Carrie Underwood's holiday TV special last week was supposed to feature a duet between her and fellow American Idol champ David Cook on the Van Halen song "Why Can't This Be Love." The two had taped the duet and both had talked about it in the press -- but when the special aired, it was nowhere to be seen. Now, LiveDaily.com reports that it was VAN HALEN's refusal to grant permission to use the song that started all the trouble. 

LiveDaily.com reports that the show's producers, quote, "did not believe the initial rejection" that they got from the Van Halen camp, and figured they'd be able to work out the legal and financial issues later -- so they went ahead and had Carrie and David tape the song. But those issues were never able to be resolved, so the duet is now lying on the cutting room floor somewhere.

David and Carrie did duet back in February at the opening of the American Idol Experience attraction in Disney World, singing FLEETWOOD MAC's "Go Your Own Way."