Bing Crosby - Little Drummer Boy / Peace On Earth Lyrics

Bing Crosby, David Bowie - Peace On Earth / Little Drummer Boy

Little Drummer Boy / Peace On Earth Song Meaning, Biblical Reference and Inspiration

The video featuring Bing Crosby and David Bowie performing "Peace On Earth / Little Drummer Boy," released on October 14, 2022, captures a historic and unique musical collaboration. Originally recorded for Crosby's 1977 television Christmas special, the segment pairs the traditional Christmas staple "Little Drummer Boy" with a newly composed counterpoint melody and lyrics titled "Peace On Earth." This structure allows for a blend of the familiar Nativity narrative with contemporary reflections on hope and the future.

The background of this duet is notable for bringing together two artists from vastly different musical eras and styles. Accounts from the time suggest that David Bowie found the traditional "Little Drummer Boy" not entirely to his liking for a duet. To accommodate this, a new song, "Peace On Earth," was written specifically for him to sing in counterpoint to Crosby's delivery of "Little Drummer Boy." This creative solution resulted in a complex and layered arrangement that highlights the vocal styles of both performers while weaving together distinct lyrical themes.

The lyrics provided demonstrate the interwoven nature of the song. Phrases from "Little Drummer Boy" such as "Come, they told me," "Our newborn King to see," and "Our finest gifts we bring" are present, often delivered alongside lines from "Peace On Earth." The core message of "Peace On Earth" as presented in the lyrics focuses on the yearning for global peace, asking "Peace on Earth, can it be?" It contemplates the possibility of seeing a "day of glory" when "men of good will live in peace again," framing this hope as something potentially for future generations to witness.

Furthermore, the "Peace On Earth" section emphasizes the role of children in achieving this future peace. The lyrics state, "Every child must be made aware, every child must be made to care," suggesting that cultivating empathy and a desire for the welfare of others from a young age is crucial. This theme culminates in a personal prayer for this wish to come true for "my child and your child too," directly linking the hope for universal peace to the future happiness and security of the next generation.

The combined work creates a dialogue between the humble gift presented at the Nativity, as recounted in "Little Drummer Boy," and a broader, more aspirational plea for worldwide harmony. The inclusion of lines referencing the Little Drummer Boy's presence ("little baby," "I stood beside him there," "I played my drum for him") alongside the prayers for peace underscores the continuity of hope and the desire for a better world, rooted in the spirit of the Christmas story. The theme of peace on earth resonates strongly with the message of goodwill brought by the Nativity event described in scripture, where the birth of the King is accompanied by tidings of peace.