Lee Mendelson Film Productions (LMFP) is thrilled to announce the release – for the first time ever – of the complete Vince Guaraldi soundtrack for You’re Not Elected, Charlie Brown, the timeless 8th animated Peanuts® special, from writer and creator Charles Schulz, director Bill Melendez and producers Melendez and Lee Mendelson. Originally airing on October 29, 1972 on CBS-TV, the special is currently available for streaming on Apple TV+.
All versions of the album include the original 16 recordings that comprise the song cues of the special – with extended performances never available before now – plus another nine bonus or alternative tracks never heard before.
Guaraldi brought Dixieland jazz, his classic favorites, and even his voice (for the first time in a Peanuts special) to the score for Linus’s campaign for student body president.
Some highlights include: the complete (over five minutes) “Joe Cool” where Guaraldi sings about one of Snoopy’s most famous alter egos; multiple versions of “Incumbent Waltz” written for the special; probably his saddest tune in “Deserted Charlie Brown”; classic Linus and Lucy updated for the ’70s; and several of the eponymous “You’re Not Elected, Charlie Brown” tunes. There are bonus tracks for “Joe Cool,” alternate takes of songs like “Blue Charlie Brown” and a bonus of “African Sleigh Ride,” which they ended recording a different version of for a latter special.
When the session tapes were rediscovered, it became apparent that many of the songs had been cut down or edited (or replaced) for time or feel within the special for its final edit. This release resurrects many of those performances to their original full length. And for the first time they can be appreciated on their own, not underneath dialogue or effects from the special.
The recording features Guaraldi (piano, electric piano, vocals and guitar), Seward McCain (bass and flute), Tom Harrell (trumpet), Glenn Cronkhite (drums), Mel Martin (woodwinds), Pat O‘Hara (trombone) and John Scott Trotter as the music supervisor. The soundtrack was produced by Sean Mendelson and Jason Mendelson; remixed at Bones and Knives by Terry Carleton and restored and re-mastered by Vinson Hudson.
The album became available September 6, 2024, including an exclusive vinyl variant in Woodstock Yellow LP via Record Store Day Indie Exclusive, available at participating stores. Order here.
A 12” LP in black, a CD of all 25 tracks, and a complete digital release are also available.
The records and CDs are all eco-minded: The records are made with BioVinyl, a new and unique product that replaces petroleum in S-PVC by recycling used cooking oil or industrial waste. There will be a 100% CO2 savings compared to traditional PVC vinyl, without sacrificing any acoustic or optical quality. Each record comes in a reusable, compostable PLA bag that is made from 99% renewable material, and the jacket, label, and liner notes are all made from sustainably forested trees for minimum ecological harm. The CDs are also made of recycled material, and their paper inserts are from sustainably forested trees as well.
The physical copies will include liner notes that give a track-by-track analysis by Derrick Bang and notes from Sean Mendelson, son of Peanuts producer Lee Mendelson and co-producer of the record. The LP liner notes are four pages, the CD liner notes are eight pages, and all versions contain images from the special. The LP release also includes rare photographs and images from the original tape boxes recently re-discovered that led to this release.
Find participating stores and more information about orders here or order from MVDSHOP here.
For an extended version of the press release and more information, including the track list, click here.
About Peanuts:
The characters of Peanuts and related intellectual property are owned by Peanuts Worldwide, which is 41% owned by WildBrain Ltd., 39% owned by Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc., and 20% owned by the family of Charles M. Schulz, who first introduced the world to Peanuts in 1950, when the comic strip debuted in seven newspapers. Since then, Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the rest of the Peanuts gang have made an indelible mark on popular culture. In addition to enjoying beloved Peanuts shows and specials on Apple TV+, fans of all ages celebrate the Peanuts brand worldwide through thousands of consumer products, as well as amusement park attractions, cultural events, social media, and comic strips available in all formats, from traditional to digital. In 2018, Peanuts partnered with NASA on a multi-year Space Act Agreement designed to inspire a passion for space exploration and STEM among the next generation of students.
About Lee Mendelson Film Productions, Inc.:
Lee Mendelson Film Productions (LMFP) is the Publisher of the Vince Guaraldi musical catalog associated with Peanuts. LMFP is also the producer of the classic Peanuts television specials, including A Charlie Brown Christmas, It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, and A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, along with the Hollywood animation studio Bill Melendez Productions. LMFP also produced over 50 other network Peanuts specials, 12 prime time Garfield specials, 121-program series “Garfield and Friends” and many other film and television animated, documentary and entertainment programs. Founded by the late Lee Mendelson in 1963, Lee Mendelson Film Productions, Inc., has received 11 Emmy Awards (from 45 nominations) and four Peabody Awards, as well as producing projects that have received Grammy and Academy Award nominations.
