Little Known Facts

Little Known Facts is a musical number in the Broadway musical comedy, You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown. The music and lyrics were written by Clark Gesner in 1966. The song was in the original Off-Broadway production of the show in 1967 and was also in the revival production in 1999, where it was added an extra stanza by Andrew Lippa.

The song is based on several Peanuts comic strips written by Charles M. Schulz. The strips show Lucy van Pelt teaching her younger brother, Linus van Pelt childish facts, that are of course, false.

During the scene of the show, the music begins as Charlie Brown is center stage as Linus and Lucy enter. Charlie Brown confronts Linus and questions his doing. Linus replies that Lucy feels that as an older sister, she is responsible to teach Linus facts about nature. Linus finds Lucy very intelligent, for he is not aware the facts are incorrect.

False Facts

Throughout the number, Lucy teaches Linus the following facts:

• Fir trees produce animal fur to be made into coats. During winter, they produce wool.
• Elm trees are their usual form as youth, but as they grow, transform into oak trees. You can also determine a young elm tree's age by counting its leaves.
• Clouds are the cause of blowing wind.
• The way grass grows involves insects tugging seeds to the point that they grow to their adult state.
• A fire hydrant is like a plant, but is able to grow sidewalks and, for reasons unknown, give off tremendous amounts of water.
• Lucy points to Woodstock, and states that it is a youth sparrow, and will become an eagle when it reaches adulthood. Also, humans consume eagles as a meal for Christmas and Thanksgiving.
• Galactic forms, such as stars and planets are the cause of rain.
• Snow comes up out of the ground like grass and the wind blows it around to make it look like it's falling.
• If someone bangs their head on a tree, it is to loosen the bark for the tree to grow faster.

After each of most of Lucy's teachings, Linus agrees with Lucy and Charlie Brown tries to tell Lucy what she's telling Linus is not true. After Lucy explains snow coming up, Charlie Brown disagrees, but Lucy tries to say that when the snow comes up, it is blown around by wind, so it looks like it comes down. Charlie Brown, clearly cross, exclaims "Oh good grief!", leaves, and bangs his head on a tree, which Linus questions. Lucy explains about the bark, and, only in the revival, sings the ending line.

Resources

• 1967 Original Off-Broadway Cast Recording CD of "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown." (c 2000)
• 1999 New Broadway Cast Recording CD of "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown." (c 1999)
• Wikipedia page on You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown
• 1985 Animated special "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown"