The iconic Christmas video of Bing Crosby and David Bowie singing the Christmas classic “Little Dummer Boy/Peace on Earth” is priceless on so many levels. Because in a single video, you have several amazing things going on. For example, you see two cross-genre singing music legends teaming up to deliver a heartwarming Christmas duet. Plus, their version has become a staple Christmas song in many households around the world. And the hilarious, stunted banter between the two just adds to the videos re-watchable entertainment value for years to come. Seriously, this video checks all the boxes for what makes a true classic.
In fact, the video is so iconic that years ago, actors Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly made a remake of the video, copying every scene word-for-word and shot-for-shot. When you finish watching the original, make sure to the hilarious parody, it will leave you in stitches! The video was created as part of a narrative film titled “Bing Crosby’s Merrie Olde Christmas.” It follows a story where Bing Crosby spends his Christmas holiday in England after discovering that a distant relative by the name of Sir Percival Crosby had sent him and his family an invitation to spend Christmas at his manor.
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Another thing that makes this video such a treasure is the fact that it was released only a few weeks after Crosby’s passing.
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There are plenty of memorable moments in the video. For example, in the story, Bowie doesn’t even know he Bing Crosby is when he arrives.
Bowie- “Hello, are you the new butler?”
Bing- “It’s been a long time since I’ve been the new anything”
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Then, Bowie finally introduces himself and includes some witty banter, and then it’s Crosby’s turn.
Bowie- “Are you related to Sir Percival?
Bing- “Well distantly”
Bowie- “Oh you’re not the poor relation from America?”
Bing- “Gee news sure travels fast doesn’t it? I’m Bing”
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This line may come across as a bit rude, but Crosby plays it off well as a joke.
Bowie- “You’re the one who sings, right?”
Bing- “Well, right or wrong, I sing either way”
Their corny banter is pure comedic gold! After a bit more witty repartee, the duo starts discussing the topic of Christmas. Bowie mentions that his six-old son adores Chrismas, and Crosby asks if his family celebrates traditional Christmas traditions.
Bowie- “Oh yeah most of them really, presents, tree, decorations, agents sliding down the chimney”
Bing- “What?”
Bowie- “I was just seeing if you’re paying attention”
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This video just delivers wall-to-wall laughs, and that’s just the warm-up because when the two men start singing, it’s truly something magical.
There’s an excellent chance you’ve already heard this song somewhere; maybe you own a copy of it. But, watching the video makes it feel even more special. It’s so beautiful to see two music legends singing side-by-side with both completely complimenting the other’s style.
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Back in those times, this video was really a big deal, as Bowie was looked at as being much more contemporary than Crosby in 1977, the year it was released. You, see the two artist appealed to very different audiences, the younger crowd loved Bowie and the older generation loved Crosby. This was thought to be an unusual collaboration in those days. A modern comparison would be something like Josh Groban and Lada Gaga. However, in this case, it worked out brilliantly.
However, this song is a cornerstone of millions of Christmas playlists for a good reason.
You can watch the full video below.
Source: Shareably