Waltons 3.21: “The Song”

Airdate: 2/20/75

Jason writes a song to perform in Bobby Bigelow’s band, but Ben thinks he should do it as a duet with Sally Ann Harper, a girl Ben “moons” over. As you could expect, Sally Ann falls for Jason, pitting brother against brother, and causing family friction the likes of which require John-Boy’s intervention to set right.

Meanwhile, much to the consternation of the Walton women, John and Zeb participate in a high-stakes pool tournament. Zeb is poised to take all, but realizes his responsibility to attend Jason’s duet, and forfeits the game, and the rifle, pig and chickens that were all in the pot.

Country-music heavy, lighweight episode sees Jason and Ben as Cain and Abel, all over a girl, of course. The girl here is Sally Ann Harper, played by Erin Moran, who, of course, is best known to anyone who grew up in the 70s as Joannie Cunningham on Happy Days (which started airing over a year earlier, in January of 1974).

Mostly significant to the canon for its continued development of Jason as a rising country musician. Again, actor Jon Walmsley wrote the titular song, “Will You Be Mine?”