‘You’re Not Elected, Charlie Brown’ Cools Election Cycle Nerves

By DownBeat I Sep. 10, 2024

One highlight of *You’re Not Elected, Charlie Brown* is the complete version of “Joe Cool.”
(Photo: Courtesy LMFP)

Just in time for tonight’s presidential debate, Lee Mendelson Film Productions has announced the release — for the first time ever — of the complete Vince Guaraldi soundtrack for You’re Not Elected, Charlie Brown, an animated Peanuts special from writer and creator Charles Schulz that originally aired on Oct. 29, 1972, on CBS-TV. The special is currently available for streaming on Apple TV+.

All versions of the album include the original 16 recordings that make up the song cues of the special — with extended performances not previously available — plus another nine bonus or alternative tracks never heard before.

Bandleader, composer and multi-instrumentalist Guaraldi, who contributed his original music to many of the Peanuts specials, brought Dixieland jazz, his classic favorites and even his own voice to the score for Linus’ campaign for student body president.

Some musical highlights of You’re Not Elected, Charlie Brown include the complete version of “Joe Cool,” where Guaraldi sings about one of Snoopy’s most famous alter egos; multiple versions of “Incumbent Waltz,” written for the special; the melancholy “Deserted Charlie Brown”; “Linus And Lucy” updated for the ’70s; and several of the eponymous “You’re Not Elected, Charlie Brown” tunes. There are bonus tracks for “Joe Cool,” alternate takes of songs like “Blue Charlie Brown” and a bonus of “African Sleigh Ride,” which they ended up recording a different version of for a latter special.

When the session tapes were rediscovered, it became apparent that many of the songs had been cut down or edited (or replaced) for time or feel within the special for its final edit. The new release resurrects many of those performances to their original full length.

The original recordings feature Guaraldi (piano, electric piano, vocals and guitar), Seward McCain (bass and flute), Tom Harrell (trumpet), Glenn Cronkhite (drums), Mel Martin (woodwinds), Pat O‘Hara (trombone) and John Scott Trotter as the music supervisor. The soundtrack was produced by Sean Mendelson and Jason Mendelson; the audio was remixed at Bones and Knives by Terry Carleton and restored and re-mastered by Vinson Hudson.

The album became available Sept. 6, including an exclusive vinyl variant in Woodstock Yellow LP via Record Store Day Indie Exclusive, available at participating stores. To order You’re Not Elected, Charlie Brown, CLICK HERE.

A 12-inch LP in black, a CD of all 25 tracks and a complete digital release are also available.

Physical copies of You’re Not Elected, Charlie Brown include liner notes that give a track-by-track analysis by Derrick Bang and notes from Sean Mendelson, son of Peanuts producer Lee Mendelson and co-producer 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. The LP release also includes rare photographs and images from the original tape boxes recently re-discovered that led to this release.

“This show’s music is truly a showcase of Guaraldi’s creative expression, and he had a solid combo to match a solid story: a match made in Peanuts heaven,” Mendelson wrote in the album’s liner notes. “So if the current election cycle is driving you nuts, listening to this expressive score could be the cathartic trick that will calm your nerves.” DB