What if the Vince Guaraldi Trio recorded Paul McCartney’s “Wonderful Christmastime” for “A Charlie Brown Christmas”? That’s what this delightful little cover of Macca’s Christmas favorite by the Jason Frederick Cinematic Trio imagines.
“Favorite”? Well, “money pump.” It’s a money pump. Last I saw, McCartney earned something like one million dollars a year in performance royalties for “Wonderful Christmastime.” I don’t dislike the song, it’s not as lazy and banal as John Lennon’s “Happy Xmas,” but how one feels about the song really depends on how they feel about Macca ODing on the synth. Play it on real instruments, reimagine it (as this jazz cover does), and there’s real improvement.
This sent me down a rabbit hole, though. If “Wonderful Christmastime” could be reimagined in a Vince Guaraldi style, has anyone reimagined The Royal Guardsmen’s “Snoopy’s Christmas” in that Guaraldi West Coast Jazz style? I’ve heard a heavy metal cover, I’ve heard a ska cover, surely there’s a jazz combo cover? Alas, as best I can tell, no one’s been mad enough to do that.
And that’s a shame. Because who wouldn’t want a version of “Snoopy’s Christmas” that would slot seamlessly into a playlist alongside Guaraldi’s “Linus and Lucy” and “Skating”? What a wonderful and gratifying image that is–chilling on a snowy evening, the Christmas tree lighted, a glass of coquito or boozy egg nog in hand, and a jazzy “Snoopy’s Christmas” on the speakers “bringing peace to all the world, and goodwill to man”?
Okay, okay. Maybe it’s just me, and I am a well-known weirdo. 😆
Christmas bells, those Christmas bells,
Ringing through the land!
Bringing peace to all the world
And goodwill to man!