You're a Good Sport, Charlie Brown (soundtrack)
| You're a Good Sport, Charlie Brown: Original Soundtrack Recording | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Zoetrope vinyl picture disc cover art | ||||
| Soundtrack album by | ||||
| Released | July 11, 2025 | |||
| Recorded | April 2, 1974; September 12, 18, and 19, 1975 | |||
| Studio | Wally Heider Studios, San Francisco, California | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 28:24 | |||
| Label | Lee Mendelson Film Productions | |||
| Producer |
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| Vince Guaraldi chronology | ||||
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You're a Good Sport, Charlie Brown: Original Soundtrack Recording is an upcoming album by American jazz pianist Vince Guaraldi, scheduled for U.S. release on July 11, 2025, by Lee Mendelson Film Productions. It is the soundtrack to the motocross-themed television special of the same name first broadcast on CBS on October 28, 1975.[1][2][3]
Background
Following the passing of producer Lee Mendelson in December 2019, his children undertook an extensive search of archival materials in hopes of locating original music score recordings from the Peanuts television specials. During the COVID-19 lockdowns, they uncovered a collection of analog session tapes, recorded by Guaraldi for several of the specials. These recordings, long believed to be lost, comprised not only all of Guaraldi's music cues but also the arrangements by John Scott Trotter, including multiple alternate takes.[1]
The session tapes preserve the complete, unedited recordings, which were originally captured and mixed in stereo. These analog recordings were carefully transferred by Deluxe Entertainment Services to high-resolution digital format at 192 kHz/24-bit from the original 2-inch, 16-track stereo masters.[1]
Release
You're a Good Sport, Charlie Brown: Original Soundtrack Recording – 50th Anniversary Extended Edition will be released on July 11, 2025, in CD, digital, and vinyl formats to commemorate the Peanuts 75th anniversary. The vinyl edition will be issued as a 45 RPM Zoetrope Eco Mix LP picture disc, the first in the Peanuts catalogue to employ synchronized optical animation, creating a stroboscopic visual effect when played at proper speed.[1]
Recording
The recording sessions for You're a Good Sport, Charlie Brown, Charlie Brown took place at San Francisco's Wally Heider Studios on September 12, 18, and 19, 1975. Guaraldi performed using piano, electric piano, clavinet, ARP String Ensemble, and a Rhythm Ace drum machine. He was accompanied by Seward McCain on electric bass and Mark Rosengarden on drums and guiro. John Scott Trotter served as music supervisor. This was the final Peanuts special supervised by Trotter, and penultimate with music by Guaraldi.[1]
The album also includes four bonus tracks from Bicycles Are Beautiful, a 1974 short film produced by Lee Mendelson Film Productions and starring Bill Cosby. Guaraldi recorded the music for that film on April 2, 1974, also at Wally Heider Studios.[1]
Track listing
The album includes 14 tracks from the original 1975 television special, a bonus track combining two unused opening cues, and four additional selections from Bicycles Are Beautiful.[1]
All tracks are written by Vince Guaraldi.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Motocross" | 3:49 |
| 2. | "Peppermint Patty" | 1:01 |
| 3. | "You're a Good Sport, Charlie Brown" ("Centercourt") | 3:55 |
| 4. | "Fanfare" "Fanfare" (Alternate Take) "Hospital Scene" "Hospital Scene" (Bonus) | 0:37 |
| 5. | "Bass Blues" | 0:22 |
| 6. | "Linus and Lucy" (bridge) | 2:56 |
| 7. | "Motocross" (Reprise) | 1:32 |
| 8. | "You're a Good Sport, Charlie Brown" ("Centercourt") (Unused Opening Cues) | 1:07 |
| 9. | "The Great Pumpkin Waltz" | 0:25 |
| 10. | "Motocross" (2nd Reprise) | 0:41 |
| 11. | "Motocross" (3rd Reprise) | 0:32 |
| 12. | "Motocross" (4th Reprise) | 1:38 |
| 13. | "Motocross" (5th Reprise Extended with Additional Piano) | 1:45 |
| 14. | "Lunch Theme" "Motocross" (6th reprise) | 1:41 |
| 15. | "You're a Good Sport, Charlie Brown" ("Centercourt") (Reprise) | 0:58 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 16. | "Bicycles Are Beautiful" (Reprise) | 1:52 |
| 17. | "Bicycle Ballad" (Medley) | 1:44 |
| 18. | "Bicycle Bounce" (and Reprise) | 1:14 |
| 19. | "Bicycle Wizard" (and Reprise) | 0:35 |
| Total length: | 28:24 | |
Personnel
1974 personnel – Bicycles Are Beautiful
- Vince Guaraldi Trio
- Vince Guaraldi – acoustic piano, electric keyboard
- Seward McCain – bass guitar
- Glenn Cronkhite – drums
1975 personnel – You're a Good Sport, Charlie Brown
- Vince Guaraldi Trio
- Vince Guaraldi – acoustic piano, electric keyboards, clavinet, ARP String Ensemble, Rhythm Ace Drum Machine
- Seward McCain – bass guitar
- Mark Rosengarden – drums, güiro
- Additional
- John Scott Trotter – music supervisor
2025 personnel
- Sean Mendelson – producer, liner notes
- Jason Mendelson – producer, liner notes
- Craig Schulz – liner notes
- Derrick Bang – liner notes
- Vinson Hudson – restoration and mastering
- Clark Germain – mixing engineer
- Megan Rible – layout art
- Deluxe Entertainment Services – tape transfer
References
- ^ a b c d e f g "Vince Guaraldi's "You're a Good Sport, Charlie Brown" Celebrating 75 years of Peanuts and the 50th Anniversary of the beloved Emmy winning Special press release" (PDF). Lee Mendelson Film Productions. May 5, 2025. Retrieved May 8, 2025.
- ^ Alper, Eric (May 7, 2025). "Vince Guaraldi Releases Complete Soundtrack for 'You're a Good Sport, Charlie Brown'—First-Ever Peanuts Zoetrope LP". That Eric Alper. Retrieved May 7, 2025.
- ^ Terrace, Vincent (2013). Television Specials: 5,336 Entertainment Programs, 1936-2012 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Co. p. 92. ISBN 9780786474448.