Listening to: It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown (Official Soundtrack)

Like many others, I was ecstatic Concord/Craft Recordings released a "Music From The Soundtrack" album for It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown in October of 2018.  And also like many others, I was extremely disappointed when I discovered that it was merely the dialogue-free audio from the special; already chopped down and riddled with sound effects.

I began to share a sad, resigned hopelessness that many others echoed online: that the original recordings were likely lost and could never be released... But something miraculous happened this year.

"Thanks to a deep dive into the Mendelson vaults -- a project embraced during covid-enforced isolation -- newly discovered analog session reels allowed a vastly superior, re-mastered edition of this score to arrive in August 2022. The newer album features seven previously unreleased alternate takes, all of which offer fascinating insight into Guaraldi's creative process."   

-Derrick Bang, fivecentsplease.org

I can't begin to describe my elation regarding this.  The Great Pumpkin was a childhood staple and remains an obligatory annual watch.  I've longed nearly all my life to have a clean recording of "Graveyard Theme", "Breathless", "Trick or Treat"... but most of all, It's The Great Pumpkin's version of "Linus and Lucy".  I agree with Derrick Bang that "this special opens with arguably the best arrangement [of that song] that Guaraldi ever laid down, thanks in great part to Ronald Lang's flute counterpoint."  The alternate arrangements and reprises are a wonderful treat on top of it all.

To listen to the official album of Original Recordings, click below.

Alternatively, click here to view the album on YouTube