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one month after its release. The single has total estimated sales of 445,424 in the UK, giving Bowie one of his most successful singles. In the United States and Canada, "Peace on Earth/Little
Drummer Boy" has since become a yearly staple on radio stations during the Christmas season.
696:; they rehearsed for an hour and recorded the song in just three takes. A few days after the taping, Crosby praised Bowie as a "clean-cut kid and a real fine asset to the show. He sings well, has a great voice and reads lines well".
433:" with Bing and Kathryn. The family ghost, a court jester named Leslie who resembles an old pal of Bing's, stops by to crack a few jokes, and the Trinity Boys Choir soon arrives to join the family and guests on a medley featuring "
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quickly came up with lyrics to "Peace on Earth" as a counterpart to Crosby and "The Little
Drummer Boy". Crosby and Bowie met for the first time on the morning of the taping on September 11, 1977, at
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of "Peace on Earth/Little
Drummer Boy" which contained both a standard full-length audio version and the full-length music video of the footage from the 1977 Christmas special accessible via
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The recording of "Peace on Earth/Little
Drummer Boy" by Crosby and Bowie is the special's musical highlight and has become a Christmas classic in the
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The single proved to be one of Bowie's fastest-selling singles, having sold 250,000 copies within its first month and being certified silver by the
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The special concludes with Bing alone in the living room wishing the audience "hope and optimism" for the new year followed by the
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first released "Peace on Earth/Little
Drummer Boy" as both a standard 7" single (backed with Bowie's "Fantastic Voyage") and as a
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is surprised to receive a letter from a long-lost relative, Sir
Percival Crosby, inviting the family to spend Christmas in
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It was Crosby's final
Christmas special. Crosby died during principal photography. The special was introduced by his widow
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single edition of "Peace on Earth/Little
Drummer Boy" on red-colored vinyl in the United States, limited to 2,000 copies.
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would turn out to be the second and last posthumous music special CBS would air in 1977, airing nearly two months after
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Twiggy and Mary search the house's attic and find some Crosby family artifacts, and Bing and Twiggy sing "
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single. This first official commercial release of the track peaked at number 3 on the
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Meanwhile, in the library, Bing is surprised to encounter the house's former owner,
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866:"The Story Behind Bowie and Bing's Offbeat Christmas Classic [Video]"
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533:– Charles Dickens/Ebenezer Scrooge/Fagin/Daniel Quilp/Sir Percival Crosby
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Bing Crosby: The
Television Specials – Volume 2: The Christmas Specials
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562:"Where Would You Be Without Me?" – Bing Crosby, Twiggy, and Ron Moody
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421:". Bing introduces David Bowie's music video to his current single "
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as "one of the most successful duets in Christmas music history".
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The Television Specials – Volume 2: The Christmas Specials 2-DVD
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Originally, the song selected for them to sing as a duet was "
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Hudson, the butler; Mrs. Bridges, the cook; and Rose, the maid
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408:), then the trio sing "What Would You Be Without Me?" (from
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The Roar of the Greasepaint – The Smell of the Crowd
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841:"Bing and Bowie: An Odd Story of Holiday Harmony"
699:The track was eventually released as an official
552:"Crosby Ancestry Song" – Bing Crosby and family
521:– Herself/Tiny Tim/The Artful Dodger/Nell Trent
583:" – Bing Crosby, Kathryn Crosby, and Ron Moody
186:, Konigsberg Company, Smith-Hemion Productions
766:The special was taped September 11, 1977, at
539:– Hudson/Mrs. Bridges/Rose/Leslie Townes Hope
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1011:Television shows shot at ATV Elstree Studios
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941:Bing Crosby's Merrie Olde Christmas
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567:Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
419:Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
1006:Television shows written by Buz Kohan
996:ITV (TV network) original programming
586:Trinity Boys Choir Christmas Medley:
324:, (all of whom are impersonations by
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824:Bing Crosby's Merrie Olde Christmas
778:Bing Crosby's Merrie Olde Christmas
649:"Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy"
246:and his family with special guests
232:Bing Crosby's Merrie Olde Christmas
23:Bing Crosby's Merrie Olde Christmas
966:1970s American television specials
900:. AOLRadioBlog.com. Archived from
802:as part of the 2-disc compilation
790:, which was repeated in May 1978.
626:I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
455:I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
14:
655:Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy
557:Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy
341:Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy
281:on November 30, 1977, and in the
264:Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy
16:1977 American television special
784:'s last television appearance,
559:" – Bing Crosby and David Bowie
730:released a special multimedia
1:
976:Christmas television specials
889:Anderson, Sara (2010-10-29).
755:British Phonographic Industry
667:. It has been referred to by
576:" (music video) – David Bowie
798:The special was released on
703:in three different formats:
971:British television specials
308:and their three children –
217:November 30, 1977
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864:Dave Nemetz (2014-11-26).
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569:" – Bing Crosby and Twiggy
354:. They are soon joined by
981:Music television specials
273:and was broadcast in the
961:1977 television specials
743:Collector's Choice Music
1001:ITC Entertainment films
986:CBS television specials
829:Paley Center for Media
678:The Little Drummer Boy
427:album of the same name
405:The Old Curiosity Shop
388:the 1960 stage musical
289:on December 24, 1977.
806:on November 9, 2010.
335:) Percy's neighbour,
328:, of characters from
581:Side by Side by Side
431:Side by Side by Side
392:1968 film adaptation
331:Upstairs, Downstairs
180:Production companies
768:ATV Elstree Studios
726:November 14, 1995:
707:November 27, 1982:
694:ATV Elstree Studios
670:The Washington Post
845:Washingtonpost.com
741:November 9, 2010:
633:Carol of the Bells
542:Trinity Boys Choir
459:Carol of the Bells
240:television special
134:Executive producer
926:at bingcrosby.com
605:Winter Wonderland
481:The Crosby Family
443:Winter Wonderland
378:The Artful Dodger
369:A Christmas Carol
304:. Bing, his wife
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184:ITC Entertainment
121:Original language
111:Country of origin
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787:Elvis in Concert
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507:Nathaniel Crosby
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360:Ebenezer Scrooge
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644:" – Bing Crosby
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717:picture disc
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619:Silver Bells
591:Jingle Bells
497:Harry Crosby
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451:Silver Bells
435:Jingle Bells
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400:Daniel Quilp
383:Oliver Twist
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350:, played by
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172:Running time
167:John Hawkins
61:Harry Crosby
49:Presented by
22:
991:Bing Crosby
745:released a
709:RCA Records
598:Sleigh Ride
525:David Bowie
502:Mary Crosby
487:Bing Crosby
439:Sleigh Ride
425:" from his
337:David Bowie
298:Bing Crosby
252:David Bowie
244:Bing Crosby
83:David Bowie
65:Mary Crosby
53:Bing Crosby
39:Directed by
955:Categories
908:2010-12-17
898:Radio Blog
875:2016-11-13
850:2016-11-13
810:References
794:Home media
762:Production
690:Ian Fraser
396:Nell Trent
235:is a 1977
221:1977-11-30
175:60 minutes
159:Bill Brown
147:Gary Smith
129:Production
101:Ian Fraser
29:Written by
870:Yahoo.com
732:CD single
682:Buz Kohan
531:Ron Moody
527:– Himself
466:swan song
352:Ron Moody
318:Nathaniel
256:Ron Moody
242:starring
237:Christmas
144:Producers
87:Ron Moody
33:Buz Kohan
390:and its
364:Tiny Tim
293:Overview
97:Music by
75:Starring
738:drives.
713:12-inch
457:" and "
306:Kathryn
302:England
219: (
214:Release
196:Network
124:English
747:7-inch
736:CD-ROM
715:vinyl
701:single
574:Heroes
519:Twiggy
423:Heroes
402:(from
380:(from
366:(from
356:Twiggy
248:Twiggy
164:Editor
79:Twiggy
770:near
547:Songs
374:Fagin
310:Harry
946:IMDb
688:and
663:and
476:Cast
453:", "
449:", "
445:", "
441:", "
437:", "
398:and
376:and
362:and
316:and
314:Mary
206:for
944:at
896:AOL
827:at
800:DVD
461:".
414:).
394:),
372:),
287:ITV
285:on
279:CBS
277:on
266:".
208:ITV
204:ATV
200:CBS
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