Overview
- Jason Mendelson recounts that producer Lee Mendelson dashed off the song's words in about five minutes on the back of an envelope after efforts to hire a lyricist fell through.
- Vince Guaraldi then hurried a local children's choir into a church to record the vocals, creating the version that opened A Charlie Brown Christmas.
- The 1965 soundtrack features both instrumental and choral takes of the song, which Guaraldi praised, and it later became a standard covered by major artists.
- People and The Independent report Jason's account of the rushed, collaborative production with Charles Schulz and Bill Melendez that initially drew lukewarm network feedback.
- Jason and his brother Sean now produce Peanuts records, including new collectible vinyl editions of the A Charlie Brown Christmas album.