In 1977, David Bowie and Bing Crosby performed a duet of the Christmas carol ‘Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy.’

Before Bowie assumed the lead tenor voice and Crosby sang a rich baritone, the two sang together originally.

The song is a remarkable mashup that sounds natural, with Bowie delivering the lyrics from ‘Peace On Earth’ and Crosby performing the lyrics from ‘Little Drummer Boy.’

Bowie’s refusal to perform a straight-ahead version of the song nearly put an end to the partnership, but Crosby’s musical directors, Ian Fraser and Larry Grossman, wrote ‘Peace On Earth”’in just over an hour.

This achievement is a credit to the incredible musicianship of Crosby, Bowie, and the songwriting team that created it all for them. One of Bowie’s greatest hits, the song reached at number three in the UK.

After having a heart attack, Crosby passed away a month after the session. The song was dubbed “one of the most successful duets in Christmas music history” by The Washington Post. The duo may be seen performing the duet in the video below.