The Vince Guaraldi Trio was a jazz group fronted by pianist and composer Vi… Read Full Bio ↴The Vince Guaraldi Trio was a jazz group fronted by pianist and composer Vince Guaraldi. Most well-known in its acoustic piano-drums-bass configuration, the trio provided music for a number of animated productions of Charles M. Schulz's Peanuts comic strips. Guaraldi's distinctively breezy, bluesy, and melancholy jazz has become an indelible part of Peanuts' timeless legacy. Their soundtrack for the 1965 Christmas special, A Charlie Brown Christmas, is one of the biggest-selling and most critically successful Christmas albums of all time.
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.
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.
My Little Drum
Vince Guaraldi Trio Lyrics
Instrumental
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it
More Genres
No Artists Found
More Artists
Load All
No Albums Found
More Albums
Load All
No Tracks Found
Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Search results not found
Song not found
George Bauerschmidt
As a kid when I first heard "The Little Drummer Boy" by the "Harry Simeone Chorale" (1941) it was that version that made me love the fictional story. Stories in music were like reading a book giving me the chance to envision the events in my head like a dream but the music also adds the ability to be the soundtrack to this internalized movie.
However, this version of the song was quite different and made me sad as in my head I had a vision of a homeless man with his little dog walking the streets looking for warmth and comfort but being turned away. The song always seems sad, tired, and lonely but hoping for a change that never comes. Without words and only hearing the music, much like the lack of words being shared with the lonely homeless man, the focus remains on the children that can see the happiness and joy of Christmas.
The sound of the children's choir is also a reminder of lost youth as they are scampering along with their activities while the man finds his way to sit at a lonely park bench, his dog at his side watching others bustling along with their holiday shopping., but no one speaking to him. Just alone in his memories, smiling up at those that don't know the harshness of old age.
It's weird, but the song makes me sad with the futility of finding happiness while being alone just knowing that it's Christmas and watching the joy on the faces of others and wishing to be part of their merriment and joy.
I feel like I need to create a video with this concept to purge it out of my system.
jasonpp1973
Greatest Xmas albums of all time imo, no particular order:
A Christmas Gift for You From Phil Spector
A Charlie Brown Christmas
Merry (aka White) Christmas by Bing Crosby
The Beach Boys Christmas Album
Snowfall by Tony Bennett
Jolly Christmas by Frank Sinatra
Christmas Song by Nat King Cole
cellini051
It's the middle of June and I'm sitting here crying over this song. When I was little we would always put this album on when we decorated the Christmas tree. I'm 20 now, and I know I'm not that old, but that feels like a lifetime ago. It's crazy how a song like this can take you on a journey. This whole album is amazing!
HAVEN THE BEAST 2
I love apples
Poseidon Vlogs
Im 15 now and it’s the 3rd of July and im Listening to this and I still cry when listening to this
Sean Sullivan
I'm 54 and it still brings tears to my eyes! Enjoy!!
Breakwater
A Christmas masterpiece, never fails to get me in the warmest of moods.
Flo Rider 2024
This made me tear up and i dont know why. I am at a very frustrating stage of my life and maybe I just remember hearing this with nothing but joy in my heart. Everything seems so complicated now. I long for that feeling of pure innocence and happiness and family in my childhood during Christmastime
Lenny Augello
@Flo Rider 2024 Allllright!!! Happy to hear.
Flo Rider 2024
@R You'll make it through this, even if it seems there is no end in sight to the hard times, just know its there. Remember what you're fighting for, carry your passion with you and press forward. You got this
Flo Rider 2024
Thank you everyone who reached out wishing me well this Christmas season. I thank God I have healthy family and friends and I have learned to appreciate the time I have with them, and around this Christmas season we were in high spirits and made time to cut out the stresses of the world. Reading these comments inspires me to pass forward love and positivity as often as possible because we all need those at a moments notice sometimes, it can make all the difference for someone.
Lenny Augello
After 2 years I'm hoping you're doing better. Remember that there are people who you don't even know that are pulling for you. And yes.... Pure innocence of youth can get you all the time... It's normal. God bless, and go out and be a blessing for someone else.