The San Francisco-based trio was first formed around 1954, then in a piano-guitar-bass configuration. Starting with the release of the group's self-titled debut album on Fantasy in 1956, Guaraldi would remain on the label for some time. Guaraldi's early recordings were decidedly low-key and morose compared to the work for which he would become famous, but his trademark melancholy and distinctive instrumental voicings, including his deep basslines, were indelible parts of his aesthetic framework from the very beginning.
Influenced by the Brazilian film Black Orpheus (1959)--whose soundtrack was a large part of the impending Bossa nova craze--the trio recorded the album Jazz Impressions of Black Orpheus (1962), having by this point settled into their now familiar piano-bass-drums lineup. The album featured renditions of songs from the film, as well as a number of originals; one such song was "Cast Your Fate to the Wind" which would, within a year, become one of the most commercially successful jazz instrumentals of its time, notably winning a Grammy for Best Instrumental Song. Several vocal versions (with lyrics by Carel Werber) would also achieve significant success.
It was thanks to Guaraldi's hit song that he was discovered by Lee Mendelson who wanted him to write music for Peanuts animation. Guaraldi's first Peanuts assignment was the music for the ill-fated Schulz documentary A Boy Named Charlie Brown. Though the special was never aired and remained unavailable to the public for several decades, the music was released as the album Jazz Impressions of A Boy Named Charlie Brown (1964). For later reissues, the album was retroactively renamed after the documentary.
Despite a troubled production process, 1965 saw the premiere of A Charlie Brown Christmas. Guaraldi's ground-breaking amalgamation of Christmas music and his own unique brand of jazz was an inexorable part of the special's unforeseen success; the soundtrack, featuring originals alongside Guaraldi's interpretations of standards, continues to amass impressive sales even now. One of the songs from the special, "Linus and Lucy" (featured in the special's famous "dancing scene"), would become the de facto theme of Peanuts animations, often mistakenly referred to as the "Peanuts Theme". Another song on the soundtrack, "Christmas Time Is Here" (with lyrics by Mendelson), has become a Christmas standard in its own right.
With the passing of the '60s, Guaraldi began experimenting more and more with different sonic textures for his music, having all but replaced his acoustic piano with various electronic keyboards, most notably the Fender Rhodes. Consequently, Guaraldi would, less and less, perform and record within the context of a trio. While it was never "officially" disbanded, and Guaraldi still used this configuration from time to time, the group inevitably dissolved upon Guaraldi's untimely death in 1976.
Peanuts specials made subsequent to his death often reuse Guaraldi's recordings, or original music inspired heavily by Guaraldi's iconic scores; a testament to his importance to the identity of Peanuts. More importantly, generations of people have cited Guaraldi's inventive and playful jazz as their formative experience with the genre, imbuing a spark of the love of jazz in untold numbers of listeners that only seem to increase the more time goes by.
Hark! the Herald Angels Sing
Vince Guaraldi Trio Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Glory to the newborn king
Peace on Earth and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled
Joyful all ye nations rise
Join the triumph of the skies
With angelic host proclaim
Hark the herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn king
The song "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" by Vince Guaraldi Trio is a classic Christmas hymn that speaks of the birth of Christ. The beginning lines of the song, "Hark the herald angels sing, glory to the newborn king" sets the tone for the religious theme of the entire song. It emphasizes the majesty of Christ, who is being born amidst great fanfare and celebration. The hymn speaks to the significance of the event, quoting, "Peace on Earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled" to remind listeners of the important role that Christ plays in bringing peace and reconciliation to the world.
The third stanza speaks to how the story of the birth of Christ has spread to far-off lands and how the angels join in proclaiming the news of Christ's birth, saying, "Joyful all ye nations rise, join the triumph of the skies, with angelic host proclaim Christ is born in Bethlehem." This stanza serves to widen the message of the hymn and speak to the universality of Christ's significance. The final stanza repeats the opening lines once again, cementing the sense of celebration at the birth of Christ, with continued exclamation of "Glory to the newborn king".
Line by Line Meaning
Hark the herald angels sing
Listen to the heavenly messengers sing
Glory to the newborn king
Praise to the holy infant king
Peace on Earth and mercy mild
May there be peace and compassion on Earth
God and sinners reconciled
God has brought sinners back into his good graces
Joyful all ye nations rise
All nations rise up in joy
Join the triumph of the skies
Join the victorious celebration in the heavens
With angelic host proclaim
Proclaim with the company of angels
Christ is born in Bethlehem
Jesus, the savior, is born in Bethlehem
Hark the herald angels sing
Listen to the heavenly messengers sing
Glory to the newborn king
Praise to the holy infant king
Lyrics © DistroKid, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Capitol CMG Publishing, Integrity Music, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Charles Wesley, Felix Mendelssohn
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@leigh3659
Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the new-born King!
Peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled."
Joyful, all ye nations, rise,
Join the triumph of the skies;
With th' angelic host proclaim,
"Christ is born in Bethlehem."
Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the new-born King!
@anastasialaguardia3848
I heard that the Peanuts version of Hark the Herald Angels Sing (the oooh choir part) from “A Charlie Brown Christmas” will be played while Joshy reads the Christmas Mailtime poem on the Blue’s Clues & You Christmas & Hanukkah special premiering soon on Nickelodeon.
“Hark! I hear mailboxes sing,
A song that can mean just one thing.
O Merry! O Joy! O Holiday Cheer!”
- to be continued until the special premieres on Nickelodeon
I am literally going to scream and faint when the Peanuts version of Hark the Herald Angels Sing - oooh choir part starts playing and Joshy starts reading the Christmas Mailtime poem!!
#bluescluesandyou #joshuadelacruz #joshdelacruz #peanutsmusiconbluescluesandyou
#bluesclues
@maddy9362
"MERRY CHRISTMAS, CHARLIE BROWN!"
@patrickstar7816
Where did you get that picture.
@tanishalee586
Hark the herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn king
Peace on earth
@twenteetoo
You too Maddy
@evelynwilson6735
Minnie Mouse, Pluto, Daisy Duck, Donald Duck, Goofy, Pete, and Clarabelle Cow: Merry Christmas, Mickey Mouse!
@markbraley311
@@evelynwilson6735 Pluto barks, not talk in my personal opinion.
@usmc1917916
And were all young again. God Bless Merry Christmas.
@sagatuppercut2960
The children of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church did an excellent job of singing.🎵
@outlawjoseywales9782
Every year of my childhood was ended with this song on CBS A Charlie Brown Christmas special. I'm now 50 and still escape to pleasant memories hearing this toon.
@KitsonHeart
May this year have also seen you making new pleasant memories despite current events, and many more pleasant memories as we push onwards to the new years.