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Vince Guaraldi

Certain Songs #57: Vince Guaraldi Trio – “Linus and Lucy”

December 24, 2014 by Jim Connelly

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Album: A Charlie Brown Christmas.

Year: 1964.

The music geek in me – the guy who does research on every song he posts – wants you to know that this song predates 1965’s A Charlie Brown Christmas, having been released in 1964 on a record called Jazz Impressions of A Boy Named Charlie Brown.

Not to mention that “Linus and Lucy” has showed up in several other “Peanuts” special and is probably known more as “The Charlie Brown Theme” than its actual title. (So it’s like the “Baba O’Riley” of the “Peanuts” universe.)

And finally, musically, “Linus and Lucy” has absolutely nothing to do with any kind of Christmas-oriented music in any way, shape or form. It’s straight up piano J-A-Z-Z jazz, with maybe a bit of bossanova underneath Guaraldi’s first solo.

However, the music lover in me – the guy who lives (barely) in the real world – knows that none of that matters. As far as the real world is concerned “Linus and Lucy” has been forever transmogrified into Christmas music. Over the years, it’s even come to overshadow the obvious single “Christmas Time is Here Again"  (which, ironically, became the music underpinning a running joke about sadness on Arrested Development.)

Oh, and it’s my firm belief that that bluesy stop-time part that happens 35 seconds in (and never again in the actual song) is quite possibly the most beloved musical moment in all of history. Tough luck, Beethoven and The Beatles.

Fan-made video looping the "Charlie Brown Christmas Dance” set to “Linus & Lucy”

My Certain Songs Spotify Playlist:

Every “Certain Song” Ever

Filed Under: Certain Songs Tagged With: a charlie brown christmas, linus and lucy, schroeder, Vince Guaraldi

21 Musical Moments To Die For

December 19, 2008 by Jim Connelly

This seems to be way more fun than Linus' big speech. You can talk about genres, artists, albums, or even songs, but sometimes what keeps us coming back to music is the discovery of the transcendent musical moment. For me, “the moment” is the part of the song that fully and utterly engages me; the reason that I keep coming back to it.

I’m not necessarily talking about hooks here, because the purpose of a hook is the draw you into a song. I’m really talking more about traps: the part of a song that that keeps you there.

The is the fifth in a series. The first one had 25, the second one had 24, the third one had 23, the fourth one had 22.

Also: there is a slight — but not total – Christmas theme going on with this one. More of an arc, really. And a couple of mini-arcs, too!

Every single moment I’ve listed below kills me single every time I hear it.

Oh, and this isn’t in any kind of order, despite the numbering.

[Read more…] about 21 Musical Moments To Die For

Filed Under: Music, Musical Moments To Die For, That's What I Like Tagged With: Adam Duritz, Alex Chilton, Big Star, Billy Bragg, blink-182, Buffalo Tom, Charlie Brown, Counting Crows, Dream Syndicate, Drive-by Truckers, Dwight Yoakam, Echo & The Bunnymen, Elvis Costello, Jim Morrison, Michael Jackson, Pogues, Soft Boys, The Concretes, The Doors, The Hold Steady, U2, Vince Guaraldi

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Previously on Medialoper

  • Certain Songs #2580: Supertramp – “Even in the Quietest Moments”
  • Certain Songs #2579: Supertramp – “Bloody Well Right”
  • Certain Songs #2578: Supergrass – “Sun Hits The Sky”
  • Certain Songs #2577: Supergrass – “Alright”
  • Certain Songs #2576: Superchunk – “If You’re Not Dark”

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