Sonny Curtis on writing "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" theme song

[@sherrirabinowitz4618]

That song is part of the fabric of my childhood. And the Mary Tyler Moore Show was one of the shows that formed my life. Thank you Mr. Curtis, I love your song.

[@vsanchez7158]

One of the greatest theme songs ever !!!

[@fob1xxl]

GREAT THEME SONG ! It actually tells Mary Richards' story. Genius is genius ! Forever a Legacy ! Bravo !!!🐱

[@citrine65]

I remember years ago comic Sandra Bernhard said I could live to be 100 and the theme from MTM will always make me cry.

[@CorinneHSmith]

One of the most empowering songs EVER! Thank you, Mr. Curtis!

[@blue3381]

One of the best TV theme songs ever written and sung. Hearing it now conjures up such emotion and nostalgia for a time that seems light years away. The world has changed so much since Mary and the gang navigated their way through the daily grind.

[@SundayNightFunniesBrianBcomedy]

Last night I was binge watching the MTM Show on Me TV's tribute to Betty White and this was the first thing that I saw when I got up this morning. What a wonderful way to start the day!

[@Monster_Mover_Stocks]

That was one of the more memorable t.v. theme songs out there. Theme songs are more important to the success of a television show than most people realize. They either prepare you for a nice and comfortable 30- or 60-minute break from reality or they want to make you change the channel.

[@sydneyevans2637]

Don't know if you remember "Mission Impossible" but the theme music from it always put me on alert.

[@Monster_Mover_Stocks]

@@sydneyevans2637 Oh yeah...I remember it well.

[@Aisha.The.Traveler]

Wow! What a talented man! Thanks for one of the best theme songs of ALL time! ❤️

[@RobertCeisler]

Sonny Curtis wrote "I Fought the Law" performed by many, including The Clash. Sonny Curtis also played with Buddy Holly and the Crickets.

[@victorsuarez3546]

He also lost the coin toss so Buddy Holly won and got on the plane.

[@Drewhunz]

@@victorsuarez3546 Tommy Allsup lost the coin toss.

[@pingdis]

And with the Everly Brothers.

[@Becki545]

love that too

[@clgil77]

The cat meow at the end was an nice touch.

[@stella96822]

Fantastic way to start the day. This was a wonderful and nostalgic bit of insight. Thank you!! (…hat tossed + meow 🎶)

[@Nighthawk-8050]

I always love that song

[@valentinius62]

I think sometimes we don't realize how important theme songs and opening credits designs are to setting the tone of a TV show or movie. Especially TV shows because they tend to be only 20 some minutes long. This intro was one of the best ever. It gave the viewer a lot of background for the character in 30 seconds...and...it just makes you feel damn good watching it! It's simply amazing how many great pop songs have been written for TV.

[@hooskerdu1]

It brings tears to my eyes hearing this. I watched both this show and Bob Newhart as a young kid (age 7 to age 14) with my parents, and loved the humor in both shows. Hearing this song brought some special memories back, as they are both gone now.

[@alanhodges8839]

Met Sonny a few times in the UK as a fan watching him performing with “The Crickets”❤ I consider Sonny, John Phillips, and Brian Wilson to be the best pop song writers in the world.

[@mikenotaro2792]

Sonny Curtis U warm my bones thank you

[@nealiecruz2532]

This song is so beautiful and inspiring to women everywhere!!!!! Absolutely beautiful and perfect

[@aaronjoseph3709]

To women and men alike. And as a 52 year old man, I need this song as a pick me upper. It reminds of me when i was very small and seeing the images of this lovely lady and her world and the song just makes you feel happy.

[@robbiereilly]

Great interview. Thank you Sonny! Iconic theme. Never gets old. Still makes me cry. Love the hugs she gives Lou, Murray and Ted (crushing his hat).

[@elizabethmills8667]

Love it Those words reached to every young women. Whom changed the World he

[@laurencaulton103]

Those of us of a certain age still sing this song.

[@Juliaflo]

Don't figure out my age--I know the lyrics.

[@TheBrooklynbodine]

Joan Jett, of all people, covered it.

[@LarryLeeMoniz]

A sweet, humble, yet very talented man. Sonny Curtis, you are made of awesome.

[@beebtv]

One of the best theme songs ever

[@budp9554]

I remember going up to Sonny's room with some friends in Dubuque, Iowa after the Crickets were the opening act for a Waylon Jennnings concert. We kind of surprised him as he was in his shorts, talking to his wife. He excused himself from her saying "honey I have some friends here and will call you back later." We went down to the bar and had a drink and nice conversation. They opened with the theme song to MTM and dumb me asked why he sang that song?? "Because I wrote it" Will never forget. Thanks for the memory Sonny

[@LLYMYNT]

Interesting enough that I’ve been binge watching Mary Tyler Moore show yesterday on Decades, and this came up today on video today. Good song.

[@danieldolce5734]

Always loved this theme song.

[@zachUK]

Probably the best theme song for a TV show ever (although there are some justified contenders out there!). This song and this show spoke to me somehow and helped me eventually accept who I was and what I was meant to be. Bravo Sonny Curtis, you're one of my musical heroes.

[@thegodfatherofthesec1748]

I’ll never forget it ! ❤

[@TomokoAbe_]

I love Sonny Curtis! Inspirational song which helped me a lot.

[@SnowWhiteTheU2]

What a beautiful story. One of the greatest songs of all.

[@godhams]

I LOVE this song (& it's story!) & am addicted to the MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW which has dated soo well😊

[@karensylvia9423]

I've never liked the show, but I've always loved the theme song.

[@susieuramoto7491]

Wow! I am speechless and my heart is over flowing.

[@BillyAlabama]

Charming story. Charming song! Charming.

[@ScottThomas-t7o]

Great theme song & great story about how it was written

[@JimATLANTA1]

Love that song

[@Becki545]

So beautiful! Always my favorite part of the show. Thank you!

[@7775Kevin]

One of the best themes ever. This was fun to see, thanks

[@theonemodifier]

Reporter didn't question about him changing the lyrics from "You might just make it after all" to " "You're gonna make it after all". I caught that as a kid.

[@alanfisher2121]

I totally agree!!!

[@bookerjones8123]

Yes, I'm surprised he didn't ask about that. Of course, the original lyrics were only right for when Mary was just starting out on her new life. If we're still asking how she'll make it on her own after a few years it'd be kind of depressing. I also watched it as a kid and when the song (and visuals) changed I remember thinking, "I hope it'll still have her throwing her hat at the end!"

[@ericgrove7755]

A very catchy theme song. Enjoyed the story behind it.

[@FrankButterfield]

Wow! His South Plains accent is still going strong. Sounds like my childhood -- not only the MTM song but his way of speaking.

[@michaelr3578]

Note to post boomers: The "Meow" sound was emulating the MTM logo with the kitten inside of it at the end of the show, which popped up after the final credits rolled as the song played. The MTM logo itself had essentially parodied the MGM logo (of Metro Goldwyn Meyer Studios), which had a lion roaring in the logo.

[@user-dq8wf6wc8u]

A masterpiece.

[@southernpride2003]

Don't forget this man was also the guitarist on the blue days Black nights record I'm 21 years old Sonny Curtis is one of my favorite guitar players besides Luther Perkins Chet Atkins and Buddy Holly and Robert Johnson

[@chrisfinch8637]

I can already see the stars again, getting together in that series finale huddle. Everybody of “TMTMS” is deeply missed.

[@ej3476]

Yes, four of the cast passes in 2021, all in their 90's: Cloris Leachman 94 (January), Gavin MacLeod 90 (May), Ed Asner 91 (August), Betty White 99 (December). God rest their Souls.

[@rockvilleraven]

@@ej3476 That last show influenced a lot of TV news crews to sing "It's a long way to Tippery when someone left.

[@BillyBongwaters]

So great

[@chuckrennert5783]

Amazing!

[@slide4180]

Immortal. One of the greatest TV themes.

[@TheBrooklynbodine]

Posting 5-9-23. Another song Sonny Curtis wrote was Leo Sayer's "More than I can Say." Happy 86th birthday, Mr. Curtis, and if you don't have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, it would be well worth considering, IMHO.

[@NevadaBoss]

Sonny was also a childhood friend and fellow player with the legendary Buddy Holly & recorded several songs with him. Not bad for a kid from Lubbock.

[@thepenguin7365]

Excellent lyrics. Fantastic skills

[@jimh527]

Brilliant.

[@NoahSpurrier]

Damn good story! Damn good theme song!

[@danab3017]

Which version of the first line of the song did you love more? Season 1: "How will you make it on your own?" OR Seasons 2-7: "Who can turn the world on with her smile?"

[@snowrocket]

Seasons 2-7 for me. It shows the power of a friendly smile.

[@christopherlucas4620]

What a legend.

[@charlesmiller2472]

Great TV theme song & fun to harmonize with. Figures Sonny Curtis also wrote The Everly Bros hit Walk Right Back. He also wrote I Fought The Law, recorded by Bobby Fuller Four & The Clash & if that's not enough, he was also a member of Buddy Holly's band The Crickets, no less.

[@douglasdennett4583]

This viewer loves the idea of having Mr. Sonny Curtis & World Class Singer & Songwriter - Ms. Angelina Jordan sing this song in a duet on stage... DD.

[@CollectingCardboard]

A bit of trivia for ya;' the..... " *meow* " after the credits, was actually a recording of Mary Tyler Moore's own cat! #TrueStoryLookItUp

[@caroldente9635]

👌 awesome

[@vannshuttleworth4738]

All this time, I thought it was Mac Davis; I stand corrected!!

[@robertdiehl1281]

What a cool story.

[@kevinwooten2189]

Taking me back home to simplier times

[@beckettmaupin]

Although I absolutely LOVE this song and The Mary Tyler Show, how sadly revealing it is about aging that Sonny Curtis in this videotape can no longer sing as he did in 1970. He seems to intermittently struggle singing his wonderful song, and it's interesting that he has a strong Southern accent that, to me, isn't evident at all in the first and second Mary Tyler Moore Show theme songs. I often watch The Mary Tyler Show here in the year 2024, and I will always love it and its original songs by the talented Sonny Curtis.

[@fredthegraycatt]

Damn. There is a story behind everything great.

[@thecricketssoundproject]

Hero !

[@ralphabreu5022]

This theme song is my childhood... And chips too

[@toronado455]

Wow!

[@terrydobmeier60]

Great! I wish I could figure out the chords he is playing.

[@tberkoff]

Curtis played on Buddy Holly's early hits and later officially joined The Crickets shortly before Buddy Holly's death.

[@Celluloidkid]

WOW! Who Knew!

[@bitterspice5525]

❤

[@leif1075]

Any one have sheet music or GUITAR TABS for this? Thanks for this video.

[@jamesdavis5096]

Nice wig, moe

[@mikeywestside8509]

Happy Sunday morning. Let's see what kind of havoc we got today.

[@luvyesmusici4886]

Is that Mo Rocca? I thought he was only interested in Grandma’s Ravioli?

[@mattlaeff724]

Did he sing the Theme as well?

[@MrSanford65]

How come on the TV show it wasn’t sung in a southern accent

[@williamarnold4715]

This song makes me want to cut my own ears off! It's literally nauseating to listen to!

[@roxanereddy2471]

Truthfully I never like Mary, the actress.

[@RichardHandal301]

I’ll alert the media.

[@seattlegirl2077]

You must be an independent thinker. But I"m curious, why?

[@dennisrowan9700]

I had the same sentiment after sge played tgat brooding horror of a mother in " Ordinary People" and then lter I realized what a damn fine job of acting it took to elicit that reaction!! She was supurb!

[@donnahdunthorn5207]

@@dennisrowan9700 She was.

[@madnbad1408]

Legend 😊