Okay, I admit that I am stretching it a bit. Technically, a Charlie Brown Christmas is not a movie. It is a holiday special, but if you do a Google search for Christmas Movies, you will be surprised at how many lists that it appears on. So roll with me on this one…
A Charlie Brown Christmas debuted 59 years ago today on CBS. It is the first animated special based on Charles Schulz’s Peanuts comic strip. Honestly, the special is pretty deep. It deals with Charlie Brown’s depression, the commercialization of the Christmas holiday, and the story of Jesus’ birth.
A Charlie Brown Christmas won an Emmy Award, a Peabody Award, and aired continuously on television for 56 years. The special’s soundtrack is one that continues to sell well during the holiday season and many of the tracks still get airplay on radio today!
The music was provided by the Vince Guaraldi Trio, a group of jazz musicians. The producer of the special (Lee Mendelson) was a jazz fan. He had heard the Trio’s version of “Cast Your Fate To the Wind” and thought they would be perfect for the soundtrack.
It is Vince Guaraldi that wrote the instantly recognizable “Linus and Lucy.”. He also wrote two originals for the special: Skating and Christmas Time Is Here. Lee Mendelson had a difficult time trying to find a lyricist to write words to “Christmas Time Is Here.” With time running out to get the project finished, he jotted the lyrics himself on the back of an envelope. It took him all of 15 minutes.
Whether you listen to the instrumental version or the vocal, the song is just beautiful. Both versions are on the soundtrack. The instrumental:
…and the vocal:
I would guess it is not often that a song from a Christmas special would be so good that other artists would want to cover it. However, you’d be surprised at how many have!
The first cover was in 1982 by David Benoit. Patty Austin, Debby Boone, Kenny Loggins, Tony Bennett, Stone Temple Pilots, Grover Washington Jr, and others followed suit.
My favorite covers come from two amazing jazz artists. First, the great Mel Torme:
…and Diana Krall:
Almost 60 years later, A Charlie Brown Christmas remains one of the best holiday specials of the season!
Various Ramblings of a Nostalgic Italian 
loved that classic and Vince became close friends with one of my fave musicians, George Winston
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I believe George recorded an album of Vince’s music, too
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yes –
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no question, it’s not Christmas without seeing ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’! Awesome, and as you say, deep show and the music is so good. It only occurred to me many years after first seeing it, how original and unusual the music was for a cartoon!
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This might be the best Christmas special ever. It has everything you would want…children and adults like it and then you have the music…just great!
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I wish my grandson was here this Christmas so I had an excuse to watch it again! Also looks like I am changing my Christmas day post song selection!
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In the words of Billy Joel, “Don’t go changing….”
You should still post on this! I’m sure you have different followers than me…. Lol
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Good point! Well not like there aren’t lots of songs to choose!
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It will not be shown this year on regular TV, you have to have a Disney plus account, now that sucks. I’m going to order it on DVD if available. It’s not Christmas time until I watch this show and view It’s A Wonderful Life and Miracle On 34th Street, the original black and white versions.
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Those are the best!!!
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Classic! I have the Charlie Brown Christmas CD and pull it out during the holiday season.
I remember one time eating at the Empire Diner in NYC and a pianist was playing that tune — and doing a damn good job too!
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