A Charlie Brown Christmas is an album by the Vince Guaraldi Trio, released in 1965 as the soundtrack to the CBS Christmas television special of the same name. It is among the most popular holiday music albums of all time. There was also a book-and-record set featuring music, dialogue and stills from the Christmas special released in 1977 on a 45 RPM vinyl record by CBS Records.
Fantasy Records reissued the album on CD in 1986 with a track listing identical to the original 1965 LP release. In 1988, "Greensleeves" was added as a CD bonus track. This track features Guaraldi performing as part of a different trio than the one heard on the original eleven songs. This CD version can still be purchased in stores and online with the cover art shown at right. In 1997 Fantasy issued a Starbucks Exclusive edition of the album, sold only through Starbucks retail. This version omitted "Greensleeves" and had very different cover art and new liner notes. A somewhat controversial remastered version (see below) of the original album was released by Concord Records in conjunction with Fantasy on October 10, 2006. The new edition includes four previously unreleased bonus tracks—all are alternate versions of songs in the original track listing—and features Digipak packaging, new liner notes by music critic and historian Joel Selvin, and the original cover art.
Track listing
- "O Tannenbaum" – 5:08
- "What Child Is This?" – 2:25
- "My Little Drum" – 3:12
- "Linus and Lucy" – 3:06
- "Christmas Time Is Here" (Instrumental) – 6:05
- "Christmas Time Is Here (Vocal Version)" – 2:47
- "Skating" – 2:27
- "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" – 1:55
- "Christmas Is Coming" – 3:25
- "Für Elise" – 1:06
- "The Christmas Song" – 3:17
- "Greensleeves" – 5:26
- "Christmas Is Coming" (Alternate Take 1)
- "The Christmas Song" (Alternate Take 3)
- "Greensleeves" (Alternate Take 6)
- "Christmas Time Is Here" (Alternate Vocal Take)
Controversy over 2006 remaster
Concord Music Group, the parent company of both Concord Records and Fantasy Records, acknowledged negative criticism in a post on its website entitled "Oh, Good Grief! A Charlie Brown Christmas Conundrum." The article explains what listeners were hearing, and notes that mistakes had indeed been made in the remastered version.
MISTAKES (the master was corrected for subsequent pressings)
- Track 4: "Linus and Lucy" - the original LP version was an edit of two different takes. In the remix for the new CD, one of the takes was used in its entirety.
- Track 9: "Christmas Is Coming" -- the original LP version and the version on the new CD are entirely different takes.
EXPLANATIONS
- Track 1: "O Tannenbaum" - the original LP version had the introduction to the song cut off; the new CD has the intro reinstated.
- Track 5: "Christmas Time Is Here (instrumental)" - the original LP version fades out at the end of the song almost losing the last chord; the new CD intentionally retains the last chord.
- Track 7: "Skating" - the original LP version fades during the bass solo at the very end; the new CD intentionally allows the song run to its conclusion adding about ten seconds to the track.
- Regarding the perceived use of noise reduction: The new CD is remixed from the original three-track so the reason the old familiar hiss is not heard is not due to the use of noise reduction, but rather that the new mix is much quieter than the two-track stereo master. The only place noise reduction was utilized was on Track 10, "Für Elise", as there is no three-track for that master -- it was originally recorded direct to two-track.
A free replacement disc (correcting the 2 errors) was offered to those who desired one, with a stated offer expiration of March 1, 2007. Also, the post promises that all new copies produced from that point forward would be of the correct version of the remastered CD.
Personnel
- Vince Guaraldi – piano, arrangement
- Jerry Granelli – drums
- Fred Marshall – double bass
- Monty Budwig – double bass on "Greensleeves"
- Colin Bailey – drums on "Greensleeves"
- Ralph J. Gleason – liner notes (1988 Fantasy reissue)
- Joel Selvin – liner notes (2006 remaster)
- George Horn – mastering (1986 & 1988 Fantasy reissues, 2006 Concord remaster)
- Stephen Hart – mixing (2006 remaster)
References
- ^ "Fantasy Records - A Charlie Brown Christmas 12-track CD". Pricegrabber.com . http://www.pricegrabber.com/search_getprod.php/masterid=506580101/search=charlie+brown+christmas . Retrieved 2009-02-01 .
- ^ "Concord Music Group - A Charlie Brown Christmas ". Concord Music Group . http://www.concordmusicgroup.com/albums/FCD-30066-2/ . Retrieved 2007-11-10 .
- ^ shurbuilders. ""CONCORD EXPLAINS": Amazon.com Customer Review - A Charlie Brown Christmas". Amazon.com . http://www.amazon.com/review/RZ6X4MKDZD6K7/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm . Retrieved 2007-11-10 .
How to Listen To Free Christmas Music Online | eHow.com
How to Listen To Free Christmas Music Online. No need to dig out all those Christmas CDs, you can enjoy listening to thousands of Christmas songs and an endless variety of holiday ...
Hear Christmas, Seasonal And Holiday Music Online - Listen Now to ...
Slacker Holiday Music Slacker is a free online Internet Radio portal which lets ... Radio; Listen to Internet Radio; Listen Online by Format; Hear Christmas Music Online
Christmas.FM > Christmas Internet Radio > Christmas Music
christmas music, free christmas music, music christmas, christmas music online, christmas music radio, streaming christmas music, online christmas music, listen to christmas music ...
Today's Christian Music, from Nashville - Listen free online radio ...
Today's Christian Music - listen free online streaming music radio station - Casting Crowns Steven Curtis ... Music Review: Chris Tomlin's "Glory In The Highest: Christmas Songs Of ...
Listen to Thousands of Free Online Radio Stations - Live365 Internet ...
Tune in free at http://www.smoothchristmasradio.com **** All the ... favorites throughout the holiday season. Let the Christmas spirit fill your room with music.
Christmas Music - AOL Music
Listen to the top 10 Christmas songs on the Radio Blog. Top 10 ... Christmas music on AOL Radio offers over 10 free holiday radio stations online.
Napster Free--Listen to free streaming music online
Visit Free Napster for online music and listen to millions of full-length songs over the Internet in ... Grab your eggnog and snuggle up to these classic recordings of Christmas ...
#1 Christian Music Radio Station in America, listen free Online - 94.9 ...
Listen to free online Christian Music Radio, 94.9 FM KLTY Dallas, the #1 Christian radio station in ... christmas wish » Join 94.9 KLTY's Celebrate Christmas ...
How to Listen to Christmas Music Radio Online | eHow.com
How to Listen To Free Christmas Music Online; How to Listen to Christmas Music Online for Free ... Nothing marks the holiday season quite like hearing Christmas ...
Free Christmas Music
Just click on the music links to listen online or right click and choose save-as to download each file. Share the Free Christmas Music with a Friend