IT'S A MYSTERY, CHARLIE BROWN Soundtrack to Get First-Ever Release
The 21-track album marks 75 years since Vince Guaraldi began his recording career.
Lee Mendelson Film Productions has announced the first-ever release of Vince Guaraldi's complete soundtrack for It's a Mystery, Charlie Brown, the 11th animated Peanuts special, from writer and creator Charles Schulz, producers Bill Melendez and Lee Mendelson, and director Phil Roman. It originally aired 52 years ago on February 1, 1974, on CBS-TV. The special is currently available for streaming on Apple TV or on DVD/Blu-ray from Warner Home Video.
The soundtrack album includes 21 tracks, comprised of the full 15 cue score for Mystery, plus four alternate and unused tracks from the special's recording sessions along with two covers of jazz standards. This is the funkiest Peanuts score ever, with Guaraldi playing wah-wah guitar, clavinet, and leaning into groovy rhythms more than ever.
Also out September 18 - the first single off of the album is 'It's a Mystery, Charlie Brown', the eponymous title theme from the special. The composition is played five times throughout the special, and each distinct performance is available on the album.
This release is unique, as the packaging invites the customer to solve several mysteries to uncover its secrets. Customers are challenged to try to find all the tiny Peppermint Patty robbers, with the aid of included Snoopy Holmes magnifying glass sheet (all vinyl and CD releases include this special treat). There are several other secrets in the packaging, where the listener/reader is encouraged to try to search for clues and solve puzzles that will lead to more surprises! A can't miss for Peanuts fans and Guaraldi fans alike!
All the music was written by Vince Guaraldi, except for 'Autumn Leaves' by Joseph Kosma and 'Billie's Bounce' by Charlie Parker.
On 'Mystery,' Guaraldi whistles, plays guitar, piano, electric piano, and clavinet, and is joined by Seward McCain on bass, and both Mike Clark and Eliot Zigmund on drums. The tracks were recorded at Wally Heider Studios in San Francisco on December 14th and 16-19th, 1973 and January 24th, 1974.
Some of the bonus material comes from an additional recording session that features Ron McClure on bass and Mike Clark on drums from October 8th, 1973.
The soundtrack was produced by Sean Mendelson and Jason Mendelson; it was mixed at Bones and Knives by mixing engineer Terry Carleton, and was restored and re-mastered by Vinson Hudson (who has mastered all the LMFP releases).
The 42-minute LP album will be available August 21, 2026, on 12' 33 RPM BioVinyl, in
· Black, available everywhere
· Mysterious Magenta, an Urban Outfitters Exclusive
· Mystifying Teal, a Barnes & Noble Exclusive
· Magnifying Glass Clear, a Think Indie Exclusive
It will also be available on CD and Digital. Pre-order here
Continuing with LMFP's sustainability efforts, the LP is eco-minded and is made from BioVinyl with foundational material sourced from used cooking oil or industrial waste gases to reduce our carbon footprint, and employs sustainably forested paper in a compostable PLA bag.
- Replaces petroleum in S-PVC by using recycling used cooking oil or industrial waste gasses as the source material
-57% CO2 savings in S-PVC production over than traditional PVC production.
-ISCC PLUS certification guarantees sustainable PVC supply chain.
-100% recyclable and reusable.
-FSC-certified paper stock (jacket, insert, OBI strip, labels) for zero deforestation.
-Compostable, reusable PLA bag, made from 99% renewable material.
-Acoustic and optical quality identical to conventional vinyl records.
The CDs are made with a 'Digipack Lite ' with eco-friendly ink, 16pt FSC certified partially recycled board stock, and a re-sealable eco-bag. Additionally, the flexi-tray that holds the CD is made from repurposed water bottles and containers, and less paper overall was used relative to a standard digipak.
For more information about our sustainability efforts, please see LMFP's website.
The physical copies include liner notes that give a track-by-track analysis by album producer Sean Mendelson, and notes from album producer Jason Mendelson, sons of legendary Peanuts producer Lee Mendelson. Derrick Bang, Guaraldi biographer and author of 'Vince Guaraldi at the Piano,' continues the tradition of providing an historical essay for both the special and the soundtrack. The liner notes (vinyl: 4-page and CD: 12-page booklet) contain images from the special, rare photographs, and each comes with a magnifying glass sheet.
Track Listing (CD/Digital):
1. Little Birdie
2. Mystery Theme / Mystery Theme (Reprise)
3. It's a Mystery, Charlie Brown
4. Sassy Sally / It's a Mystery, Charlie Brown (Reprise)
5. Mystery Theme (2nd Reprise)
6. Cops and Robbers
7. It's a Mystery, Charlie Brown (2nd Reprise)
8. Mystery Theme (3rd Reprise)
9. It's a Mystery, Charlie Brown (3rd Reprise)
10. Sally's Blues
11. Mystery Interlude #1
12. Joe Cool
13. It's a Mystery, Charlie Brown (4th Reprise)
14. Mystery Theme (4th Reprise)
15. Mystery Theme (5th Reprise)
--Bonus Material-
16. It's a Mystery, Charlie Brown (2nd Reprise Alternate Take)**
17. Snoopy Holmes**
18. Mystery Theme (Vibraslap Mix) / (Studio Banter) / Little Burdie (Alternate Vince Whistle) / Cops and Robbers (Rhythm Section Mix)**
19. Joe Cool (Just Vince Mix)**
20. Autumn Leaves by Joseph Kosma**
21. Billie's Bounce by Charlie Parker**
** Bonus material not on the special
Track Listing 'It's a Mystery, Charlie Brown' (LP):
Side A:
A1. Little Birdie
A2. Mystery Theme / Mystery Theme (Reprise)
A3. It's a Mystery, Charlie Brown
A4. Sassy Sally / It's a Mystery, Charlie Brown (Reprise)
A5. Mystery Theme (2nd Reprise)
A6. Cops and Robbers
A7. It's a Mystery, Charlie Brown (2nd Reprise)
A8. Mystery Theme (3rd Reprise)
A9. It's a Mystery, Charlie Brown (3rd Reprise)
A10. Sally's Blues
A11. Mystery Interlude #1
A12. Joe Cool
A13. It's a Mystery, Charlie Brown (4th Reprise)
A14. Mystery Theme (4th Reprise)
A15. Mystery Theme (5th Reprise)
Side B: --Bonus Material-
B1. It's a Mystery, Charlie Brown (2nd Reprise Alternate Take)**
B2. Snoopy Holmes**
B3. Mystery Theme (Vibraslap Mix) / (Studio Banter) / Little Burdie (Alternate Vince Whistle) / Cops and Robbers (Rhythm Section Mix)**
B4. Joe Cool (Just Vince Mix)**
B5. Autumn Leaves by Joseph Kosma**
B6. Billie's Bounce by Charlie Parker**
** Bonus material not on the special
About Peanuts:
The characters of Peanuts and related intellectual property are owned by Peanuts Worldwide, which is 80% owned by the Sony Group and 20% owned by the family of Charles M. Schulz. First introduced to the world in 1950 in the Peanuts comic strip, Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the rest of the gang have made an indelible mark on popular culture. In addition to enjoying beloved Peanuts shows and specials on Apple TV, fans of all ages celebrate the brand around the world through thousands of consumer products, as well as amusement park attractions, cultural events, social media, and comic strips available in all formats, from traditional to digital. Peanuts recently celebrated its 75th Anniversary with unprecedented worldwide exhibitions and activities, collaborations, digital marketing campaigns, and more.
About Lee Mendelson Film Productions, Inc.:
Lee Mendelson Film Productions (LMFP) is the publisher of the Vince Guaraldi musical catalog associated with Peanuts. LMFP is also the producer of the classic Peanuts television specials, including 'A Charlie Brown Christmas,' 'It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown,' and 'A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving,' along with the Hollywood animation studio Bill Melendez Productions. LMFP also produced over 50 other network Peanuts specials, 12 prime time Garfield specials, 121-program series 'Garfield and Friends' and many other film and television animated, documentary and entertainment programs. Founded by the late Lee Mendelson in 1963, Lee Mendelson Film Productions, Inc., has received 11 Emmy Awards (from 45 nominations) and four Peabody Awards, as well as producing projects that have received Grammy and Academy Award nominations.
Vince Guaraldi · It's a Mystery, Charlie Brown (Original Soundtrack Recordings) (Extended Edition)
Lee Mendelson Film Productions, Inc.
