Vince Guaraldi | "Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown"

Available for the First Time, Vince Guaraldi’s

Soundtrack to the 1975 Animated Classic,

Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown

The Full Soundtrack, Plus Never-Before-Heard Bonus Tracks Not Used in the Peanuts® Animated Special

Celebrating the 50^th Anniversary of the Classic Special, this Extended Version of the Original Soundtrack is a Great Valentine for Any Peanuts or Guaraldi Fan

Available January 17, 2025 via Lee Mendelson Film Productions

2025 marks the 75th Anniversary of Peanuts.

Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown is sure to be a new holiday classic album and joins the tremendously successful Peanuts discography, which includes A Charlie Brown Christmas, the 5x Platinum-Certified Album that Billboard Called the “Greatest Holiday Album of All Time,” and the Charting Premiere of Soundtrack Albums for

It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (released 2022),

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (released 2023),

It Was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown, (released 2024), and

You’re Not Elected, Charlie Brown (released 2024)

Available on black vinyl LP (BioVinyl), CD, and digitally

Pre-order here

Additional limited vinyl variants will include:

Heartburn Red LP (BioVinyl), limited edition

Available exclusively at participating independent record stores

Pre-order here

Puppy Love Pink LP (BioVinyl), limited edition

Available exclusively at Barnes and Noble

Pre-order here

“This score is a “tone poem tapestry,” designed to reinforce the melancholy atmosphere of these love’s labors lost. That’s particularly true of quietly thoughtful tracks such as “Never Again,” “There’s Been a Change,” “Charlie Brown’s Wake-Up,” and “Jennie L.”

— From the liner notes by Derrick Bang, author,

Vince Guaraldi at the Piano

“[Guaraldi’s use of] the Fender Rhodes warm, unaggressive tone perfectly defines Charlie Brown’s forlorn heart during the special. This is one of Guaraldi’s top shelf scores.”

— From the liner notes by Sean Mendelson, co-producer of the album

Lee Mendelson Film Productions (LMFP) is thrilled to announce the release – for the first time ever – of the complete Vince Guaraldi soundtrack for Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown, the timeless 13th animated Peanuts® special, from writer and creator Charles Schulz, director Phil Roman and producers Bill Melendez and Lee Mendelson. Originally airing on January 28th, 1975 on CBS-TV, it went on to be nominated for an Emmy® for Outstanding Children’s program. The special is currently available for streaming on Apple TV+.

All versions of the album include the original 24 cues that comprise the score of the special – mixed into 22 tracks – most available for the first time – plus another eight bonus or alternative tracks never heard before. This 42-minute soundtrack is the longest individual soundtrack released by LMFP to date.

Guaraldi brought original mid-tempo tunes, his classic favorites, and even a mambo to the score for a journey into love with the Peanuts gang. He utilized a new invention called the ARP String Ensemble synthesizer throughout the special to give the score a distinctive string-laced sound.

Some highlights include: the center piece “Heartburn Waltz” with eight dynamic variations; the longing “Jennie L.” and “There’s Been A Change” with their ballad-like sensibilities; the upbeat “Pawpet Overture;” the playful “Woodstock’s Mambo;” and even some classical pieces like “Freddie’s Mood” that covers Chopin for Snoopy’s pawpet show in the special. There are amazing bonus tracks with completely different but equally engaging takes on the themes from the special. “Last Call For Love,” the final track on the album, is an extended jam that the trio laid down and is a true found treasure from the recording sessions – it has never been heard before.

For the first time, these melodies can be fully appreciated, not hidden underneath dialogue or effects from the special.

The recording features Guaraldi (piano, electric piano, clavinet, ARP String Ensemble electric harpsichord and guitar), Seward McCain (bass), Vince Lateano (drums) and John Scott Trotter as the music supervisor. The soundtrack was produced by Sean Mendelson and Jason Mendelson; mixed at Bones and Knives by Terry Carleton and restored and re-mastered by Vinson Hudson.

The album will be available January 17, 2025, including an exclusive variant on Heartburn Red vinyl (12” BioVinyl) as a Record Store Day Indie Exclusive, that will be available at participating stores. Pre-Order here . It will also be available on Puppy Love Pink vinyl (12” BioVinyl) from Barnes and Noble. Pre-Order here.

The 42-minute album will also be available on black vinyl (12” BioVinyl), CD, and digitally.

The records and CDs are all eco-minded: the records are made with BioVinyl, a new and unique product that replaces petroleum in S-PVC by recycling used cooking oil or industrial waste. There will be a 100% CO2 savings compared to traditional PVC vinyl, without sacrificing any acoustic or optical quality. Each record comes in a reusable, compostable PLA bag that is made from 99% renewable material, and the jacket, label, and liner notes are all made from sustainably forested trees for minimum ecological harm. The CD’s packaging will also be made of recycled material, and their paper inserts are from sustainably forested trees as well.

The physical copies will include liner notes that give a track-by-track analysis by Derrick Bang and notes from Sean Mendelson and Jason Mendelson, sons of Peanuts producer Lee Mendelson and producers of the record. The LP liner notes are four pages, the CD liner notes are eight pages, and all versions contain images from the special, rare photographs and images from the original tape boxes recently re-discovered that led to this release.

Find participating stores and more information about orders here or order from the MVDshop here .

For an extended version of the press release and more information, including the track list, click here.

Vince Guaraldi · Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown

(Original Soundtrack Recording -50^th Anniversary Extended Edition)

Lee Mendelson Film Productions

Vinyl, CD and Digital Release Date: January 17, 2025

For more information on Lee Mendelson Film Productions, please visit:

www.mendelsonproductions.com

For media inquiries, please contact:

DL Media · (610) 420-8470

Don Lucoff · don@dlmediamusic.com

Jon Solomon · jon@dlmediamusic.com