Linus and Lucy

"Linus and Lucy" is a popular jazz piano tune written by Vince Guaraldi, appearing in many of the Peanuts animated television specials. Named for the fictional siblings Linus and Lucy van Pelt, it was released in 1964 on the Vince Guaraldi Trio's album Jazz Impressions of a Boy Named Charlie Brown. A Charlie Brown Christmas introduced the song to a television audience of millions of children beginning in 1965.^[1] Since that special, the song has introduced most of the Peanuts TV specials, with the exceptions of the specials and other TV programs produced between 1979 and 1992. It is one of the most recognizable pieces by Vince Guaraldi, and has gained status as the de facto theme song of the Peanuts franchise.

The song was played to the crew of Space Shuttle Endeavour as wake-up music on Day 2 of the STS-123 mission on March 11, 2008. It has been used as background music for The Weather Channel's local forecasts since 1999,^[2] and in advertisements for insurance firm MetLife; MetLife has used Snoopy and other Peanuts characters in its TV and print advertising since the mid-1980s.

This song is also often played on radio stations in the United States that go to a Christmas music format during the holidays; its appearance on the soundtrack for A Charlie Brown Christmas has solidified "Linus and Lucy" as a holiday favorite.

The song is originally in the key of A-flat major.

In popular culture

• In The Simpsons episode "Treehouse of Horror XIX", the track features in a parody of It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (entitled It's The Grand Pumpkin, Milhouse).
• In the Family Guy episode '"Love, Blactually", Brian the dog dresses as Snoopy for a Halloween party and the track plays as he proceeds to dance like Snoopy.
• "Linus and Lucy'" is believed to be sampled in rapper Soulja Boy's 2007 hit single, "Soulja Girl", featuring the R&B vocal trio i15.

Other versions

• Andrew York on Perfect Sky
• Asylum Street Spankers on A Christmas Spanking
• Béla Fleck and the Flecktones on their 2008 Christmas album Jingle All the Way
• Belle and Sebastian at various concerts
• Buddy Emmons on One For The Road
• Built to Spill on Built to Spill - Sabonis Tracks
• Butch Taylor (as part of Dave Matthews Band) on "Live Trax Volume 1" and "Live Trax Volume 3"
• Carbon Leaf within the song "Torn and Tattered" at various concerts
• Carol Lou Woodward on An Evening with Carol Lou
• Cyrus Chestnut on A Charlie Brown Christmas
• Danny Gatton on In Concert and Hot Rod Guitar
• Dave Brubeck on Quiet as the Moon, which was played in This Is America, Charlie Brown: The NASA Space Station.
• Dave Matthews Band at various concerts
• David Benoit on Best of David Benoit: 1987-1995, Here's to You, Charlie Brown: 50 Great Years!
• David Syme on "On Fire"
• Game Theory on The Big Shot Chronicles
• Gary Hoey on Endless Summer II Soundtrack and on Wake Up Call
• George Winston on Linus and Lucy - The Music of Vince Guaraldi
• JFA (Jody Foster's Army) on Mad Gardens EP
• Jon Schmidt on "Bonus Tracks"
• Less Than Jake live at the Alachua Music Harvest on January 15, 1995
• moe. on Season's Greetings from moe.
• Rhythm Pigs on Rhythm Pigs & I'm not crazy...
• Stuart Hamm, as part of "Quahogs Anyone? (119, 120 Whatever It Takes)" on The Urge
• The Ergs! on Hindsight Is 20/20 My Friend
• Wynton Marsalis Septet on Joe Cool's Blues

References