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.

A Charlie Brown Christmas streams free on Apple TV+ this weekend (Dec 16-17, 2023)

Get your Snoopy dance ready - A Charlie Brown Christmas streams for free on Apple TV+ this weekend only, Saturday, December 16 and Sunday, December 17, 2023.

Alas, the classic Peanuts holiday show will not be broadcast on over-the-air television this year.

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.

(The special also remains available to purchase on DVD or Blu-ray.)

The Snoopy Show 2023 Christmas Special premieres December 1 on Apple TV+

For the second year in a row, the subscription service Apple TV+ is offering a new Christmas-themed episode of The Snoopy Show.

"Happiness is Holiday Traditions" will premiere on Friday, December 1, 2023.

Running 23 minutes long, the show is divided into three segments, like other episodes of The Snoopy Show:

• Happiness is Holiday Traditions - Snoopy searches for the perfect tree topper
• Window Wonderland - Woodstock gets trapped in a window display
• Spike's Old-Fashioned Christmas - Snoopy and Woodstock visit Spike for Christmas

Look for this episode under The Snoopy Show, it's listed as season 3, episode 13.

Don't forget that you can also watch the 2022 Christmas episode ("Happiness is the Gift of Giving", season 2, episode 13), and all the classic Peanuts holiday specials - A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965), It's Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown (1992), Charlie Brown's Christmas Tales (2002), and I Want A Dog For Christmas, Charlie Brown (2003) - on Apple TV+ as well.

If you're not an Apple TV+ subscriber, A Charlie Brown Christmas will be available to stream for free on Saturday, December 16 & Sunday, December 17, 2023.

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

A classic Peanuts Christmas countdown on FiveCentsPlease.org for 2023

Are you counting down the days until Christmas? FiveCentsPlease.org and the Peanuts gang are - our annual tradition of publishing classic Peanuts Christmas countdown panels is back, this year featuring panels from 1989.

Starting Friday, November 24, and continuing through December 25, our home page will feature a different holiday-themed comic each day.

New Christmas countdown panels are no longer being made, but we've reached into the archives to bring you historical panels that haven't been republished (as far as we know) since their original run over 30 years ago.

(A few years ago, FiveCentsPlease.org co-host Derrick Bang uncovered 12 years of previously lost countdown panels... 1989 being one of them. You can read all about his hunt in his blog post.  Unfortunately, the sources for these panels weren't high quality and required a fair bit of cleanup, so they don't look as crisp as ones from later years.)

Please join us on our home page for a new comic each day, and we hope the Christmas countdown panels prompt a little smile every 24 hours, as they do for us!

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving streams free on Apple TV+ this weekend (Nov 18-19, 2023)

Just a reminder that the free window for A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving on streaming service Apple TV+ is this weekend only, Saturday, November 18 and Sunday, November 19, 2023.

The classic Peanuts holiday show will not be broadcast on over-the-air television this year.

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.

Can Beagle Scouts fly?

(This special post is by 5CP Associate Editor Gayna Lamb-Bang.)

(Amended, to correct two mistakes; note, in particular, the parade start time.)

A new Snoopy balloon and Peanuts float will debut at this year’s 97th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade

The parade will be televised from 8:30 a.m. to noon November 23rd, all time zones, on NBC-TV and also streaming via Peacock.

The 55-foot tall Beagle Scout Snoopy, wearing his red Scout tie and green backpack, with his pal Woodstock sitting on his hat, will join the festivities. This honors the 50th anniversary of the first appearance of Beagle Scouts in the Peanuts newspaper strip. (Check out the relevant strips below.)

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

The new Peanuts float will feature Camp Snoopy, with Woodstock and friends perched on top of their tent, on the lookout for some wild turkeys.  

To top it all off, in 2024 Apple TV+ will present more of the Peanuts gang’s adventures, with the premiere of the “Camp Snoopy” series.

Snoopy debuted as an "apprentice Scout" on May 13, 1974

He hoped to become a Beagle Scout the following day...

...and he finally debuted as the World-Famous Beagle Scout on May 17.

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving soundtrack album now available!

The complete original soundtrack for the 1973 special A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, with music composed by Vince Guaraldi, is now available to buy on CD, vinyl, and digital download, or to stream on your favorite streaming service.

While a few cues from the special have been released on previous Vince Guaraldi compilations (for example, "Thanksgiving Theme" on Charlie Brown's Holiday Hits), most of the tracks have never been available before.

Released on October 20, 2023, this new album features the entire soundtrack for A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving in terrific stereo sound that showcases the music and instrumentation far better than in the broadcast show. And rest assured, the tracks - transferred in high resolution from the original studio session tapes - are all sound-effects free.

The 13 tracks of show score - including the song "Little Birdie," sung by Guaraldi himself - are accompanied by 9 bonus and alternative tracks. The liner notes for the physical releases have a track-by-track analysis by Sean Mendelson, musician, record producer, and son of Peanuts producer Lee Mendelson.

The CD and regular black vinyl LP can be bought from the MVD Entertainment shop (the album's publisher), Amazon, or numerous other online retailers.

Two color variants of the LP were also announced - "Jelly Bean Green" for Record Store Day and "Cranberry Sauce Red" from Target - but may be difficult to get at this point.

You can purchase a digital download from Apple Music or Amazon (click on "Purchase Options"), as well as other places that offer lossless and high resolution downloads such as Qobuz or Presto Music .

Finally, you can stream the album on Apple Music, Spotify, or other streaming services; and you can preview the whole album on the Lee Mendelson Productions YouTube channel.

Note that purchasing the album instead of - or in addition to - streaming it will help ensure that there will be releases of other Vince Guaraldi Peanuts soundtracks in the future!

For more information about the Thanksgiving soundtrack release, see the official press release and additional details on the Mendelson Productions website.

If you're interested in learning more about the album's background, including how the music masters were found, what work was done to create the album, and thoughts on how the music for A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving compares to Guaraldi's other Peanuts soundtracks, be sure to check out these entertaining and informative podcasts:

Cereal at Midnight - A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving Rediscovered, with album producers Jason and Sean Mendelson

WCB Jazz Vinyl Collector - A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving Soundtrack: Interview with Sean Mendelson + Vinyl Discussion

The track list of the album is as follows:

Show score
1.Charlie Brown Blues
2. Thanksgiving Theme
3. Thanksgiving Theme (Reprise)
4. Peppermint Patty
5. Little Birdie
6. Thanksgiving Interlude
7. Is It James or Charlie?
8. Linus and Lucy
9. Fife & Drums Theme
10. Charlie Brown Blues (Reprise)
11. Thanksgiving Interlude (Reprise)
12. Thanksgiving Theme (2nd Reprise)
13. Thanksgiving Theme (3rd Reprise)

Bonus/Alternate tracks
14. Thanksgiving Theme (Alternate)
15. Peppermint Patty (Bonus Mix)
16. Linus and Lucy (Bonus Mix)
17. Thanksgiving Interlude (Alternate take 2, 4, and 6)
18. Thanksgiving Interlude (Alternate take 10)
19. Thanksgiving Interlude (Alternate take 14)
20. Is It James or Charlie? (Bonus mix with Whistling)
21. Clark and Guaraldi

It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown streams free on Apple TV+ this weekend (Oct 21-22, 2023)

Just a reminder that the free streaming window for It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown on streaming service Apple TV+ is this weekend only, Saturday, October 21 and Sunday, October 22, 2023.

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 are an Apple TV+ subscriber, you can watch the show at any time, on any day.  It's already #8 on Apple's Top Chart as of October 19!)

It's the Great Pumpkin will stream free on Apple TV+ on Oct 21 & 22, 2023; no TV broadcast for Peanuts holiday specials again this year

First, the bad news: once again this year, the three classic Peanuts holiday specials - It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown; A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, and A Charlie Brown Christmas - will not be shown on over-the-air broadcast television.

Instead they remain available only through the Apple TV+ subscription streaming service (or via DVD and Blu-ray).

However, the good news is that Apple has announced that also like last year, the three specials will be available for everyone to stream for free, without a subscription, for a short period before each holiday.

The less good news is that while last year Apple offered the free streams for 4 days each, this year, the free streaming window is down to just 2 days for each special.

But, it's better than no free streaming window at all...

The free streaming dates are:

• It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown - Saturday, October 21 & Sunday, October 22, 2023
• A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving - Saturday, November 18 & Sunday November 19, 2023
• A Charlie Brown Christmas - Saturday, December 16 & Sunday, December 17 2023

To stream 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 are an Apple TV+ subscriber, you can watch the specials at any time, on any day.)

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In addition, Apple announced another new Christmas episode of The Snoopy Show for 2023. Titled "Happiness is Holiday Traditions," the special episode will premiere on Apple TV+ on Friday, December 1. In this year's outing, according to Apple, Snoopy searches for the perfect tree topper, Woodstock gets trapped in a window display, and Snoopy and Woodstock visit Spike for Christmas.

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

Snoopy Presents: One-of-a-Kind Marcie premieres August 18, 2023 on Apple TV+

The new Peanuts animated special, Snoopy Presents: One-of-a-Kind Marcie, premieres Friday, August 18, 2023 on the streaming service Apple TV+.

As you might guess from the title, the show focuses on the character Marcie; you can watch the trailer on YouTube.

Apple's description of the show:

Sometimes, the people who make the biggest difference aren’t the ones who grab the spotlight. In Snoopy Presents: One-of-a-Kind Marcie, we get to see firsthand how our lovable introvert, Marcie, makes a monumental difference from behind the scenes for both her friends and her community. To train for the school golf championship, Marcie assists Peppermint Patty as her caddie, offering thoughtful and deliberate advice to help her win. Meanwhile, after coming up with brilliant solutions to her classmates’ problems – from hallway traffic jams to lunchtime pizza shortages – Marcie is unexpectedly elected as class president … a role she never wanted. 

Suddenly thrust into the spotlight, Marcie struggles to cope with the expectations of her new job and retreats as far from the public eye as possible. As the golf championship begins, Marcie is still in hiding and Peppermint Patty is forced to tee off with Charlie Brown filling in as her caddie. But after some wise advice and a little introspection, Marcie realizes she can still make a difference for her friends and the school – she’ll just have to buck other people’s expectations and do it her own unique way.

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

Vince Guaraldi's A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving soundtrack to be released October 20, 2023

Break out the jelly beans and popcorn! The complete original soundtrack for the 1973 special A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, composed by Vince Guaraldi, will be released by Lee Mendelson Film Productions on October 20, 2023, just in time for the 50th anniversary of the classic Peanuts holiday special.

In the show, Charlie Brown's plans for Thanksgiving go awry when Peppermint Patty invites herself and her friends to join him for dinner... and he has to come up with a meal for them, even though he doesn't know how to cook (and he is "helped" by Snoopy and Woodstock, of course). Almost every scene in the show is accompanied by Vince Guaraldi's music, and famously includes the song "Little Birdie," sung by Guaraldi himself.

While a few cues from the special have been released on previous Vince Guaraldi compilations (for example, "Thanksgiving Theme" on Charlie Brown's Holiday Hits), most of the tracks have never been available before.

This new album will feature the entire soundtrack for A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving in terrific stereo sound that showcases the music and instrumentation far better than in the broadcast show. And rest assured, the tracks - transferred in high resolution from the original studio session tapes - will all be sound-effects free.

Coming on CD, LP, and digitally, the 13 tracks of show score will be accompanied by 9 never-before-heard bonus and alternative tracks. The liner notes for the physical releases will have a track-by-track analysis by Sean Mendelson, musician, record producer and son of Peanuts producer Lee Mendelson.

After last year's release of the complete original soundtrack for It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, it's exciting to get another high-quality album for another beloved Guaraldi score.

Currently you can pre-order the CD and regular black vinyl versions from the MVD Entertainment shop  (the album's publisher) or from Amazon; they should eventually be available from other retailers as well.

The LP will also be released in two color variants, "Jelly Bean Green" for Record Store Day and "Cranberry Sauce Red" from Target - you've got to love the color names!

You can see the official press release and additional details on the Mendelson Productions website, and preview the alternate track "Is It James or Charlie? (Bonus Mix With Whistling)" on YouTube.

Plus, be sure to check out Guaraldi historian (and FiveCentsPlease.org co-host) Derrick Bang's description of the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving soundtrack at his Impressions of Vince blog.

The track list of the release will be as follows:

Show score

1.Charlie Brown Blues

2. Thanksgiving Theme
3. Thanksgiving Theme (Reprise)
4. Peppermint Patty
5. Little Birdie
6. Thanksgiving Interlude
7. Is It James or Charlie?
8. Linus and Lucy
9. Fife & Drums Theme
10. Charlie Brown Blues (Reprise)
11. Thanksgiving Interlude (Reprise)
12. Thanksgiving Theme (2nd Reprise)
13. Thanksgiving Theme (3rd Reprise)

Bonus/Alternate tracks
14. Thanksgiving Theme (Alternate)
15. Peppermint Patty (Bonus Mix)
16. Linus and Lucy (Bonus Mix)
17. Thanksgiving Interlude (Alternate take 2, 4, and 6)
18. Thanksgiving Interlude (Alternate take 10)
19. Thanksgiving Interlude (Alternate take 14)
20. Is It James or Charlie? (Bonus mix with Whistling)
21. Clark and Guaraldi