Peace On Earth / Little Drummer Boy Single UK (1982)

A Christmas Duet For The Ages

Released as a 7-inch and 12-inch vinyl single in the UK on November 26, 1982, on RCA Records (catalogue: BOW 12), David Bowie & Bing Crosby’s “Peace On Earth / Little Drummer Boy” was the legendary 1977 TV duet from Bing Crosby’s Merrie Olde Christmas, finally issued five years after Crosby’s death. Backed with Bowie’s “Fantastic Voyage” from Lodger, this timeless holiday pairing — written by Ian Fraser, Larry Grossman, & Buz Kohan (Peace On Earth) and traditional (Little Drummer Boy) — soared to No. 3 on the Official Singles Chart for 10 weeks. Issued in solid centre, 4-prong push-out centre, promo, and limited 12-inch variants. The ultimate Christmas classic.

This recording initially appeared as a bootleg single, paired with "Heroes," which Bowie also performed on the 30 November 1977 TV special "Bing Crosby's Merrie Olde Christmas." Bowie was hesitant to sing "Little Drummer Boy," so Ian Fraser, songwriter Larry Grossman, and show scriptwriter Buz Kohan arranged the Katherine K. Davis song "Peace on Earth" for Bowie to sing in a duet with Crosby. Bowie and Crosby recorded the duet at Elstree Studios on 11 September 1977. Unfortunately, Crosby passed away shortly before the show was broadcast.

In 1982, RCA released the recording as an official single, including the dialogue and accompanied by a 12" version. The B-side features "Fantastic Voyage" from the "Lodger" album.

Single Overview

Release Details

Label: RCA Records.

Formats: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, Single (solid / 4-prong push-out centre / promo), 12" limited.

7" Vinyl (BOW 12) – all UK pressings

Side A

Peace On Earth / Little Drummer Boy – Executive-Producer: Frank Konigsberg – Producer: Konigsberg Company

Side B

Fantastic Voyage – Producer: David Bowie, Tony Visconti – Written-By: Brian Eno, David Bowie

12" Vinyl (BOWT 12) – limited

Side A

Dialogue (Peace On Earth) + Peace On Earth / Little Drummer Boy (full unedited version)

Side B

Fantastic Voyage

Reissues & Global Variants

- 7", 45 RPM, Single, 4-Prong Push-Out Centre – RCA BOW 12 – UK – 1982

- 7", 45 RPM, Single, Solid Centre – RCA BOW 12 – UK – 1982

- 7", Single, Promo – RCA BOW 12 – UK – 1982

- 12", 45 RPM, Single, Limited Edition – RCA BOWT 12 – UK – 1982

- 7", 45 RPM, Single – RCA – Australia/Belgium/Canada/Germany/Ireland/Japan/Netherlands/New Zealand/Portugal/USA – 1982

Production and Context

Recorded September 11, 1977 for Bing Crosby’s Merrie Olde Christmas. Bowie famously disliked “Little Drummer Boy” and requested the counter-melody “Peace On Earth”. First aired posthumously for Crosby, released 1982 after years of demand.

Official Singles Chart Data

Peak position: 3

10 weeks – November 27, 1982 to January 29, 1983

73 → 39 → 22 → 10 → 3 → 3 → 9 → 46 → 93 → 91

Legacy and Collectibility

“Peace On Earth / Little Drummer Boy” is the definitive Bowie Christmas classic — a duet for the ages. Original UK RCA pressings (solid/4-prong centre) fetch £10–£40 on eBay/Discogs, 12" limited £30–£80. Verify catalogue BOW 12. Streams on Spotify make it a perennial festive No. 1 contender. This single is a must-have for Bowie and Christmas collectors.

Do you have Peace On Earth / Little Drummer Boy in your vinyl stack? Is it the greatest Christmas single ever? Share in the comments!

Sources

Information is drawn from my personal knowledge and supplemented by web sources, including Discogs, 45cat, AllMusic, Rate Your Music, Wikipedia, BBC Official Charts Company, Billboard Chart History and YouTube

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