A Charlie Brown Christmas

Product Information

Instrumentals: “Christmastime is Here,” “Skating,” “Christmas is Coming,” “Linus and Lucy” by Vince Guaraldi; “Fur Elise” by Ludwig von Beethoven; “The Christmas Song” by Bob Wells and Mel Torme; “O Tannenbaum” by Ernst Anschutz; “What Child is This?” by Katherine Caldecott Davis. Voices: Peter Robbins (Charlie Brown), Christopher Shea (Linus), Tracy Stratford (Lucy); Bill Melendez (Snoopy); Ann Altieri (Frieda); Chris Doran (Shermy, Schroeder); Karen Mendelson (Patty); Geoffrey Ornstein (Pig Pen); Kathy Steinberg (Sally). The Super Deluxe Edition offers fans an unparalleled deep dive into all aspects of A Charlie Brown Christmas—placing listeners in the studio as the musicians work through their arrangements. Disc one features the new stereo mix of the album, plus the original remastered 1965 mix, while disc two through four offer more than 50 never-before-heard outtakes from five recording sessions, as Guaraldi and his bandmates craft cues like “Christmas Is Coming” and “Skating. ” Disc five delivers the new stereo mix in hi-resolution audio, as well as Dolby Atmos® on Blu-ray audio. Another favorite is “Christmas Time Is Here, ” which is presented on the original album in both instrumental and vocal versions. Initially, the song was written as an instrumental cue. But when Mendelson saw the opening sequence paired with the music, it seemed like something was missing. “I felt we should get some lyrics, and some voices,” Mendelson told Bang. “We couldn’t find anybody to write the lyrics, and I called all my Hollywood friends who were songwriters. But nobody took the assignment, so I sat down, and in about 10 minutes wrote the words to ‘Christmas Time Is Here’ on an envelope.” Listeners will also hear Guaraldi putting his own touch on traditional fare, like “Greensleeves” and “O Tannenbaum.” Bang points out that one of the latter song’s outtakes actually appeared in the animated special, “immediately after Linus tells us ‘what Christmas is all about,’ as Charlie Brown exits the school theater carrying his forlorn little tree.” An outtake of “Linus and Lucy, ” which became the instantly recognizable PEANUTS® theme, finds Guaraldi taking a fresh approach with the tune, which was first released in 1964 on Jazz Impressions of a Boy Named Charlie Brown. It was this earlier version, however, that ultimately appeared on A Charlie Brown Christmas.

Yet, while many fans of Guaraldi and PEANUTS ® are well acquainted with the history of the special, the story of how the music was actually made has never been told, until now. Thanks to the dialogue captured on these session tapes, Guaraldi’s creative process—as he worked alongside Mendelson and director Bill Melendez to craft the festive score—finally comes to light.

The five sessions featured in the Super Deluxe box set (captured at the Bay Area’s Fantasy Studios and Studio 16, as well as Southern California’s Whitney Recording Studio) are presented in their entirety, including blown takes and cross-chatter between the members of Guaraldi’s trio (bassist Monty Budwig and drummer Colin Bailey for many of them, as well as bassist Fred Marshall and drummer Jerry Granelli for others). Side One: O Tannenbaum; What Child Is This; My Little Drum; Linus And Lucy; Christmas Time Is Here (instrumental)

Side Two: Christmas Time Is Here (vocal); Skating; Hark, The Herald Angels Sing; Christmas Is Coming; Fur Elise; The Christmas Song; Greensleeves Craft Recordings has done a superior job in re-mastering A Charlie Brown Christmas to 180-gram vinyl. The overall sound mix is pristine and balanced. Vinyl enthusiasts will be wildly enthusiastic about the optical-illusory “dancing” lenticular album cover. The liner notes by iconic San Francisco Chronicle music critic Ralph J. Gleason read like an essay. This is a trend-setting part of musical history that belongs in everyone’s collection. Additional Dialogue: Arrin Skelley (Charlie Brown); Michelle Muller (Lucy), Daniel Anderson (Linus). Selected items are only available for delivery via the Royal Mail 48® service and other items are available for delivery using this service for a charge. Songs: “Christmastime is Here” by Vince Guaraldi and Lee Mendelson; “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” by Charles Wesley.Producers: Jymn Magon, Lee Mendelson. Writers: Charles M. Schulz, Jymn Magon. Music: Vince Guaraldi. Choir Director: Barrett Mineah. Vince Guaraldi Trio – A Charlie Brown Christmas – Fantasy Records F-8431 (1965)/Craft Recordings (2020) 180-gram stereo vinyl Limited Lenticular Edition, 40:25 *****: Charlie Brown Records (Buena Vista Records) #3701 (Mono / 12” 33 1/3 RPM LP with Book / 1977 / 21 minutes) Buena Vista’s Charlie Brown Records line enjoying a long and successful run on store shelves but were eventually eclipsed by home video (which offered the shows themselves) and the shift from vinyl to compact disc.