Play It Again, Charlie Brown is the seventh prime-time animated TV special based upon the comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. It originally aired on CBS on March 28, 1971.^[1]

This was the first Peanuts TV special of the 1970s, airing nearly a year and a half after It Was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown. (The feature film A Boy Named Charlie Brown had been released in between the two specials.) It was also the first special to focus on a character other than Charlie Brown or Snoopy.

It also marked the first time someone other than Peter Robbins voiced Charlie Brown, which in this case was Chris Inglis as the character, since Robbins' voice deepened after the previous special. Also, all the other remaining original actors from the first special, except for Bill Melendez, were replaced by someone else. This left Bill Melendez as the only original actor remaining, until his death on September 2, 2008. However, recordings of his voice were used in later Peanuts animated media.

In the special, Lucy talks Schroeder into playing his piano for a PTA meeting, but there are unforeseen details that he will not tolerate.

This special begins with Schroeder playing his piano with the musical staff above him, and Lucy's head appears between the treble and bass staff. When he notices, he stops playing and says to the camera: "Don't tell me I've grown accustomed to that face." Later, Lucy walks in, leans on Schroeder's piano, and starts trying to get his attention by complimenting him, showing him that Beethoven now comes in spray cans, trying to convince him she also likes Beethoven, dusting his piano, and even walking up and kissing him. But with everything Lucy tries, Schroeder either ignores her, throws her off his piano, or just walks away.

Lucy becomes frustrated by Schroeder not paying any attention to her. She tells her problem to Sally and Peppermint Patty. Peppermint Patty comes up with an idea to get Schroeder to notice Lucy : there is an upcoming PTA program, and they need entertainment for it, so Peppermint Patty suggests that Lucy invite him to play his piano at the program. Lucy likes this and goes to tell Schroeder.

Lucy arrives at Schroeder's house and tells him about the PTA program. Schroeder thanks Lucy for the invite, and says he will practice for it right away. This gets Lucy so excited that she starts skipping into the street singing, "He thanked me!" and randomly hugging Snoopy and Charlie Brown.

On her way back, Lucy runs into Peppermint Patty, and thanks her for the idea. Patty then mentions that she forgot to say earlier that the PTA would like a rock concert, so Schroeder cannot play Beethoven for the PTA program. Lucy, shocked, remarks that Schroeder would never agree to this, but Patty replies that they have no choice.

An upset Lucy goes to tell her problem to Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and "Pig-Pen". Charlie Brown has an idea: Snoopy brings out a set of drums, a guitar, an upright bass, and the three start playing, while Lucy dances. they think Schroeder might agree to join their combo, and Lucy agrees.

Schroeder walks by, and Lucy, in an attempt to save face, introduces the combo as his backup band for him for the PTA concert. Schroeder, still thinking he will be playing Beethoven, insists he can handle it alone, but Lucy tells him that the PTA wants a rock concert instead of a classical recital. He refuses, just as expected. But after coercing from Charlie Brown, Schroeder reluctantly changes his mind.

During their initial rehearsal, Schroeder cannot bring himself to stomach the fact that he has sold out his beloved Beethoven. Since he has no experience with rock music, he keeps messing up. After practicing, he decides that there is no way he can bring himself to play rock music, stating that he would never forgive himself if he were to do so.

The night of the PTA meeting comes, and the Charlie Brown, Snoopy and Pig-pen are tuning up their instruments for the concert. Peppermint Patty wonders where Schroeder is; Schroeder arrives close to show time and announces that he has decided that he will not play for the concert. This upsets everyone, because now there is no act. Then Lucy remembers that PTA entertainments also come in a spray can, and they use that as the entertainment.

In the final scene, Lucy tells Schroeder that Beethoven never would have made it into Nashville and that he did not have the Nashville sound. Schroeder leaves, feeling insulted by this. Lucy then yells out to him, "He probably wouldn't have made it in New Orleans, either!" Afterwards, she takes out her radio and happily listens to rock and roll on Schroeder's piano as the credits roll.

• Danny Hjelm as Schroeder
  • Peter Robbins as Schroeder’s scream (recycle voice clips only)
• Pamelyn Ferdin as Lucy van Pelt
• Stephen Shea as Linus van Pelt
• Lynda Mendelson as Frieda
• Hilary Momberger as Sally Brown
• Chris Inglis as Charlie Brown/Pig-Pen
• Christopher DeFaria as Peppermint Patty (credited as Kip DeFaria)

The majority of music cues for Play It Again, Charlie Brown consist of works composed by Ludwig van Beethoven. Eight different piano sonatas and one symphony appear in the television special. Remaining cues were divided between Vince Guaraldi, John Scott Trotter and Harry Bluestone and are noted as such.^[2] Trotter also conducted and arranged the score, and received an Emmy nomination for his work on the special.^[3]

No official soundtrack for Play It Again, Charlie Brown has been released. However, recording session master tapes for seven 1970s-era Peanuts television specials scored by Vince Guaraldi were discovered by his son, David Guaraldi, in the mid-2000s. A version of the program's eponymous song featured in There's No Time for Love, Charlie Brown (1973) was released in 2007 on the compilation album, Vince Guaraldi and the Lost Cues from the Charlie Brown Television Specials.^[4][5]

Harpsichordist Lillian Steuber performed all Beethoven piano sonatas.^[6]

• Created and Written by: Charles M. Schulz
• Directed by: Bill Melendez
• Produced by: Lee Mendelson and Bill Melendez
• Musical Score Composed by: Ludwig van Beethoven, Vince Guaraldi
• Conducted by: John Scott Trotter
• Beethoven Sonatas Played by: Lillian Steuber
• Graphic Blandishment: Ed Levitt, Bernard Gruver, Evert Brown, Dean Spille, Frank Smith, Rudy Zamora, Don Lusk, Bill Littlejohn, Emery Hawkins, Al Pabian, Sam Jaimes, Beverly Robbins, Eleanor Warren, Carole Barnes, Faith Kovaleski, Manon Washburn
• Editing: Bob Gillis, Chuck McCann, Rudy Zamora, Jr.
• Sound:
  • Radio Recorders, Sid Nicholas
  • United Recorders, Arte Becker
  • Producers' Sound Service, Don Minkler
• Camera: Dickson/Vasu
• In Cooperation with United Feature Syndicate

The special was first released on home media on RCA's SelectaVision CED format in 1983, along with Charlie Brown's All Stars!, It's a Mystery, Charlie Brown, and What a Nightmare, Charlie Brown. The special was released on VHS by Media Home Entertainment in 1986, and again under its kids subdivision Hi-Tops Video in 1989. Paramount Home Media Distribution released the special on September 6, 1995. Warner Home Video released it as part of the Peanuts: 1970's Collection: Volume 1 DVD on October 6, 2009. The special was again released on the 4K edition of A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving in 2017.