Bowie’s mom had a hand in making the collab happen.
This article originally appeared on PEOPLE.COM.
The clip usually pops up around Christmas every year as part of All-Things-Bowie Internet round-ups, and thats that.
Credit: GAB Archive/Redferns
But what sparked this collaboration?
In a roundabout way, Bowies mom.
In 2014,Merrie Olde Christmaswriters Larry Grossman and Buz Kohan remembered the circumstances behind the collaboration.
He said, I wont sing that song.
I hate that song… Im doing this show because my mother loves Bing Crosby.
It all happened rather rapidly.
Bowie loved the resulting melody, called Peace on Earth, and the rest was history.
Bowie was 30 when the collaboration happened; Crosby, who would die a month later, was 73.
Crosbys daughter Mary remembered Bowies arrival on-set very clearly.
The doors opened and David walked in with his wife, she told theAssociated Pressin 2014.
We were thinking, Oh my God.
You could see them both collectively relax and then magic was made.
Nathaniel Crosby suspected some strings were pulled behind the scenes to ease the transition.
It almost didnt happen, he told the AP.
I think the producers told him to take the lipstick off and take the earring out.
