An Unlikely Duet Becomes A Classic

I grew up watching Bing Crosby Christmas specials... and without a doubt, this was the oddest duet he ever did.  It's also the only one many of us remember.

It was 1977.  And somehow David Bowie (Space Oddity, Ziggy Stardust... yes, THAT David Bowie) had been booked to be on the Bing Crosby Christmas show.  

But there was a problem.

David Bowie refused to sing "Little Drummer Boy" with Bing... so the writers made some quick changes that led to a Christmas classic.

It was Bing's last Christmas special.  It aired a month after he died of a heart attack.  

Here's a little bit of the behind-the-scenes with the writers---