New album release of It's Arbor Day, Charlie Brown and Charlie Brown's All Stars soundtracks by Vince Guaraldi

In April 1951, Vince Guaraldi gave his first known professional performance, which means 2026 marks 75 years of Vince Guaraldi's music.

As part of the commemoration, Lee Mendelson Film Productions will release the complete soundtracks from two Peanuts television specials - It's Arbor Day, Charlie Brown (1976) and Charlie Brown's All Stars (1966) - together on one album, arriving March 20, 2026.   This is the first official release of music from those shows.

There will be two releases of the album - a regular, "wide" release available everywhere on March 20, 2026; and then a special limited-edition Record Store Day exclusive LP version of the album, available only at participating record stores on April 18, 2026. More details on both below.

The full 34-minute soundtrack album includes 24 tracks comprising the scores from both specials: 17 tracks from Arbor Day, including two bonus alternate tracks, and the Charlie Brown’s All Stars score mixed into 7 tracks.  See below for a full track list.

Note that while nearly all of the Arbor Day tracks are in stereo sourced from the original studio session tapes, the original tapes for All Stars haven't been found, so those tracks in mono and are pulled from a 35mm negative soundtrack tape.

You can listen to excerpts from several tracks on Soundcloud, and also stream three full track released as digital singles:

• Young Man's Fancy
• Sprinkle Your Bird
• Rain, Rain, Go Away (Rain, Gentle Rain)

The pairing of the two soundtracks is apt, since both specials are baseball-themed, and the music is also thematically linked. Guaraldi debuted the track "Rain, Rain, Go Away" in Charlie Brown's All Stars, and then used it again a decade later in Arbor Day.  Through the book-ended presentation, the listener can compare and consider the evolution of Guaraldi across the years that he composed and performed for the Peanuts specials.

“Rain, Rain, Go Away (Rain Gentle Rain)” on the Arbor Day soundtrack is also notable as one of the final tracks Guaraldi ever recorded. Laid down on the afternoon of February 6, 1976 at Wally Heider Studio in San Francisco, Guaraldi unexpectedly passed away (far too young) while performing at Butterfield’s in Menlo Park a few hours later that evening.

As usual, physical copies of the album include liner notes with a track-by-track analysis by album producer Sean Mendelson, notes from album producer Jason Mendelson, and a historical essay on both the specials and soundtracks by Derrick Bang, author of Vince Guaraldi at the Piano (and FiveCentsPlease.org co-host).

In addition to the environmentally friendly materials used for both the LP and packaging, for this release Lee Mendelson Film Productions has partnered with the Arbor Day Foundation to plant a tree in a forest of need for every physical copy of the album purchased in 2026 (with a minimum annual support of 12,000 trees planted).

The "regular" wide-release version of the album, to be released March 20, 2026, will be available as a 12" 33 RPM Black BioVinyl LP and also as a special Forest Green-colored 12” 33 RPM BioVinyl LP, both in gatefold jacket packaging; plus also as a regular CD, and digitally.

The regular versions will be available at all retailers; it can be purchased or ordered from your favorite local record retailer, or pre-order links for select retailers and digital providers can be found here.

The Record Store Day (RSD) exclusive version, coming April 18, 2026, is a nifty set of two records in one package - a 10" clear "baseball" 45 RPM LP of It's Arbor Day, Charlie Brown and a 12" brown die-cut glove-shaped 45 RPM LP of Charlie Brown's All Stars.

The RSD exclusive will only be available at participating Record Store Day locations, in limited quantities; you'll need to go to a store in person to buy a copy. You can view the details of the release at recordstoreday.com, find a list of participating stores here , or call your local store to see if they're participating and expecting copies.

Note that the RSD exclusive LP set has only 22 tracks; the two bonus alternate tracks that are on the regular album version are not included on the RSD version.

To read more details about all the album and its releases, visit the Lee Mendelson Film Productions website:

• Regular album version: album information and press release
• Record Store Day exclusive ball & glove version: album information and press release

The full track listing for the album:

It’s Arbor Day, Charlie Brown

1. Rerun’s Lament*
2. Rerun’s Lament (Reprise)*
3. Ships Sail into Arbor
4. Laughter in the Library
5. Flatten Patten (Baseball Theme)
6. Young Man's Fancy
7. Jay Sterling Morton Jazz
8. We're the Visiting Team
9. Seeds for Thought (Joe Cool)
10. Don't Forget the Shovel
11. Sprinkle Your Bird
12. Snoopy at Bat
13. Lucy's Home Run
14. Rain, Rain, Go Away (Rain, Gentle Rain)
15. Happy Arbor Day, Charlie Brown
16. Jay Sterling Morton Jazz (Bonus Alternate Take)**
17. Happy Arbor Day, Charlie Brown (Bonus Alternate Take)**

Charlie Brown’s All Stars!

18. Charlie's Run*
19. Charlie Brown's All Stars!*
20. Baseball Theme (Medley)*
21. Oh, Good Grief!*
22. Surfin' Snoopy (Air Music)*
23. Pebble Beach*
24. Rain, Rain, Go Away*

* Tracks pulled from a 35mm negative soundtrack tape (all the rest from the original 2” 16 track session tapes)
** Bonus material not in the special; included on the regular version of the album, but not on the RSD LP version.

*******

And here's several recent videos from Lee Mendelson Productions that Peanuts and Guaraldi fans can enjoy right now to start celebrating 75 years of Vince!

• A very rare, not seen for 60 years television broadcast of Vince Guaraldi performing "Linus & Lucy" from 1964
• A video montage of various social media artists performing covers of Vince Guaraldi songs, compiled by Sean Mendelson. Lots of great and fun interpretations.
• A playlist of Vince Guaraldi Peanuts tracks, with occasional commentary by album producer Sean Mendelson, originally created for a Record Store Day listening party in October 2025, and now avaialble on YouTube. It's a nice selection of tracks pulled from the albums they've released so far.

A Charlie Brown Christmas streams free on Apple TV+ this weekend (Dec 13-14, 2025)

It's the 60th anniversary of A Charlie Brown Christmas, which first aired back in December 9, 1965 on CBS.

This year, it streams for free on Apple TV+ this weekend only, Saturday, December 13 and Sunday, December 14, 2025.

You don't need an Apple device to stream the special for free. The Apple TV app is also available for a variety of streaming devices such as Roku and Amazon Fire, on several different smart TV brands, and for portable devices running Android. You can also watch using a web browser on any computer by going to tv.apple.com .

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.

For more information about Apple TV, visit this information page.

If you're an Apple TV+ subscriber, you can watch the show at any time, on any day. The other classic Peanuts winter specials - It's Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown; I Want a Dog For Christmas, Charlie Brown; Charlie Brown's Christmas Tales and Happy New Year, Charlie Brown - are all also available to Apple TV+ subscribers.

Or if you're old-school, A Charlie Brown Christmas remains available to purchase on DVD or Blu-ray.

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving streams free on Apple TV+ this weekend (Nov 15-16, 2025)

A reminder that the free streaming window for A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving on Apple TV is this weekend only, Saturday, November 15 and Sunday, November 16, 2025.

To stream the special for free, an Apple device isn't your only option. The Apple TV app is also available for a variety of streaming devices such as Roku and Amazon Fire, on several different smart TV brands, and for portable devices running Android. You can also watch using a web browser on any computer by going to tv.apple.com .

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.

For more information about Apple TV, visit this information page.

Peanuts: 75th Anniversary Ultimate TV Specials Collection DVD & Blu-ray coming October 7, 2025

As part of this year's celebrations of the 75th anniversary of Peanuts, on October 7, 2025, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment will be releasing Peanuts: 75th Anniversary Ultimate TV Specials Collection, a big box set containing 40 of the classic Peanuts television specials, ranging from 1965's A Charlie Brown Christmas to Happiness Is a Warm Blanket, Charlie Brown from 2011. The set will be available on both DVD and Blu-ray, and will come with a 28-page collectible book.

The box set will include most, but not all, of the animated Peanuts shows from 1965 to 2011; see below for a list of the shows that are included, and more details on what won't be in the box.

Of the 40 shows coming in the set, all but one have been previously released in standard definition on DVD, although often on separate, single-disc releases in no particular order and with odd pairings; this is the first time in North America that they've all been released together chronologically in one set. The single new to DVD show will be 1983's It's an Adventure, Charlie Brown.

However, the Blu-ray version of the set will be the first time most of these specials will have been released in high definition on physical disc. (Many are streaming in high definition on Apple TV+.) Shows that will be new to Blu-ray are noted in the list below.

Note that some shows will be upscaled for their Blu-ray appearance, due to lack of high definition elements.  ("Upscaling" is converting a lower resolution, standard-definition source to try to make it look as good as possible in high definition, but the results are still never as good as a true high-definition original.)  In particular, all the shows from It's Spring Training, Charlie Brown to He's a Bully, Charlie Brown will almost certainly be upscaled; and possibly some of the earlier shows will be as well. But hopefully most will be in true high-definition.

The DVD set is now available to pre-order at most (but not all) online stores; pre-orders for the Blu-ray set are just appearing as of the time of writing.  If it's not available at your preferred retailer yet, check back in a few days.

So, which Peanuts specials won't be included? First of all, none of the eight episodes of the 1988 miniseries This is America, Charlie Brown; no episodes of Saturday morning The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show; none of the retrospective documentaries; none of the theatrical movies; and none of the shows produced for Apple TV+ from 2019 onwards.

Also not included, for various rights reasons, are these five specials (which, except for Pied Piper, have never had a DVD release):

Snoopy the Musical (1988)

It's the Girl in the Red Truck, Charlie Brown (1988)

You're in the Super Bowl, Charlie Brown (1994)

It Was My Best Birthday Ever, Charlie Brown (1997)

It's the Pied Piper, Charlie Brown (2000)

Finally, it looks like none of the bonus featurettes/documentaries that were on previous Warner DVD releases will be included. Too bad!

On Apple TV+, It Was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown is an edited version, missing about four minutes, and You're In Love, Charlie Brown is missing some of the final lines of dialog. Hopefully these issues will be corrected on this new box set, but I don't have confirmation one way or another.

But enough of the "what's not here," let's talk about what will be on the set! The specials that will be included on the set are listed below.

*** indicates the shows that have not been released on Blu-ray previously.

All have been released on DVD in North America, except for It's an Adventure, Charlie Brown .

A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)

Charlie Brown's All Stars (1966)

It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966)

You're in Love, Charlie Brown (1967) ***

He's Your Dog, Charlie Brown (1968) ***

It Was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown (1969) ***

Play It Again, Charlie Brown (1971)

You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown (1972) ***

There's No Time for Love, Charlie Brown (1973) ***

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (1973)

It's a Mystery, Charlie Brown (1974) ***

It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown (1974) ***

Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown (1975) ***

You're a Good Sport, Charlie Brown (1975) ***

It's Arbor Day, Charlie Brown (1976) ***

It's Your First Kiss, Charlie Brown (1977) ***

What a Nightmare, Charlie Brown (1978) ***

You're the Greatest, Charlie Brown (1979) ***

She's a Good Skate, Charlie Brown (1980) ***

Life Is a Circus, Charlie Brown (1980) ***

It's Magic, Charlie Brown (1981)

Someday You'll Find Her, Charlie Brown (1981) ***

A Charlie Brown Celebration (1982) ***

Is This Goodbye, Charlie Brown? (1982) ***

It's an Adventure, Charlie Brown (1983) ***

What Have We Learned, Charlie Brown? (1983) ***

It's Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown (1984)

Snoopy's Getting Married, Charlie Brown (1985) ***

You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown (1985) ***

Happy New Year, Charlie Brown (1986) ***

Why, Charlie Brown, Why? (1990) ***

Snoopy's Reunion (1991) ***

It's Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown (1992)

It's Spring Training, Charlie Brown (1996) ***

A Charlie Brown Valentine (2002) ***

Charlie Brown's Christmas Tales (2002) ***

Lucy Must Be Traded, Charlie Brown (2003) ***

I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown (2003) ***

He's a Bully, Charlie Brown (2006) ***

Happiness Is a Warm Blanket, Charlie Brown (2011)

Overall, this is pretty big news - fans have been waiting a long time for a comprehensive DVD and Blu-ray release of the classic Peanuts animated television specials, and it's great that one is arriving at last.

You're a Good Sport, Charlie Brown soundtrack coming July 11, 2025

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Emmy-award winning show You're a Good Sport, Charlie Brown, Lee Mendelson Film Productions have announced that the complete Vince Guaraldi soundtrack to the 1975 Peanuts animated special will be released on July 11, 2025.

In You're a Good Sport, Charlie Brown, Charlie Brown and Peppermint Patty compete in a charity motocross race, trying to overcome the challenges of crashes, mud, and the strangely familiar Masked Marvel.

The soundtrack album will feature 14 tracks that make up the complete Vince Guaraldi score for the show, together with a bonus track of unused cues intended for the beginning of the special.

As an additional bonus, the album will also include four additional tracks of music that Guaraldi composed, and his trio performed, for Bicycles Are Beautiful, a 1974 non-Peanuts film promoting bicycle riding produced by Lee Mendelson.

All tracks have been mastered from the original session tapes for excellent stereo sound; total runtime will be 28 minutes.

The soundtrack will be available on CD, vinyl, and digitally, and can be pre-ordered from the MVDShop, Amazon and other stores now.

The vinyl for You're a Good Sport, Charlie Brown will also have a built-in bonus feature.  The record will be a Zoetrope album - a picture disc where animated scenes from the cartoon come to life as the record spins. (You may need special lighting for best results - the album will come with a QR code taking you to instructions for viewing the Zoetrope effect.) Sounds nifty - and it looks pretty cool even when it's not spinning!

Initially only a Zoetrope vinyl was announced, but later LMFP added a plain black vinyl option as well.  However, it will not be available until September 12.

The physical albums will include track-by-track analysis from album producer Sean Mendelson, notes from album producer Jason Mendelson, an essay giving historical context for the special and soundtrack by Guaraldi historian Derrick Bang, and an essay from Charles Schulz's son Craig Schulz about the special's inspiration, along with images from the special and rare photographs.

More information:

• The full You're a Good Sport, Charlie Brown press release
• The Lee Mendelson Film Productions webpage for the album
• Short preview samples for several tracks on Soundcloud
• Listen to the full "Motocross" track on YouTube

A few You're a Good Sport 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.

Here's the full track list for the You're a Good Sport, Charlie Brown album:

Show Score

1. Motocross
2. Peppermint Patty
3. You’re a Good Sport, Charlie Brown (Centercourt)
4. Fanfare / Fanfare (Alternate Take) / Hospital Scene / Hospital Scene (Bonus)
5. Bass Blues
6. Linus and Lucy
7. Motocross (Reprise)
8. You’re a Good Sport, Charlie Brown (Unused Opening Cues) - BONUS TRACK
9. The Great Pumpkin Waltz
10. Motocross (2nd Reprise)
11. Motocross (3rd Reprise)
12. Motocross (4th Reprise)
13. Motocross (5th Reprise Extended with Additional Piano)
14. Lunch Theme / Motocross (6th Reprise)
15. You’re a Good Sport, Charlie Brown (Reprise)

Bonus Tracks from Bicycles are Beautiful

16. Bicycles are Beautiful (Reprise)

17. Bicycle Ballad (Medley)
18. Bicycle Bounce (and Reprise)
19. Bicycle Wizard (and Reprise)

Expanded edition of Guaraldi's Jazz Impressions of A Boy Named Charlie Brown coming April 11, 2025 on CD and digital

Following the Record Store Day LP announcement from a few weeks ago, Craft Recordings has announced a new, expanded edition of Vince Guaraldi's first album of Peanuts music, Jazz Impressions of A Boy Named Charlie Brown, will be coming to CD and digital as well.

The new release is set to arrive on April 11, 2025.  (While the press release says April 4, April 11 is the date listed for pre-orders at all major vendors.)

Celebrating the 75th anniversary of Peanuts, the 2-CD edition will have the original 9-track album program on disc 1, and 11 never-heard-before alternate takes plus 5 previously released alternates and bonus tracks on disc 2.

Vince Guaraldi wrote the music on Jazz Impressions of A Boy Named Charlie Brown  for a documentary by producer Lee Mendelson about Charles Schulz and Peanuts. But Mendelson was unable to sell the documentary (titled A Boy Named Charlie Brown) to a network and it was never seen on television... although it did lead to Mendelson getting the job to produce the holiday classic A Charlie Brown Christmas and many more Peanuts specials. (The original, unbroadcast documentary can be ordered on DVD from the Charles Schulz Museum's online store.)

Even though the documentary never aired, Fantasy Records and Vince Guaraldi released an album of the music 1964, introducing the world to "Linus and Lucy," now instantly recognized as "the Peanuts theme." Several other themes on the album, such as "Charlie Brown Theme" and "Baseball Theme," also appeared regularly in the early Peanuts animated specials.

The album has been available on CD and digital for years, and in 2014 there was a 50th anniversary release that included a single alternate take of "Baseball Theme."

But now this new, expanded 2025 edition of Jazz Impressions of a Boy Named Charlie Brown features many more alternate versions of the tracks, all taken from the original recording sessions. According to the press release, they include two alternate versions of "Linus and Lucy," including an early studio test; outtakes of "Oh, Good Grief" and the ode to fellow (albeit animated) pianist "Schroeder;" the sweepingly carefree "Baseball Theme," and more.

The tracks are accompanied by new liner notes by Derrick Bang, author of Vince Guaraldi at the Piano (McFarland & Company), plus the original album's essays from producer Lee Mendelson and music journalist Ralph J. Gleason. The music has received a fresh remastering by Grammy Award-winning engineer, Paul Blakemore.

You can read the full Craft press release here, and place pre-orders using the links here.

And if you prefer vinyl, look for the Record Store Day release containing just the alternate tracks on April 12, 2025. (There will not be a CD with just the alternate tracks; only the 2-CD version with both the original album and the new alternate takes be available.)

The full track listing for the 2-CD and digital release:

Disc 1
1. Oh, Good Grief
2. Pebble Beach
3. Happiness Theme (Happiness Is)
4. Schroeder
5. Charlie Brown Theme
6. Linus and Lucy
7. Blue Charlie Brown
8. Baseball Theme
9. Frieda (with the Naturally Curly Hair)

Disc 2
1. Linus and Lucy (Studio Test)
2. Linus and Lucy (Take 3)
3. Happiness Theme (Happiness Is) (Take 4)
4. Pebble Beach (Take 7)
5. Baseball Theme (Take 1)
6. Oh, Good Grief (Take 1)
7. Schroeder (Take 3)
8. Baseball Theme (Take 2)
9. Oh, Good Grief (Take 1/Later Session)
10. Schroeder (Take 2)
11. Blues for Peanuts
12. Charlie Brown Theme (Take 4)
13. Blue Charlie Brown (Take 1)
14. Frieda (with the Naturally Curly Hair) (Take 1)
15. Fly Me to the Moon
16. Autumn Leaves

Easter Beagle egg-shaped vinyl, A Boy Named Charlie Brown alternate takes, and more Peanuts podcast episodes

Three news items for your ears!

Record Store Day 2025 is coming Saturday, April 12 and there will be not one, but two, Vince Guaraldi exclusive vinyls available that day.

As mentioned in an earlier blog post, the complete soundtrack to It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown will be released on March 21, 2025.

Then on April 12, Record Store Day, Lee Mendelson Film Productions is releasing a special egg-shaped - yes, egg-shaped! - 10" vinyl, titled Selections from It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown. It features the "eight best tracks" from the full soundtrack album.

The limited edition, individually numbered, egg-shaped vinyl will be available in five different colors - but like a true Easter egg hunt, which color you get will be a surprise; the color isn't revealed on the packaging.. so you won't know which color you've got until you open the album. 

You can read the official press release for the egg-shaped exclusive here, and details about both the full 20-track album and the exclusives here.

The track list for the egg-shaped exclusive is:

SIDE A

1. Peppermint Patty

2. Snoopy and Woodstock

3. Woodstock's Dream

SIDE B

1. Marcie's Song (Kitchen Music)

2. Linus and Lucy (Reprise)

3. Woodstock's Pad

4. Easter Egg Soup (Kitchen Music 2)

5. Salting Eggs / Linus and Lucy (4th Reprise)

This exclusive will be available only at participating record stores on April 12, 2025 - see the Record Store Day website for a list, or call your local store to see if they'll be carrying it. 

***

Second, the folks at Craft Recordings will release a Record Store Day exclusive they're calling Jazz Impressions of A Boy Named Charlie Brown (Alternate Takes)... because the entire LP consists of never-before-released alternate versions of the tracks on that 1964 album, taken from the original recording sessions.

The album's music was composed for a 1964 documentary that never aired, but Guaraldi would use the themes he created for it in his work for the Peanuts animated specials.

According to the press release, Jazz Impressions of a Boy Named Charlie Brown (Alternate Takes) features two alternate versions of "Linus and Lucy," including an early studio test; outtakes of "Oh, Good Grief" and the ode to fellow (albeit animated) pianist "Schroeder;" the sweepingly carefree "Baseball Theme" and more.

This Record Store Day edition will be pressed on sky-blue vinyl and limited to 3,400 copies. It also includes new notes from Guaraldi historian Derrick Bang. You can read the official press release here.

The full track list for the album:

SIDE A

1. Linus and Lucy (Studio Test)

2. Linus and Lucy (Take 3)

3. Happiness Theme (Happiness Is) (Take 4)

4. Pebble Beach (Take 7)

5. Baseball Theme (Take 1)

6. Oh, Good Grief (Take 1)

7. Schroeder (Take 3)

8. Baseball Theme (Take 2)

9. Oh, Good Grief (Take 1 / Later Session)

 

SIDE B

1. Schroeder (Take 2)

2. Blues for Peanuts

3. Charlie Brown Theme (Take 4)

4. Blue Charlie Brown (Take 1)

5. Frieda (With the Naturally Curly Hair) (Take 1)

A new, expanded CD and digital release of the album containing all these alternate versions will be released one week earlier, on April 4, 2025 - see this blog post for details.

This exclusive will be available only at participating record stores on April 12, 2025 - see the Record Store Day website for a list or call your local store to see if they'll be carrying it.

***

Finally, after a couple months' break, the official Peanuts podcast "You Don't Know Peanuts" has returned with a second series of five more weekly episodes.

Episode 6, released earlier this week, features an interview with Jeanne Schulz, the woman behind the man behind Peanuts. Other episodes in the second season will cover the making of The Snoopy Show and other 21st Century Peanuts television series; how Snoopy has influenced fashion from New York to Paris; and a look at NASA’s relationship with Peanuts over the last 60 years.

You can learn more about the podcast and listen to it at https://www.youdontknowpeanuts.com , or you can get it from your favorite podcast source, including (but not limited to) Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown soundtrack to be released March 21, 2025

It's the depths of winter now, but an exciting sign of the forthcoming spring has arrived - the complete original Vince Guaraldi soundtrack for the 1974 television special It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown will be hatching on March 21, 2025.

The album is available for pre-order on CD and black vinyl at Amazon and the MVD Shop, as well as other online retailers and your local record store.  It will also be released digitally.

An "Easter Purple" colored vinyl variant of the full LP, limited to 2000 individually numbered BioVinyl copies, will be available only at independent record stores - check with your local store to reserve or buy a copy.  (You can see a list of select stores at the Record Store Day website, but not all stores are listed, so give your preferred store a call even if they aren't on that list.)

As with previous Guaraldi soundtrack releases from Lee Mendelson Film Productions, the Easter Beagle tracks have been mastered from the original 2-inch session tapes, and the booklet will include liner notes from producers Sean and Jason Mendelson, and Guaraldi historian Derrick Bang.

This latest album has a special bonus track: a medley of "Woodstock" tunes performed nearly 50 years later by David Benoit (piano) with original Guaraldi sidemen Seward McCain (Bass) and Mike Clark (drums), recorded at the same Hyde Street studio where the Easter Beagle soundtrack was originally recorded in San Francisco. (David Benoit composed the soundtracks to several Peanuts specials in the 1990's and 2000's.)

More information:

• The full It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown soundtrack press release
• The Lee Mendelson Film Productions webpage for the album
• Short preview samples for several tracks on Soundcloud
• Listen to the full "Woodstock's Dream" track by following one of the links here.

A few Easter Beagle 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.

In addition to the full album, on Record Store Day (April 12, 2025), there will be a special egg-shaped 10" vinyl, titled Selections from It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown. It features the "eight best tracks" from the full soundtrack album.  The limited edition, individually numbered, egg-shaped vinyl will be available in five different colors - but like a true Easter egg hunt, which color you get will be a surprise; the color isn't revealed on the packaging... so you won't know which color you've got until you open it. You can read the official press release for the egg-shaped exclusive here.

Here's the full track list for the upcoming It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown album:

1. Peppermint Patty
2. Easter Theme / Easter Theme (Reprise)
3. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 3 in C Major, Op. 2 No. 3 - I. Allegro con brio
4. Snoopy and Woodstock
5. Linus and Lucy
6. Woodstock's Dream
7. Snoopy's Gumballs / Sally and Linus
8. Woodstock's Dream (Reprise)
9. Marcie's Song (Kitchen Music)
10. Linus and Lucy (Reprise)
11. Woodstock's Pad
12. Woodstock's Dream (2nd Reprise)
13. Music Box Dance (Minuet in G Major, BWV Anh. 116)
14. Woodstock's Dream (3rd Reprise)
15. Easter Egg Soup (Kitchen Music 2)
16. Linus and Lucy (2nd Reprise) / Linus and Lucy (3rd Reprise)
17. Beethoven: Symphony No. 7 in A Major, Op. 92 - II. Allegreto
18. Beethoven: Symphony No. 7 in A Major, Op. 92 - I. Poco sostenuto - Vivace
19. Salting Eggs / Linus and Lucy (4th Reprise)
20. Bonus Track: Woodstock Medley (Woodstock's Wake-Up / Little Birdie / Woodstock's Dream / Thanksgiving Theme / Little Birdie (Reprise))

And the track list for the egg-shaped exclusive vinyl is:

SIDE A

1. Peppermint Patty

2. Snoopy and Woodstock

3. Woodstock's Dream

SIDE B

1. Marcie's Song (Kitchen Music)

2. Linus and Lucy (Reprise)

3. Woodstock's Pad

4. Easter Egg Soup (Kitchen Music 2)

5. Salting Eggs / Linus and Lucy (4th Reprise)

A Charlie Brown Christmas streams free on Apple TV+ this weekend (Dec 14-15, 2024)

Memorize your pageant lines - A Charlie Brown Christmas streams for free on Apple TV+ this weekend only, Saturday, December 14 and Sunday, December 15, 2024.

The classic Peanuts holiday show won't 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.

If you're an Apple TV+ subscriber, you can watch the show at any time, on any day.  The other classic Peanuts winter specials - It's Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown; I Want a Dog For Christmas, Charlie Brown; Charlie Brown's Christmas Tales and Happy New Year, Charlie Brown - are all also available to Apple TV+ subscribers.

Or if you're old-school, A Charlie Brown Christmas remains available to purchase on DVD or Blu-ray.

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving streams free on Apple TV+ this weekend (Nov 23-24, 2024)

Just a reminder that the free streaming window for A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving on Apple TV+ is this weekend only, Saturday, November 23 and Sunday, November 24, 2024.

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.

(Or if you're an Apple TV+ subscriber, you can watch the show at any time, on any day.  The special is already #1 on Apple's Top Chart as of November 21!)

And if you need musical accompaniment for your holiday meal, don't forget that the complete Vince Guaraldi soundtrack for A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving was released last year.   It's still available to buy on CD or LP - including new vinyl variants purple jelly bean, turkey tan, or a picture disc - or to stream on your favorite music service.

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)

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!

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.)

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.

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