Charlie Brown Christmas

[Guest]

For some reason, the local radio station that plays Christmas Music plays the Charlie Brown Theme Song in their Christmas repertoire.  I was wondering why and my son says that it's because Charlie Brown is a Christmas show.  Uhm... I don't think so, but I've never seen Charlie Brown outside of the Sunday comics and the insurance commercials so I could be wrong.

 

In any case, my son has been trying to play the song on the piano... for a week now.  Over and over and over and over (as to almost be nauseating for me)... and he can't seem to get the timing right.  It is frustrating him to no end.  He says he's going to get it right before Christmas by hook or by crook.  Well... Christmas is in 2 days...

 

My son is a pretty good classically trained piano player.  I'm quite surprised that this is difficult for him.  It doesn't sound too complicated.

Edited December 23, 2015 by anatess

[MrShorty]

I don't know if it will help, but I can certainly commiserate. As a pretty good pianist myself, though somewhat rhythmically challenged, I often find it difficult to play some of the "jazzy" pieces like the Charlie Brown theme. The syncopations and off-beats and so on just give me fits. Since I cannot always figure them out myself, I can offer no advice, but let him know that his is not the only one to sometimes struggle with rhythm.

[Guest]

Jazz is quite different to play than classical. Vince Guaraldi is a jazz pianist who wrote and recorded all of the Charlie Brown music. The timing can be deceptively tricky. 

[EarlJibbs]

You should watch the Charlie Brown Christmas. I listened to a piece about it and the station that originally aired it didn't like it. They thought the religious aspect of it, no laugh track and the pace was terrible. They still aired it and America loved it, and everything about it. 

[beefche]

If you have the Charlie Brown Christmas CD (or mp3), it includes the Charlie Brown theme.

 

I'm talking about this:  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0090X4H0W?keywords=charlie%20brown%20christmas%20cd&qid=1450899885&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1

[Ironhold]

For some reason, the local radio station that plays Christmas Music plays the Charlie Brown Theme Song in their Christmas repertoire.  I was wondering why and my son says that it's because Charlie Brown is a Christmas show.  Uhm... I don't think so, but I've never seen Charlie Brown outside of the Sunday comics and the insurance commercials so I could be wrong.

 

In any case, my son has been trying to play the song on the piano... for a week now.  Over and over and over and over (as to almost be nauseating for me)... and he can't seem to get the timing right.  It is frustrating him to no end.  He says he's going to get it right before Christmas by hook or by crook.  Well... Christmas is in 2 days...

 

My son is a pretty good classically trained piano player.  I'm quite surprised that this is difficult for him.  It doesn't sound too complicated.

 

50 years ago, "A Charlie Brown Christmas" appeared on television. It's been aired just about every Christmas since. 

 

From there, the 1970s, 1980s, and very early 1990s saw a number of theatrical releases, television specials, and even a few seasons of a television series. Your local Wal-Mart may well have much of this on DVD, as a lot of it was released over the past two years in anticipation of this past November's "The Peanuts Movie" theatrical release (this on top of the assorted DVD releases that have been made over the last few years). 

[Guest]

There is one we had on laser disc as a kid, where the Peanuts gang were at summer camp, went on a river rafting race, and got lost. I think I found a copy on Amazon once for upwards of $200. 

[Guest MormonGator]

Jazz is quite different to play than classical. Vince Guaraldi is a jazz pianist who wrote and recorded all of the Charlie Brown music. The timing can be deceptively tricky. 

 Exactly. It's a totally different kind of music. 

[Ironhold]

There is one we had on laser disc as a kid, where the Peanuts gang were at summer camp, went on a river rafting race, and got lost. I think I found a copy on Amazon once for upwards of $200. 

 

"Race For Your Life, Charlie Brown".

 

It's one of the many items in the Peanuts catalog that has been released to DVD, and is now available for $20 at your average Wal-Mart. 

[Guest]

"Race For Your Life, Charlie Brown".

 

It's one of the many items in the Peanuts catalog that has been released to DVD, and is now available for $20 at your average Wal-Mart. 

 

No way! I wonder if I can still ask Santa to get it for me for Christmas.

[Ironhold]

No way! I wonder if I can still ask Santa to get it for me for Christmas.

The theatrical releases "A Boy Named Charlie Brown", "Snoopy, Come Home", "Race For Your Life, Charlie Brown", and "Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown" are among the items that have been released to DVD over the last two years. They're going for $12 - $20 apiece. 

 

There's also a boxed set containing various specials that were up for Emmy nominations, a slew of DVDs that contain two specials each (some of which are also on the boxed set), the "This Is America, Charlie Brown" boxed set, and a bunch of others. 

 

In fact, I got twelve pages of results when I typed "Peanuts" into Half.com. For example, if you want the "Snoopy's Reunion / It's Flash Beagle, Charlie Brown" DVD, you can get it for $2.41 + shipping if you don't mind getting a used copy; a new copy, meanwhile, is $4 + shipping. 

 

And that's just if you want physical copies. 

 

If you're just fine with digital downloads, iTunes has a small selection of Peanuts product as well. 

[Palerider]

For what it's worth I love Charlie Brown Christmas show and music.