Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy

Bing Crosby, David Bowie

About Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy

"Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy" (sometimes titled "The Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth") is a Christmas song with an added counterpoint performed by David Bowie and Bing Crosby. "The Little Drummer Boy" is a Christmas song written in 1941, while the "Peace on Earth" tune and lyrics, written by Ian Fraser, Larry Grossman, and Alan Kohan, were added to the song specially for Bowie and Crosby's recording. The single saw commercial success upon its release in 1982 and peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart. The single became one of Bowie's best selling in his career, with total estimated sales over 400,000 in the UK alone. The song has since become a Christmas classic in the United States, Canada and United Kingdom and has been referred to by The Washington Post as "one of the most successful duets in Christmas music history". In 2008, a rerecorded version by Aled Jones and Terry Wogan—under the name "Bandaged"—was released by Warner Home Music as part of BBC Children in Need Appeal 2008. This version also reached number three on the UK Singles Chart, topping the Scottish Singles Chart in the process. 


Year:
1999
2:38
47 
#1

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Come they told me
Pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
A new born king to see
Pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
Our finest gifts we bring
Pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
Rum-pum-pum-pum
Rum-pum-pum-pum

Peace on earth, can it be
Years from now, perhaps we'll see
See the day of glory
See the day when men of good will
Live in peace, live in peace again

Peace on earth, can it be

Every child must be made aware
Every child must be made to care
Care enough for his fellow man
To give all the love that he can

I pray my wish will come true
For my child and your child too
He'll see the day of glory
See the day when men of good will
Live in peace, live in peace again

Peace on earth, can it be
Can it be

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Bing Crosby

Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation. more »

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Written by: Alan W Kohan, Ian Fraser, Lawrence A Grossman

Lyrics © PHRASER MORTON MUSIC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


12 facts about this song

Music Genre
"Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy" is a Christmas song played in the pop and traditional pop genres.
Timeline
The song was recorded on 11th September 1977, for Bing Crosby's TV special, "Bing Crosby's Merrie Olde Christmas" and was later released as a single in 1982.
Artists involved
The song was performed as a duet by Bing Crosby and David Bowie, two very popular figures from different generations of music.
Popularity
Despite its unusual pairing and unlikely recording story, the song has since become a classic holiday favorite, appearing on numerous Christmas albums.
Song Mashup
The track is a medley of two songs - "Peace on Earth" and the traditional Christmas song, "Little Drummer Boy."
Creation under Stress
"Peace on Earth" was added to the traditional "Little Drummer Boy" at the last minute because Bowie hated the song "Little Drummer Boy" and refused to sing it. The new song was written in less than an hour.
Bing Crosby’s Death
Bing Crosby died shortly after the recording, on October 14, 1977. The special was aired posthumously, on November 30, 1977 on CBS.
Performance Continuity
Despite his aversion to the original track, Bowie has performed a version of the song in concert without Crosby, using a backup singer to sing the "Little Drummer Boy" part.
Chart Report
The song became a big hit and reached number three on the UK Singles Chart when it was released as a single in 1982.
First release
The track wasn’t officially released until 1982 when it was included on a compilation album called Christmas with the Stars.
Commercial Success
The original single currently has a platinum certification from the BPI (British Phonographic Industry) for selling over 600,000 copies in the UK.
Notable Cover
The song was also covered by musicians Jack Black and Jason Segel in 2010 for charity, which was later released on iTunes.

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