

>commercially available? I have tried to search on iTunes (99

>cent a song is a great idea) but I couldn't find anything.

>Any suggestions?

 

http://www.kcmetro.cc.mo.us/pennvalley/biology/lewis/crosby/bingbowie.htm

 

Apparently, the commonly available version is from the show. The background information on the link above is well worth a read. This would fall under the category of important, given how close the recording happened to Bing's death.

 

To whomever gave me the wrong info about the version being dubbed: You are SOOO fired. :-)

 

Thanks for the accurate info on this one.

 

--EBG