Linus and Lucy
Definition
A legendary, upbeat jazz piano instrumental composed by Vince Guaraldi, serving as the iconic theme song for the Peanuts comic strip and its animated specials.
A shorthand term for the whimsical, finger-snapping sound of holiday-themed nostalgia that can occasionally trigger expensive licensing negotiations for television networks.
Examples
The office party started off professionally until someone played 'Linus and Lucy', and suddenly everyone was forced to dance like a rhythmic cartoon character.
Stephen Colbert discovered the hard way that while 'Linus and Lucy' is universally loved, it is not universally free to broadcast on national television.
Trying to capture the pure joy of the Peanuts gang, the pianist hammered out 'Linus and Lucy' with the confidence of a network executive who definitely remembered to pay the licensing fee this time.