Tonight, I watched the Charlie Brown Christmas Special while playing around on the computer. Earlier in the day, I heard a piece about the show on radio. I have to admit, I've never been a really big fan of Snoopy or the Peanuts. They're cute and all, I just never got into it like some people. But what I learned from the radio program gave me a bit more respect for the show.My absolute favorite part of Charlie Brown's Christmas is the music. The show's jazzy soundtrack was done by Vince Guaraldi, but it was this jazz take on Christmas carols that nearly kept the show from airing back in 1965. CBS, the network airing the special, hated both the special and the music, saying they "didn't think jazz fit." Moreover, the voices done in the original special were untrained kids, and CBS wanted professional child actors to do the voices of the Peanuts gang.
The creators say the network also objected to the adult themes - they didn't think the topics of materialism, faith, and commercialism of Christmas were appropriate for a children's program.
Despite their concerns and after a few changes, CBS aired the program - and it was a hit.
The creators went on to do 50 Charlie Brown specials, but sadly, Vince Guaraldi, who collaborated on 17 shows, died suddenly at age 43 in 1976. Guaraldi's soundtrack to A Charlie Brown Christmas has never been out of print since it was released 41 years ago, but he never got to see how his songs became so closely tied to the Christmas memories of so many.
While I'm still not a big Charlie Brown fan, I do identify with his concern about the commercialism of Christmas, and that sad, sorry, little tree that his heart went out to. And, while the religious aspect doesn't do much for me, I do believe that there is more to Christmas than decorations and presents. And the music of the Charlie Brown Christmas Special will always remind me of the colored Christmas lights and footie pajamas of childhood.
2 comments:
I have never really given Charlie Brown much of a chance. The characters always annoyed me for some reason. But I agree that the music is superb. Hard to believe that almost wasn't a part of it!
I love this post because it says so much about you. There's the music-lover Tingle, who is so wired in to music that it is part of just about everything you do, and there's the compassionate Tingle, who is sad for Mr. Guaraldi because he never knew the full impact of his music. There's the informative Tingle who gives us interesting bits of trivia to enrich our minds, and the Tingle who struggles with religion vs. basic human kindness and their relationships to one another. And there's the soft, wistful Tingle remembering special moments of the past.
Hey, Tingle...
I hope you realized that the "anonymous" was me, Depressionista. Have no idea why it showe dup that way. Sorry!
Post a Comment