The Beagle Scout flies again!

The Beagle Scout Snoopy balloon will return to this year’s Macy’s 98th Annual Thanksgiving Parade.

The parade will air live from 8:30 a.m. until 12 p.m. ET/PT on Thursday, Nov. 28. It will begin on Manhattan's Upper West Side, and conclude at Macy's Herald Square flagship store. The parade broadcast also will stream on Peacock, with an encore on NBC at 2 p.m. ET/PT.

The 55-foot tall Beagle Scout Snoopy wears his red Scout tie and green backpack; his pal Woodstock rides on his hat, to join the festivities. This balloon debuted to honor 2023’s 50th anniversary of the first appearance of Beagle Scouts in the Peanuts newspaper strip.

Snoopy continues to be the longest-running character in the parade’s history.  He started in 1968 as the Flying Ace; this was followed by an Astronaut, Ice Skater, Ice Skater with Woodstock, Millenium Snoopy, an updated Flying Ace, Snoopy and Woodstock, an updated Astronaut, and now (again) Beagle Scout with Woodstock. 

The new Snoopy balloon will be joined by a Peanuts float: Camp Snoopy, with Woodstock and friends perched on top of their tent, on the lookout for some wild turkeys.  This will be the sixth version of the Peanuts float; the first was way back in 1967!

If you want even more Beagle Scout fun following the parade, season 1 of Camp Snoopy is available via subscription on Apple TV+. 

Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown soundtrack to be released January 17, 2025

You'll love this news - on January 17, 2025, Lee Mendelson Film Productions will release Vince Guaraldi's complete soundtrack to the 1975 Peanuts animated special Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown, just in time for the 50th anniversary of the show.

Coming on CD, black vinyl, two colored vinyl variants, and digitally, the album will feature 30 tracks - 22 cues from the show, plus 8 alternate takes and mixes - and will be 42 minutes long in total.

Physical releases will include liner notes by producers Sean Mendelson and Jason Mendelson, plus Guaraldi historian Derrick Bang.

A few Be My Valentine tracks have appeared previously on compilation albums, but this is the first time the entire score will be available; most of it has never been released before.

Taken from the original recording session tapes, the music has been newly mastered and mixed in clear stereo sound. You can hear a few short previews on Soundcloud here.

Click here for purchase and streaming links to select stores and services (the album is available from many other retailers and digital services as well).

The album will be available on CD and regular black vinyl from all retailers.  If you need something special for your vinyl-loving sweet babboo, the two colored vinyl variants of the Be My Valentine album will be a 'Heartburn Red", exclusive to independent record stores, and "Puppy Love Pink", available exclusively from Barnes & Noble.  (Note that the link to independent record stores is not necessarily a complete list; check with your local store to see if they have the version of the album you want!)

Like this fall's You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown LPs, the Be My Valentine LP releases will be "BioVinyl," made from recycled cooking oil and industrial waste instead of raw petroleum, and the packaging will once again be made from sustainably forested trees and compostable plastic wrapping.

You can read the full press release with more details on the Lee Mendelson Film Productions website.

Here's the track list for the upcoming Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown soundtrack album:

Show Score

1. Heartburn Waltz
2. Heartburn Waltz (Reprise)
3. Linus and Lucy
4. Valentine Interlude #1 / Heartburn Waltz (2nd Reprise)
5. Piano Sonata No. 20 in G Major, Op. 49 No. 2 - 1. Allegro ma non troppo (by Ludwig van Beethoven)
6. Heartburn Waltz (3rd Reprise)
7. Linus and Lucy (Reprise)
8. Paw Pet Overture
9. Freddie's Mood (Nocturne in E Flat Major, Op. 9 No. 2, by Frederic Chopin)
10. Heartburn Waltz (4th Reprise)
11. Never Again
12. Music Box Dance (Minuet in G Major, BWV Anh. 116, by Johann Sebastian Bach)
13. Woodstock's Mambo
14. Heartburn Waltz (5th Reprise)
15. Jennie L.
16. Heartburn Waltz (6th Reprise)
17. Valentine Interlude #2 / Heartburn Waltz (7th Reprise)
18. There's Been a Change
19. Woodstock's Revenge
20. Charlie Brown's Wake-Up
21. Heartburn Waltz (8th Reprise)
22. Freddie's Mood (Show Version)

Bonus Tracks

23. Heartburn Waltz (Bonus Mix)
24. Jennie L. (Alternate Take)
25. Heartburn Waltz (Alternate Take)
26. Woodstock's Mambo (Bonus Mix)
27. Heartburn Waltz (Reprise) (Bonus Mix)
28. There's Been a Change (Alternate Take)
29. Heartburn Waltz (5th Reprise) (Bonus Mix)
30. Last Call for Love

Next year is the 75th anniversary of the Peanuts comic strip, and this new album gets things off to an excellent start!

It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown streams free on Apple TV+ this weekend (Oct 19-20, 2024)

Don't forget that the free streaming window for It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown on streaming service Apple TV+ is this weekend only, Saturday, October 19 and Sunday, October 20, 2024.

The classic Peanuts special will not be on over-the-air television this year.

So if watching the "broadcast" of It's the Great Pumpkin is a yearly event in your house, be sure to get ready to fire the stream up.

To stream the special for free, you don't need an Apple device. The Apple TV+ app is available for a variety of streaming devices such as Roku and Amazon Fire TV, and on several different smart TV brands. You can also watch using a web browser on any computer by going to tv.apple.com . See this Apple support page for a more detailed list of supported devices and how to watch.

You won't need to subscribe to Apple TV+, but you will need to either have or create an Apple ID to sign in and watch. After you sign in, search for the name of the special if you don't see it right away.

Of course, if you're an Apple TV+ subscriber, you can watch the show at any time, on any day. It's already #2 on Apple's Top Chart as of October 17!

Also, remember that the complete Vince Guaraldi soundtrack for It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown was released a couple of years ago.  It's still available to buy on CD or LP (including a pumpkin-shaped LP!), or stream on your favorite music service.  (Be aware there were two releases of this soundtrack - you want the superior one from 2022 that is labelled "Original Soundtrack Recording".)

It's the Great Pumpkin and other Peanuts holiday specials will stream free on Apple TV+ in 2024

Apple has announced that the big three Peanuts holiday specials - It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown; A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving; and A Charlie Brown Christmas - will once again be available for everyone to stream for free, without a subscription, for a short period before each holiday this year.

The free streaming window is just 2 days for each show, but it's better than no free option at all.

The free streaming dates for 2024 are:

• It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown - Saturday, October 19 & Sunday, October 20, 2024
• A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving - Saturday, November 23 & Sunday, November 24, 2024
• A Charlie Brown Christmas - Saturday, December 14 & Sunday, December 15, 2024

To watch the specials for free, you don't need an Apple device. The Apple TV+ app is also available for a variety of streaming devices such as Roku and Amazon Fire, and on several different smart TV brands. You can also watch using a web browser on any computer by going to tv.apple.com . See this Apple support page for a more detailed list of supported devices and how to watch.

You won't need to subscribe to Apple TV+, but you will need to either have or create an Apple ID to sign in and watch. After you sign in, search for the name of the special if you don't see it right away.

(Of course, if you're already an Apple TV+ subscriber, you can watch the specials at any time, on any day.)

As has been the case since 2022, there will be no over-the-air broadcast of the Peanuts specials this year.  The shows remain available to purchase on DVD and Blu-ray.

And don't forget that thanks to the hard work of our friends at Lee Mendelson Film Productions, you can now stream or buy the wonderful Vince Guaraldi soundtracks for all three holiday specials on CD, LP, or digital!

You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown soundtrack to be released September 6, 2024

Here's election season news that everyone will be happy to hear: a new album with the complete Vince Guaraldi soundtrack for the 1972 Peanuts television special You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown will be released on CD, vinyl, and digital on Friday, September 6, 2024, courtesy of the good folks at Lee Mendelson Film Productions.

Most of this soundtrack is previously unreleased - a few tracks appeared previously on compilation albums, but this is the first time the full score from the show will be available, joined by nine bonus tracks of alternate takes.

The music from You're Not Elected features a variety of styles, with new variations of classic themes, some 1970's funk, a dixieland jazz version of the show's title track, and an extended version of the signature "Joe Cool" song, featuring Vince Guaraldi on vocals. All in excellent, crystal clear stereo sound.

You can listen to four sample tracks on Soundcloud here.

Three physical releases of the soundtrack will be available: a CD; a regular black vinyl LP, available at all retailers; and a "Woodstock Yellow" vinyl LP, exclusive to Independent record stores (see here).

All include detailed liner notes from co-producer Sean Mendelson and Guaraldi historian Derrick Bang.

The album will also be available on all streaming services and as a digital download for purchase.

Click here for purchase and streaming links to select stores and services (and the album is available from many other retailers and digital services as well).

The LPs are special in another way - they are made from "BioVinyl," made from recycled cooking oil and industrial waste. Chemically the end result is the exactly the same, so the records sound just as good and are just as durable as traditional vinyl, but they start from recycled material instead of new raw petroleum. Plus, the paper sleeve and booklet are made from sustainably forested trees, and even the plastic wrapping for the LP is made from compostable material.

You can read the full press release with more details about the music and packaging on the Lee Mendelson Film Productions website.

And be sure to check out the terrific interview about the You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown album from Cereal at Midnight, where producers Sean and Jason Mendelson are joined by bassist Seward McCain, who worked with Vince Guaraldi on the You're Not Elected soundtrack and many other 1970's Peanuts specials.  Watch it on YouTube, or listen to the audio-only version.

You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown is the latest in a series of new Peanuts soundtrack releases. Vote for Vince Guaraldi by purchasing this album - if you've enjoyed his other Peanuts music, you'll surely like this too!

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In related news, if you're a collector of colored vinyl variants, last year's A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving soundtrack album is being released in three new exclusive versions on October 18, 2024:

• A picture disc from Barnes & Noble, featuring two scenes from the special
• A "turkey tan" vinyl from Target
• A "purple jelly bean" color available only from independent record stores

All of them look pretty cool, but note that the musical content is exactly the same as last year's album release - the only difference is the appearance of the LP.

The regular CD, black vinyl, and digital releases of A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving also remain available.

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Here's the full track list for the new You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown soundtrack album:

Show Score

1. Incumbent Waltz

2. You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown

3. Oh, Good Grief!

4. Cookin' Snoopy (Fast Piano Jazz)

5. Blue Charlie Brown

6. Incumbent Waltz (Reprise)

7. Linus And Lucy / Poor Charlie Brown

8. Joe Cool (Vocal)

9. Incumbent Waltz (2nd Reprise)

10. Elect Linus (Dilemma) / Woodstock's Wake Up

11. Joe Cool (Unused Reprise)

12. Oh, Good Grief! (Reprise)

13. Deserted Charlie Brown

14. You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown (Reprise)

15. Linus And Lucy (Reprise)

16. You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown (2nd Reprise - End Credits)

Bonus Content

17. Joe Cool (Alternate Take 1)

18. Joe Cool (Alternate Rehearsal Take)

19. Blue Charlie Brown (Alternate Take 1)

20. African Sleigh Ride (Bonus)

21. Cookin' Snoopy (Fast Piano Jazz - Alternate Take 1, 2. & 3)

22. Incumbent Waltz (2nd Reprise Alternate Take 1)

23. Incumbent Waltz (2nd Reprise Alternate Take 3)

24, Incumbent Waltz (Unused Cue)

25. Linus And Lucy (Acoustic Piano Mix)

The Beagle Scouts star in Camp Snoopy, coming June 14, 2024 on Apple TV+

Stock up on your marshmallows and roasting sticks... the Beagle Scouts will be featured in Camp Snoopy, the latest Peanuts show from the subscription service Apple TV+.

Premiering June 14, 2024, Snoopy and his little bird friends, along with Charlie Brown and the rest of the gang, will have an "adventure-filled summer outdoors" in 13 episodes, each 21 minutes long.

Apple's description of the show:

After discovering their troop is in danger of disbanding, Snoopy and the Beagle Scouts set off to immerse themselves in nature and the Great Outdoors to earn their badges, with the Beagle Scout Manual as their guide. Meanwhile, Charlie Brown and friends enjoy their summer at Camp Spring Lake, crossing paths with Snoopy as they experience hiking, swimming, sitting around campfires and everything summer camp and the outdoors have to offer.

You can watch the trailer for Camp Snoopy on Youtube.

For more information about Apple TV+, including how to watch and subscribe, visit tv.apple.com and this Apple support page.

It Was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown soundtrack wide release coming July 5, 2024

Initially released as a limited edition "camp green" vinyl release on Record Store Day in April (see earlier post), Lee Mendelson Film Productions has announced that Vince Guaraldi's complete soundtrack to the 1969 Peanuts animated special It Was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown will receive a wide release on July 5, 2024.

The album will be available in multiple formats - CD, digital, a regular black vinyl (available at all retailers), and a Record Store Day Indie Exclusive "summer night blue" vinyl.

The CD, digital, and black vinyl are available to pre-order now from Amazon and other retailers, and the RSD Indie Exclusive is pre-orderable from record stores.

(The blue vinyl is a limited edition, so if you're interested in it, you should make your order sooner rather than later.  The green variant sold out quickly.)

Update July 5: the CD, digital, and summer blue vinyl are available on the release date as expected; the black vinyl has been delayed a few weeks due to production delays.  But it's definitely still coming!

The album's 31 tracks are the complete original recording of Guaraldi's score from the special, plus six bonus alternate takes. This is the first time the score has been available (outside of last month's RSD exclusive).

In It Was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown and the gang recount their time at summer camp, where the "boys camp" and "girls camp" compete against each other in swimming, softball, and other events. After several poor showings, the boys get out their secret weapon - the "Masked Marvel" - to battle Lucy in an arm-wrestling contest.

The soundtrack features the first appearance of Vince Guaraldi's distinctive "Masked Marvel" theme, together with swinging new takes on familiar established Peanuts musical themes, performed by a larger jazz combo than in most other Peanuts TV specials.

The tracks are mastered from the original session tapes and sound terrific. You can stream three sample tracks here.

Physical copies of the album include liner notes with track-by-track analysis by Guaraldi historian Derrick Bang, and notes from Sean Mendelson and Jason Mendelson, sons of Peanuts special producer Lee Mendelson and co-producers of the record.

The full track list is below; you can find the full press release and additional details on the Mendelson Productions website.

If you'd like more background about the It Was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown soundtrack, check out these two new interviews with Jason and Sean Mendelson: WCB Jazz Vinyl and Cereal at Midnight (the latter is also available as a podcast).

It may be a long summer for us while we wait for this release to come out - but it'll be worth it to have another complete, new Peanuts soundtrack in our hands!

It Was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown track list:

A1. Charlie Brown Theme
A2. Linus And Lucy
A3. It Was A Short Summer, Charlie Brown
A4. Oh, Good Grief!
A5. You’re In Love, Charlie Brown
A6. Schroeder
A7. Bus Blues / Bus Blues (Reprise)
A8. It Was A Short Summer, Charlie Brown (Reprise)
A9. Frieda (With The Naturally Curly Hair)
A10. Oh, Good Grief! (Reprise)
A11. Come And Get It / Hash / Hash With Horn / Am Break / Tah Dah
A12. Bon Voyage
A13. Peppermint Patty
A14. Love Will Come (Nova Bossa)
A15. He’s Your Dog, Charlie Brown

B1. Pebble Beach
B2. You’re In Love, Charlie Brown (Reprise)
B3. He’s Your Dog, Charlie Brown (Reprise)
B4. Masked Marvel
B5. Air Music
B6. Masked Marvel (Reprise) / Masked Marvel (2Nd Reprise)
B7. You’re In Love, Charlie Brown (2Nd Reprise)
B8. Linus And Lucy (Reprise)
B9. Oh, Good Grief! (2Nd Reprise)
B10. Charlie Brown Theme (Reprise)
B11. It Was A Short Summer, Charlie Brown (2Nd Reprise)

Bonus Content:
B12. Linus And Lucy (Alternate)
B13. Working On “It Was A Short Summer, Charlie Brown”
B14. Bus Blues (Alternate)
B15. Pebble Beach (Alternate)
B16. Masked Marvel (Alternate)
B17. Linus And Lucy (Reprise Alternate)

It Was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown soundtrack vinyl for Record Store Day 2024

Following on the success of last year's A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving album, Lee Mendelson Film Productions has announced the release of another classic Vince Guaraldi Peanuts soundtrack.

It Was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown will be issued on an exclusive "camp green" vinyl LP for Record Store Day on April 20, 2024.

The original soundtrack recording for this special has never been available before, and this album contains six bonus tracks as well.

If you missed the "camp green" vinyl, the album is receiving a wide release in more formats on July 5, 2024.  It will be available on CD, digital, and black vinyl; plus also a "summer night blue" vinyl only available from independent record stores.  See this blog post for more details.

Here's the full press release:

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Available for the first time ever!

Vince Guaraldi’s complete soundtrack for 1969's It Was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown

Limited release in celebration of the special's 55th anniversary

Available exclusively on "Camp Green" Vinyl (12-inch, 45 RPM) 

for Record Store Day, April 20th

    “This entire score is can’t-be-played-often-enough ear candy. It’s as fresh and vibrant today — and as swinging — as when it was laid down 55 years ago: yet another captivating display of Guaraldi’s compositional genius and keyboard wizardry. Summer never sounded so sweet.”

— From the liner notes by Derrick Bang, Author, Vince Guaraldi at the Piano

Stream sample tracks from It Was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown

Lee Mendelson Film Productions (LMFP) is thrilled to announce the release of Vince Guaraldi's soundtrack to It Was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown, the sixth animated Peanuts special, from writer/creator Charles Schulz, director Bill Melendez and producers Melendez and Lee Mendelson. The special originally aired on CBS-TV on September 27, 1969, and currently can be streamed on Apple TV+.

 

The album includes the original recordings that comprise the special's song cues, plus six bonus and alternative tracks that never have been released or heard before.

Guaraldi lovingly created the soundtrack for the summer camp adventure that finds Charlie Brown and his gang facing off against the girls’ camp members, led by Peppermint Patty. The album's large jazz combo also delivers the best rendition of Guaraldi's classic tune, “Love Will Come (Nova Bossa),” and features his first use of additional percussion supplied by Victor Feldman.

 

The recording features Guaraldi (piano), Monty Budwig (double bass), Jack Sperling (drums), Conti and Pete Candoli (trumpet), Frank Rosolino (trombone), Feldman (percussion), Herb Ellis (guitar), William Hood and Peter Christlieb (woodwinds), with John Scott Trotter as orchestra leader. The album was produced by Sean and Jason Mendelson, sons of Peanuts producer Lee Mendelson, and restored and re-mastered by Vinson Hudson.

 

The album will be available exclusively at participating retail outlets starting April 20, 2024, as part of Record Store Day. Store locations and additional information is available at recordstoreday.com. 

 

The 12" 45 RMP LP will come in "camp green" and includes liner notes and a track-by-track analysis by Derrick Bang (author of Vince Guaraldi at the Piano) and Sean Mendelson (son of Peanuts producer Lee Mendelson and album co-producer).  The package also boasts images from the special, and of the recently re-discovered original tape boxes (which led to this release).  

 

For an extended version of the press release and more information, click here. 

Track list:

A1. CHARLIE BROWN THEME

A2. LINUS AND LUCY

A3. IT WAS A SHORT SUMMER, CHARLIE BROWN

A4. OH, GOOD GRIEF!

A5. YOU’RE IN LOVE, CHARLIE BROWN

A6. SCHROEDER

A7. BUS BLUES / BUS BLUES (REPRISE)

A8. IT WAS A SHORT SUMMER, CHARLIE BROWN (REPRISE)

A9. FRIEDA (WITH THE NATURALLY CURLY HAIR)

A10. OH, GOOD GRIEF! (REPRISE)

A11. COME AND GET IT / HASH / HASH WITH HORN / AM BREAK / TAH DAH 

A12. BON VOYAGE

A13. PEPPERMINT PATTY

A14. LOVE WILL COME (NOVA BOSSA)

A15. HE’S YOUR DOG, CHARLIE BROWN

B1. PEBBLE BEACH

B2. YOU’RE IN LOVE, CHARLIE BROWN (REPRISE)

B3. HE’S YOUR DOG, CHARLIE BROWN (REPRISE)

B4. MASKED MARVEL

B5. AIR MUSIC

B6. MASKED MARVEL (REPRISE) / MASKED MARVEL (2ND REPRISE) 

B7. YOU’RE IN LOVE, CHARLIE BROWN (2ND REPRISE)

B8. LINUS AND LUCY (REPRISE)

B9. OH, GOOD GRIEF! (2ND REPRISE)

B10. CHARLIE BROWN THEME (REPRISE)

B11. IT WAS A SHORT SUMMER, CHARLIE BROWN (2ND REPRISE) 

Bonus content:

B12. LINUS AND LUCY (ALTERNATE)

B13. WORKING ON “IT WAS A SHORT SUMMER, CHARLIE BROWN” 

B14. BUS BLUES (ALTERNATE)

B15. PEBBLE BEACH (ALTERNATE)

B16. MASKED MARVEL (ALTERNATE)

B17. LINUS AND LUCY (REPRISE ALTERNATE)

 

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Most excellent news - and remember, good sales of this album will make more soundtrack releases likely in the future.

Demand for Record Store Day exclusives can be high, and usually you must go to the store in person to get them - so plan accordingly for April 20!

New Peanuts special Welcome Home, Franklin debuts February 16, 2024 on Apple TV+

On Friday, February 16, 2024, the subscription streaming service Apple TV+ will premiere the new Peanuts special Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin. The description of the special from Apple's press release is:

The origin story for one of Peanuts’ most beloved characters, the special follows Franklin as he moves to a new town and navigates new friendships. Franklin’s family is always on the move with his dad’s military job, and everywhere he goes Franklin finds support in a notebook filled with his grandfather’s advice on friendship. But when Franklin tries his usual strategies with the Peanuts gang, he has trouble fitting in. That’s until he learns about the neighborhood Soap Box Derby race – according to his grandfather, everyone loves a winner! He’s sure that winning the race will also mean winning over some new friends. All he needs is a partner, which he finds in Charlie Brown. Franklin and Charlie Brown work together to build a car and in the process become good buddies. But as the race nears, the pressure mounts – can their car and their newfound friendship make it to the finish line?

You can watch the trailer for the show at YouTube.

Welcome Home, Franklin was co-written by Robb Armstrong, author of the JumpStart comic strip, together with Craig Schulz, Bryan Schulz and Cornelus Uliano (the team behind 2015's The Peanuts Movie).

Robb Armstrong has a unique connection to the character of Franklin - Charles Schulz gave Franklin the last name of "Armstrong" in honor of the JumpStart cartoonist.

(Peanuts aficionados will note that Franklin's last name was never specified in the comic strip, only having been mentioned for the first time in the 1994 television special You're in the Superbowl, Charlie Brown. So while the last name is technically not canonical, it was decided upon by Schulz, and has since been accepted and used as official.)

For more information about Apple TV+, including how to watch and subscribe, visit tv.apple.com and this Apple support page.