October 1, 1962…The Johnny Carson “Tonight” Theme Debuted

How Johnny Carson’s ‘Tonight’ Show Theme Song Came About…
Today, October 1, 1962, Carson took over as host and that night was the first time this song was played…at least on television. It was written by Paul Anka and here is the backstory on a song we all know now as “Johnny’s Theme”

First though, a note. In today’s earlier post that let you hear the first 3 minutes of Groucho Marx introducing Carson on his debut, the band did not play this at the 11:15 start, but at the 11:30 start (when most stations joined the network for the show), it was played.

In 1958, Anka wrote an instrumental for Salvatore “Tutti” Camarata’s band. The band’s name was Tutti’s Trumpets. Paul named the song “Toot Sweet”. Tutti was actually the head of Walt Disney Records and started the legendary Sunset Sound Recorders studio the same year this was released and this was one of the first sessions ever recorded there.

After a lyric was added in 1959 “Toot Sweet” was re-named “It’s Really Love”, and under that title was recorded by Annette Funicello on her LP, “Annette Sings”. There is a link to the recording below.

In 1962, when Johnny Carson took over the NBC “Tonight Show”,
he commissioned Anka for a new theme song, via his company
called Management Agency & Music Publishing, Inc.

Anka suggested re-using this old tune and the project was technically a deal under a “work for hire” contract. Carson knew all about royalties and wanted to be listed as an author so, being a drummer, he said he would think of something to put at the beginning of Anka’s tune to “help author it.” That something turned out to be a little drum break before the band joins in. So for 6 – 7 years there was that one-bar drum break at the beginning of the theme. Eventually that little break was shortened even further to just one and a half beats.

So, on September 12, 1962, less than a month before his debut Johnny became an “author” of his theme for copyright purposes, and got not only a piece of the publishing royalties, but a composer’s share of royalties as well.

The co authoring offer must have been worth it to Paul Anka who once said he got $200 in royalties every time the show aired. Over the course of Johnny’s 30 year run, that would give Carson and Anka about $1,664,000 apiece. Not bad for an old tune that was re-cycled twice. Enjoy and share! -Bobby Ellerbee

“Toot Sweet” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stvuxq5upKQ&ab_channel=the45prof

“It’s Really Love” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWgg8zvQTMg&ab_channel=MarcelloFelici

The Walt Disney company’s record label Buena Vista boasted both Mouseketeer singing star Annette Funicello and veteran composer-arranger Tutti Camarata, who …

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