So much to find...

Written by Vince Guaraldi




By Derrick Bang



From the very early days of his performing and recording career, Vince Guaraldi was writing his own compositions. Some of the early ones were classic bop and bossa nova; others demonstrated the gentle Latin influence that -- in the minds of many fans -- would forever characterize his style ... and still others clearly anticipated the wealth of Peanuts themes that would put him on the map, beginning in 1964.

Some specifics can be found at Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI), an organization that was founded in 1939 on the idea that all songwriters, composers and publishers have the right to be paid for the use of their intellectual property, no matter how that property is used. Thus, BMI is a music performing rights organization, which represents songwriters (even when they happen also to be performers), as well as film, television, musical theater and classical music composers and, of course, music publishers. BMI collects money from the businesses that use music in the course of their day, and then pays out that money as royalties to the composers and publishers of the songs and compositions they play.

BMI maintains an ongoing list of any composer's work, and Guaraldi is no different. The information is fascinating, both from the standpoint of what is on the list, and what is not. Then, too, it's obvious that Guaraldi's selections live on, and have been used long after the jazz pianist's death; I doubt he was with us, for example, when some of his themes wound up as background cues for Live with Regis and Kathy Lee. And, of course, "Linus and Lucy" has turned up on a few TV commercials.

You can view Guaraldi's entries in the BMI Registry right here. Be sure to click on individual entries, in order to obtain additional information ... such as who controls the rights to each song or fragment. Bear in mind, as well, that the spelling can be a serious issue: sometimes so fractured that I'm frankly surprised that records related to a given song are maintained accurately (and perhaps they aren't).

What follows is derived from the BMI list, but divided into four alphabetical sections:

The first list is of Guaraldi's BMI-registered songs that appeared on LP or CD during his lifetime. Each of these includes the name of the album on which it appears, with a link that will take you to a description of said album in this document's companion, Vince Guaraldi on LP and CD.

List two features Peanuts material that Guaraldi did not have a chance to record on any album before his death: cues that are known to be from Peanuts TV specials, in some cases available on CDs produced years later, or, at the very least, can be heard on video and DVD, if only in truncated form.

Some questions pop up, when scanning this section:

Why so many sets of "background cues" for some animated specials, such as Easter Beagle, but only one set -- or none -- for others?

How, one wonders, was Guaraldi able to get away with claiming "composer/songwriter" credit for Mozart's Symphony in G minor, or for his arrangements of well-known Christmas carols? Or for his arrangement of "Pomp and Circumstances"?

List three includes unrecorded songs (non-Peanuts) and also concerns cases where Guaraldi's existing music was employed for some other purpose, although questions remain unanswered. It's easy to determine, for example, that "KSTP News at 5 A.M. -- background cues" would have been used for a TV news show, but we don't know which Guaraldi cues were "borrowed" in this fashion. This list also includes a few mysteries: What in the world might "Jet Set" and "Eddie Bone" be?

List three also is fluid, and constantly changing. Entries disappear as given cues no longer are used -- as with, say, background themes for a local TV news broadcast -- and/or as licensing agreements expire. By the same token, new entries appear as some individual or corporate entity signs a fresh licensing agreement.

Finally, the fourth and shortest list is of known songs that do not appear in the BMI registry ... either because the BMI list isn't up to date, or because they were registered elsewhere.


Registered songs that Guaraldi recorded during his lifetime:

"Alma Ville" -- available on Jazz Impression of Black Orpheus and Alma-Ville

"The Ballad of Pancho Villa" -- available on From All Sides

"Baseball Theme" -- available on A Boy Named Charlie Brown and available on A Boy Named Charlie Brown (film score)

"Blue Charlie Brown" -- available on A Boy Named Charlie Brown and available on A Boy Named Charlie Brown (film score)

"Brasilia" -- available on The Latin Side of Vince Guaraldi

"Calling Dr. Funk" -- available on Modern Music from San Franciso

"Casaba" -- available on Vince Guaraldi/Bola Sete and Friends

"Cast Your Fate to the Wind" -- available on Jazz Impressions of Black Orpheus and The Charlie Brown Suite and numerous other albums

"Charlie Brown's All Stars" -- available on A Boy Named Charlie Brown (film score)

"Charlie Brown Theme" -- available on A Boy Named Charlie Brown and Charlie Brown's Holiday Hits

"Chorro" (actually a variation on the first movement, Molto Allegro, of Mozart's Symphony No. 40 in G-minor, K. 550) -- available on From All Sides

"Christmas Is Coming" -- available on A Charlie Brown Christmas and Charlie Brown's Holiday Hits

"Christmas Time Is Here" -- available on A Charlie Brown Christmas and Charlie Brown's Holiday Hits

"Coffee and Doe Nuts" -- available on The Eclectic Vince Guaraldi

"El Matador" -- available on Live at El Matador

"Fenwyck Farfel" -- available on The Vince Guaraldi Trio and Jazz Impressions

"Freeway" -- available on In Person

"Frieda (With the Naturally Curly Hair)" -- available on A Boy Named Charlie Brown, among others

"Ginza" -- available on Modern Music from San Francisco and Stan Getz/Cal Tjader Sextet and From All Sides (the latter two as "Ginza Samba")

"Great Pumpkin Waltz" -- available on Oh, Good Grief! and Charlie Brown's Holiday Hits

"Happiness Theme" -- available on A Boy Named Charlie Brown

"Hark, the Herald Angels Sing" (arrangement) -- available on A Charlie Brown Christmas

"A Hatful of Dandruff" -- available on Introducing Gus Mancuso

"He's Your Dog, Charlie Brown" -- available on Oh, Good Grief!

"Holy Communion Blues" -- available on The Grace Cathedral Concert

"In Remembrance of Me" available on The Grace Cathedral Concert

"Little David" -- available on Little Band, Big Jazz

"Linus and Lucy" -- available on A Boy Named Charlie Brown and many others

"Lucifer's Lady" -- available on The Eclectic Vince Guaraldi and A Boy Named Charlie Brown (film score) and North Beach

"Macedonia" -- available on Little Band, Big Jazz

"The Masked Marvel" -- available on Alma-Ville and North Beach

"Menino Pequeno da Bateria" -- available on From All Sides

"Monterey" -- available on With the San Francisco Boys Chorus

"Nobody Else" -- available on Live at El Matador and The Eclectic Vince Guaraldi, among others

"The Nymph" (Guaraldi wrote but never recorded this song himself, but it was recorded by Charlie Mariano on his own Fantasy album) -- available on Charlie Mariano

"O Tannenbaum" (arrangement) -- available on A Charlie Brown Christmas

"Oh, Good Grief" -- available on A Boy Named Charlie Brown and Oh, Good Grief! and others

"Our Blues" (actually written by Pat Tjader and Shirley Guaraldi, the musicians' wives) -- available on Cal Tjader

"Pebble Beach Theme" (also known as "Housewife Theme") -- available on A Boy Named Charlie Brown

"Peppermint Patty" -- available on Oh, Good Grief! and The Lost Cues from the Charlie Brown Television Specials, among others

"Rain, Rain, Go Away" -- available on Oh, Good Grief!

"Red Baron" -- available on Oh, Good Grief!

"Room at the Bottom" (also known as "Like a Mighty Rose") -- available on A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing and Jazz Impressions

"Schroeder" -- available on A Boy Named Charlie Brown and Charlie Brown's Holiday Hits, among others

"Skating" -- available on A Charlie Brown Christmas and A Boy Named Charlie Brown (film score)

"Star Song" -- available on Vince Guaraldi/Bola Sete and Friends and several others

"Theme to Grace" -- available on The Grace Cathedral Concert and With the San Francisco Boys Chorus

"Thinking of You, MJQ" -- available on Jazz at the Blackhawk

"Treat Street" -- available on The Latin Side of Vince Guaraldi

"What Child Is This" (arrangement, and also listed as "Greensleeves") -- available on A Charlie Brown Christmas

"Whirlpool" -- available on The Latin Side of Vince Guaraldi

"You're in Love, Charlie Brown" -- available on Oh, Good Grief!


Additional Peanuts songs and cues:

"Air Music" (also known, and listed, as "Surfin' Snoopy") -- available on Charlie Brown's Holiday Hits

"Bon Voyage"

"Charlie Brown and Charles Schulz -- background cues"

"Charlie Brown -- background cues" (six entries)

"Charlie Brown Christmas"

"Charlie Brown Christmas -- background cues" (five entries)

"The Charlie Brown Suite" -- available on The Charlie Brown Suite

"Charlie Brown Thanksgiving"

"Charlie Brown Thanksgiving -- background cues" (two entries)

"Charlie Brown Valentine -- background cues"

"Closing -- It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown"

"Easter Theme"

"Good Grief, Charlie Brown -- background cues" (three of them)

"Graveyard Theme" -- available on It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

"Here's to You, Charlie Brown -- background cues" (two of them)

"He's a Bully, Charlie Brown -- background cues"

"I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown -- background cues" (two of them)

"It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown -- background cues" (three of them)

"It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown -- background cues" (two of them)

"It Was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown"

"Joe Cool" -- available on The Lost Cues from the Charlie Brown Television Specials and Peanuts Portraits, among others

"Joe Cool Too"

"Little Birdie" -- available on The Lost Cues from the Charlie Brown Television Specials and Peanuts Portraits, among others

"Love Will Come"

"Lucy Must Be Traded, Charlie Brown -- background cues" (two of them)

"Mozart Symphony in G minor"

"New Snoopy Theme"

"New Snoopy Theme End Title"

"(There's) No Time for Love, Charlie Brown" -- available on The Lost Cues from the Charlie Brown Television Specials and Live on the Air

"Piano Vamp"

"Play It Again, Charlie Brown" (also known as "Charlie Brown Blues") -- available on Charlie Brown's Holiday Hits and Oaxaca, among others

"Pomp and Circumstance"

"Sally's Blues" -- available on The Lost Cues from the Charlie Brown Television Specials, Volume 2

"Thanksgiving Theme" -- available on Charlie Brown's Holiday Hits and The Lost Cues from the Charlie Brown Television Specials

"You're a Good Sport, Charlie Brown" -- available on Oaxaca

"You're Elected, Charlie Brown"

"You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown"


Miscellaneous songs and cues:

"ABC World News Now -- background cues"

"Access Hollywood -- background cues"

"America's Newsroom -- background cues"

"Atlanta Thrashers on T -- background cues"

"The Big Movie Theme" -- copyright registered via the U.S. Library of Congress

"Bill Hemmer Reports -- background cues"

"Bordertown -- background cues"

"CBS -- background cues"

"CBS Evening News -- background cues"

"CBS Overnight News -- background cues"

"CBS Sunday Morning News -- background cues"

"CBS This Morning -- background cues"

"CBS This Morning Saturday -- background cues"

"Christmas Time with Charlie Brown"

"Don't Dream; It's Over"

"Eddie Bone"

"Edgewise -- background cues"

"Egg, the Arts Show -- background cues"

"First Look -- background cues"

"Fox NFL Pre Game Show -- background cues"

"Good Morning America -- background cues"

"Hard Copy Magazine -- background cues"

"Holdin' On"

"Holdin' On Skrillex and Nero Remix"

"Home and Family -- background cues"

"I Love the '70s -- background cues"

"If Life Insurance"

"If Retirement"

"Jet Set"

"KCAL Yule Log -- background cues"

"KLAS News at 5 a.m. -- background cues"

"KLAS News at 6 a.m. -- background cues"

"KSDK Show Me St. Louis -- background cues" (three of them)

"KSEE News at 4:30 a.m. -- background cues"

"KSTP News at 6 A.M. -- background cues"

"KSTP On the Road with -- background cues"

"Lanza Tus Penas Al Viento"

"Lethargy" -- copyright registered via the U.S. Library of Congress

"Linus and Lucy Freeway Jam"

"Meer Wellen Und Wind"

"Morning Joe -- background cues"

"MSNBC Live -- background cues"

"My Loneliness" -- copyright registered via the U.S. Library of Congress

"Mystery Theme"

"NBA Inside Stuff -- background cues"

"New York Live -- background cues"

"93rd Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Parade -- background cues"

"O'Reilly Factor -- background cues"

"P.M. Magazine -- background cues"

"Running with Scissors -- background cues"

"Sand and Sea" -- copyright registered via the U.S. Library of Congress

"Sharecropper's Daughter" -- available on The Complete Warner Bros.-Seven Arts Recordings

"Sunset Music"

"The Today Show -- background cues"

"The Tonight Show -- background cues"

"Travel Adventure -- background cues"

"Twilight of Youth" -- copyright registered via the U.S. Library of Congress

"Varney and Company -- background cues"

"Vince Guaraldi Cues"

"WBZ News at 6 a.m. -- background cues"

"WBZ News at 6 a.m. Sunday -- background cues"

"WCBS News at 5 A.M. -- background cues"

"WFAA News at 9 a.m. -- background cues"

"WGCL Better Mornings -- background cues" (two of them)

"WLS News at 4:30 a.m. -- background cues"

"WNCT an Eastern NC Christmas -- background cues"

"WSMV Today in Nashville -- background cues"

"WSPA -- background cues"

"WTHR News at 5 a.m. -- background cues"

"WTMJ The Morning Blend -- background cues"

"WWE Specials -- background cues"

"WXIA News at 4:30 a.m. -- background cues"


Known songs not registered through BMI:

"African Sleigh Ride" -- available on The Lost Cues from the Charlie Brown Television Specials

"Arbor Day Theme" -- copyright registered via the U.S. Library of Congress

"Blues for Peanuts" -- available on The Definitive Vince Guaraldi

"Centercourt" -- available on The Lost Cues from the Charlie Brown Television Specials

"Charlie Brown's Wake-Up" -- available on The Lost Cues from the Charlie Brown Television Specials, Volume 2

"Cops and Robbers" -- available on The Lost Cues from the Charlie Brown Television Specials, Volume 2 and Live on the Air

"Detained in San Ysidro" -- available on Alma-Ville

"The Heartburn Waltz" -- available on Charlie Brown's Holiday Hits and The Lost Cues from the Charlie Brown Television Specials, Volume 2

"Incumbent Waltz" -- available on The Lost Cues from the Charlie Brown Television Specials

"Is It James or Charlie?" -- available on The Lost Cues from the Charlie Brown Television Specials, Volume 2 and Peanuts Portraits

"It's a Mystery, Charlie Brown" -- available on The Lost Cues from the Charlie Brown Television Specials, Volume 2

"Jambo's" -- available on Alma-Ville

"Kitchen Music" -- available on The Lost Cues from the Charlie Brown Television Specials, Volume 2

"Motocross" -- available on The Lost Cues from the Charlie Brown Television Specials

"My Little Drum" -- available on A Charlie Brown Christmas and With the San Francisco Boys Chorus

"Never Again" -- available on The Lost Cues from the Charlie Brown Television Specials, Volume 2

"Newport Theme" -- available on With the San Francisco Boys Chorus

"Oaxaca" -- available on Oaxaca

"Pitkin County Blues" -- available on The Lost Cues from the Charlie Brown Television Specials

"Rio from the Air" -- available on Alma-Ville

"Snoopy and Woodstock" -- available on The Lost Cues from the Charlie Brown Television Specials, Volume 2

"Spice Island Theme" -- available on With the San Francisco Boys Chorus

"There's Been a Change" -- available on The Lost Cues from the Charlie Brown Television Specials, Volume 2

"Track Meet" -- available on Charlie Brown's Holiday Hits (actually a reworking of "Christmas Is Coming")

"Uno Y Uno" -- available on Alma-Ville

"Woodstock's Pad" -- available on Live on the Air


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