The 1977 Little Drummer Boy

A year ago today, I came across an article about the 1977 televised performance of the Little Drummer Boy by Bing Crosby and David Bowie. The article was from the December 20, 2006 issue of the Washington Post. One year later, I am drawn to it once again, just as I was when I first saw and heard it performed in 1977. Then I had the feeling of having just witnessed something for all time. The irony of this recording being made on a September 11th cannot escape us. This as Bowie sings the counter tune, a piece of music created only 75 minutes earlier, in which he speculates, "Peace on Earth...can it be?" The significance of Bing Crosby saying, "pretty thing, isn't it" at the end of the piece is evident in the context of him and Bowie having nailed something pretty special with less than an hour of rehearsal; but now we can also see and listen to it in the light of it being a timeless classic! This from the 1977 Christmas special, "Bing Crosby's Merrie Olde Christmas." From Grouses' Grail, Seasons Greetings everyone!