Guaraldi, Vince - "A Charlie Brown Christmas"

Guaraldi, Vince - A Charlie Brown Christmas

1965/2006, Fantasy

1. O Tannenbaum

2. What Child is This?

3. My Little Drum

4. Linus & Lucy

5. Christmastime Is Here (Instrumental)

6. Christmastime Is Here (Vocal)

7. Skating

8. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

9. Christmas is Coming

10. Fur Elise

11. The Christmas Song

12. Greensleeves

Bonus Tracks

13. Christmas is Coming (Alternate Take 1)

14. The Christmas Song (Alternate Take 3)

15. Greensleeves (Alternate Take 6)

16. Christmastime Is Here (Alternate Vocal Take 5)

So I was having a conversation with some coworkers yesterday about Christmas music. I informed them that I had just picked up the Charlie Brown soundtrack before coming to work. Their response? "OHMYGOSH YOU HAVE CHARLIE BROWN?! YOU MUST PUT IT IN NOW!!!!" In it went - and you know what? We were all instantly happier. That's saying a lot considering how hard it is to make us happy at work. I don't think there was one single soul working with me that day that didn't have a little more spring in their step. Such is the power of Vince Guaraldi and his timeless soundtrack to an equally timeless Christmas special. This is one of those albums you put on, like Bing Crosby's White Christmas, and just sit back and enjoy. There's no flash, no over-the-top antics, simple production, and only three instruments. Yet somehow it has a way of communicating so much. I can't believe it's taken me this long to actually buy this album. Truly a holiday staple if there ever was one.

I feel I need to point out something very important - in all the pictures included with the liner notes, Vince is totally rockin' the handlebar mustache. Yeah... you don't mess with Charlie Brown and you don't mess with the sweet Guaraldi 'stache.

Useless Fact: Vince Guaraldi composed the music for some 14 or 15 Christmas specials and died before his music became a Christmas time favorite.