I have so many songs relating to Charlie Brown and the Peanuts gang, I don’t know where to start!

(click for a closer look)

The songs inspired by Sparky Shultz fall into three main categories: 1) Novelty tunes about Snoopy, courtesy of The Royal Guardsmen; 2) Songs from the Broadway show “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown”; and 3) Music from the various holiday-oriented, animated TV specials like “It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown,” “It’s The Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown!” “Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown,” “Happy New Year, Charlie Brown!” “It Was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown,” and “It’s Arbor Day, Charlie Brown.” (I’m not making these up!) While we wait for the release of “Good Grief? Is It Flag Day Already, Charlie Brown?” we can look back at the first, and still the best, “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”

Vince Guaraldi was already quite successful as the writer and artist of “Cast Your Fate To The Wind,” a catchy, jazzy piano number that was quickly turned into background music by the powerful elevator cartel. But when Vince wrote the score for the first Peanuts special, his immortality was ensured.

This Tuesday we present not one, not two, but THREE versions of the most memorable of these holiday tunes, “Linus and Lucy.” The first is by Vince himself, the second is an updated, punkalicious version by a band called Game Theory, and the third is an in-concert improvisation by Metallica!

(if no bar appears please click here to listen)

(if no bar appears please click here to listen)

(if no bar appears please click here to listen)

Compare and contrast. I need your papers on my desk by next Tuesday.

By the way, I have yet another version of this song to share if Arf-lovers demand it!