Talk:Johnny's Theme

Class
I've gone ahead and rated this article Start-Class, largely due to its brevity. Trying to look at this as objectively as an author can, I believe I can make a strong argument for A-Class per the current rating criteria and project criteria, including: Meantime, like many editors, I periodically check everything on my watchlist for updates and/or repairs. &mdash; ATinySliver &#47; ATalkPage 00:19, 7 December 2014 (UTC)
 * it is essentially complete, barring any information yet to be located or published;
 * its notability is established;
 * its structure is correct and its writing is clear;
 * its sources, including CNN and JazzWax, are good if not strong;
 * the article includes cover art and an audio sample.

1,400,000?
If my math is correct, this would require that the theme be played nearly 200 times per episode. Anka's hyperbole notwithstanding, he said it, so it's in the article. — ATinySliver / ATalkPage &#128406; 20:11, 17 September 2015 (UTC)

Development and evolution
The song ends with a piece of another song: "Shave and a Haircut, Two Bits". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shave_and_a_Haircut#Usage Sadsaque (talk) 02:19, 2 July 2022 (UTC)

Misleading attribution
The lead states: "The piece was composed by Paul Anka and Johnny Carson" yet "Johnny's Theme" is defined as an "instrumental jazz song." The only reference to Carson in the article is this: "Anka received a telephone call and was told that Tonight Show bandleader Skitch Henderson was angry because Carson wanted to use a theme song written by a "20-year-old kid." Anka said he then offered to let Carson write and publish new lyrics in order to claim a songwriter's credit". This is a formality about royalties and co-authored credit and does not correctly present the work as it is known: an instrumental jazz piece played by a big band at the beginning of the tonight show. When one searches for the "lyrics" for "Johnny's Theme" online they render "It's Really Love"; which is the song by Anka, adapted from his original instrumental "Toot Sweet". I cannot find anywhere the lyrics Carson supposedly wrote and published. Nor are there any recordings of "Johnny's Theme" sung with Caron's lyrics. I did find this contradicting recall: "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." Then there was this: "Anka commented on the Howard Stern show that the deal offered to him in 1962 was to let Johnny write the (never heard) lyrics to the song, splitting the royalties in half. He protested, but they told him “you can have 50% of something or 100% of nothing.” He took the former." Whatever the true story is, the statement: "The piece was composed by Paul Anka and Johnny Carson" is not correct. It should reflect what the true circumstances and reasons which brought about the "co-author" credit. Furthermore, it would seem that what is stated in the section 1962–92: The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson is not entirely factual (plus, the link is dead). Maineartists (talk) 14:47, 18 June 2023 (UTC)