David Bowie
Let’s Dance
EMI Records
1983
In a week of everyone sharing David Bowie memories, here’s my favorite Bowie LP. It’s not the favorite of the critics or many fans. But it’s top of my list due to the the album’s guitarist: Stevie Ray Vaughan!
David Bowie and Bing Crosby
Peace on Earth / Little Drummer Boy
1977, released 1982
RCA Records
Surreal television. Weird team-up in entertainment. Perfect musical moment.
In 1977 glam rocker David Bowie appeared as a guest on Bing’s long-running annual Christmas TV special, and they sang a duet after an awkward scripted setup. The song was a medley of “Peace On Earth” with the standard “Little Drummer Boy”.
Bing died a month after this was recorded, and a month prior to the airing of the TV special. The song was finally released as a single in 1982. Also that year, MTV added the clip to its rotation as a stand-alone video.
After decades of forgettable holiday TV specials and variety shows with uninspired duets with artists from different genres, this performance stands out. At first you may think it’s due to the shock factor of the pairing: it’s the tiny point on the Venn Diagram where The Golden Age of Hollywood overlaps with Modern Rock. But shock value alone doesn’t hold it up this long. Two great voices do.
I give full credit to the National Coffee Association for my coffee addiction, and maybe for yours too. Back in 1983-1984, this spot played on MTV constantly. I must have seen it 1000 times.
Because you know, “coffee calms you down and picks you.” And who didn’t want to be a Mover and Shaker like icons of Generation X such David Bowie, Ken Anderson, and (what?) Kurt Vonnegut…
I don’t know about Movers but they definitely made Shakers out of us.
Some call this surreal television. Some call it the weirdest moment in entertainment. To me it’s just a perfect musical moment.
Tomorrow marks the 35th anniversary of the airing of the Bing Crosby’s last Christmas special. In 1977 glam rocker David Bowie appeared as a guest and sang a duet with Bing. The song was a medley of the new song “Peace On Earth” with the standard “Little Drummer Boy”.
Bing died a month after this was recorded, and a month prior to the airing of this TV special. Then the song was released as a single in 1982. Also that year, MTV added the clip to its rotation as a stand-alone video.
After decades of forgettable holiday TV specials and variety shows with duets with artists from varying genres, this one performance stands out from all others. At first you may think it’s due to how odd this pairing is: it’s the tiny point on the Venn Diagram where The Golden Age of Hollywood overlaps with Modern Rock. Shock value doesn’t hold it up for 35 years; two great voices do.
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