Johnny Carson was the first to use the theme song called Johnny’s Theme. It was created by composer Philip Thomas. The theme song has been a trademark of Johnny Carson’s for many years.
When asked where the theme song came from, Carson said, “It was a piece of music my dad used to play when I was a kid. I loved it, so I kept it.”
Carson originally played the music on his TV show for about five minutes before playing the entire song for one minute. The reason he played only five minutes of music and extended the rest of the piece is that he needed to get some help writing and auditioning songs.
The help came in the form of Philip Thomas, who wrote the new theme song.
Van Otterloo wrote the piece in 1967 for a Johnny Carson TV special
During the late 1960s and early 1970s, Johnny Carson hosted several evening shows on different networks.
These shows were known as a daytime show or daytime/late night show combo. These two time periods were called morning and evening.
The late night show was a contrast to the nocturnal nature of the daytime show. Who Wrote “Johnny’s Theme,” the signature music of Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show?
It is not a familiar piece, which is why it is important to examine who wrote it and where it came from. This piece is known as the “theme” or “signature tune” of Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show!
Carson used it between 1968 and 1983, when he switched to his current format. It has been speculated that he used it again after 1999, when he moved to his present setting and tone.
He composed several other pieces based on themes from the show
Who wrote the signature music for Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show? The answer is yes!
The theme music for Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show was written and composed by none other than Hal David, the man who wrote many of the great pop and rock songs of the ’60s and ’70s.
David went on to write some more hits for Carson, including one for Meryl Streep, which became one of her biggest credits to date.
His work on Tonight remained a source of inspiration for many musicians after it ended, with John Legend recording a soft ballad based on the theme song. He later included it in his album We Are Never Tomorrow, We Are tomorrow! (which you can watch below!).
Today we will bullet point out some of the other pieces of music that were inspired by the signature music of Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show.
Van Otterloo died in 2014 at age 82
Van Otterloo co-wrote the signature theme song of Johnny Carson’s 1970s Tonight show with music artist David Van Otterloo. The theme song, called the flute beat, was used to cue up and play during a monologue by Van Otterloo.
The monologue was a routine about life experiences and stories, usually about something funny or difficult. It was an important part of the show because without it, Carson would not have much to talk about.
When Van Otterloo wrote the theme song for Carson’s first Tonight show, he did not know who would eventually use it.
The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson aired from 1962 to 1992
After a long tenure as host, John Carson decided it was time to transition into a new career. He decided to retire as the host of The Tonight Show.
Many fans were disappointed when Carson announced his departure from television but he said goodbye to the world of entertainment with a smile on his face.
The show was not retired, however. Instead, Carson took on a new role as the king of late night television.
Jay Leno took over hosting duties after Johnny Carson retired
When Carson retired, he chose Jay Leno to succeed him as host of his Tonight Show. In a interview, Leno said that when he was chosen as Carson’s successor, he knew there would be pressure to continue what made the past few years so enjoyable for him.
Pressure from fans and colleagues alike to drop the ball and fail comparably better than Carson did was felt immediately. Since it was announced that Leno would be hosting the show for several years to come, many fans grew frustrated with his lack of noticeable change in 12 months or less.
Not only did the public have expectations lower under a new host, but also under a new theme music.
Jimmy Fallon took over hosting duties when Jay Leno retired in 2014
However, after only a few months as host, he decided to pass the reigns over toften
Carson was fired from his role as host of The Tonight Show in 1992 after developing an ulterior motive for his appearance on the show each week.
Carson was hired as host of The Carson Kressin Show in 1990, shortly before Kressin left Nightline to take up hosting duties on NBC’s Late Night.
After a brief hiatus, Carson returned to Nightline in 1992 and took up hosting duties once again. This time, he had another reason for appearing on the show: writing music.
After asking his writers to develop a theme song for the show, he handed them the reins and told them to just go for it.
The Tonight Show moved from LA to New York in 1957
When Johnny Carson took over as host of the Tonight Show in 1958, he chose a new theme song every year to introduce his show. Over the years, he added new music to go with his introduction.
This theme music was always recognizable and helped build suspense before Carson would welcome his guest and turn to commercial break.
Some of the themes were simple and quiet, like the start theme or an ending theme. Others were more upbeat and catchy, like the welcome theme or a closing theme. All of them helped build suspense before Carson’s guest came on stage.
