Report: How 'Johnny's Song' Became Tonight Show Theme

Today, singer/song writer Paul Anka turns 73, so in his honor, and on its Facebook page,  Eyes of a Generation has the backstory on a song we all know now as "Johnny's Theme".

In 1958, Anka wrote an instrumental for Salvatore "Tutti" Camarata's band which was called 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".

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

Anka suggested re-using this old tune.


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 $1,664,000.00 apiece. Not bad for an old tune that was re-cycled twice. Happy birthday Paul!