The theme song for The Mary Tyler Moore Show, “Love Is All Around,” is as iconic as the hat toss in the show’s opening credits. But the story of how this beloved tune came to be is surprisingly down-to-earth and rapid, much like the show’s relatable charm. As told by the song’s writer, Sonny Curtis, it all began with a simple phone call on a typical Los Angeles morning.
Curtis, a seasoned musician who had recently settled into a new home in L.A., recounted a seemingly ordinary day that took an unexpected turn. “I had just bought a house in L.A. and I was at home, just sitting around pickin’ one morning.” This relaxed morning was interrupted by a call from his friend Doug Gilmore, who worked at the Williams & Price agency. Gilmore presented him with an intriguing proposition: “They’re doing a sitcom with Mary Tyler Moore and they want a theme song. Would you be interested?” Curtis’s response was an immediate and enthusiastic, “Ah, man, sure.” This casual acceptance marked the beginning of a whirlwind creative process that would result in one of television’s most memorable theme songs.
The pace quickened dramatically when, as Curtis described, “At noon, during his lunch break, he dropped off a four-page format that described the show.” This wasn’t a full script, but rather a concise overview of the premise. Curtis found this limited information somewhat beneficial, noting, “I’ve always thought that was kinda lucky, because they didn’t give me a lot of information.” The description painted a simple picture: “A girl from the Midwest moves to Minneapolis. She got jilted I believe. Gets a job at a newsroom, gets an apartment she has a hard time affording.” These basic details – a fresh start in a new city, career aspirations, and the realities of independent living – sparked Curtis’s songwriting imagination.
Inspired by this brief yet evocative description, Curtis immediately set to work. “So I sat down and started thinkin’ about what to write.” The creative juices flowed quickly. “By about 2 p.m. I had one verse.” Confident in his initial progress, Curtis reached out to Gilmore again, asking, “Who do I sing this to?” Gilmore directed him to Studio City, a short distance from Curtis’s home, to meet with James L. Brooks, the show’s creator, at the CBS soundstage.
The meeting with Brooks was set in a stark, empty space. “There was this huge room that had no furniture in it. We met in that room, and he was rather cold to me.” Brooks’s initial demeanor was less than encouraging. “He said, ‘I’ll listen to what you’ve got, but we’re not near this stage yet of choosing a theme song.’” Despite this lukewarm reception, Curtis remained unfazed. “So I said, ‘Well … okay.’”
Undeterred, Curtis proceeded with his impromptu audition. “He had a couple of iron chairs sent in. I sat down and sang him the song, the one verse—which is all that’s on the show.” This single verse, capturing the essence of a woman making her way in the world, was enough to capture Brooks’s attention, and that of others who quickly gathered. “There was a phone sitting on the floor, and he got on the wire and called somebody and said, ‘Come down and listen to this.’”
The room soon filled with an audience drawn in by the burgeoning theme song. “Before I left, I had sung it about 10 times and the whole room was filled with people lined up all around the walls.” The positive reaction was palpable. Brooks, now clearly convinced, wanted to take the song with him immediately. “Then he sent out for a cassette recorder. He said, ‘I want to take this song with me to Minneapolis.’ They were going up that weekend to do the show’s titles. He said, ‘I want this song with me.’”
By the end of that afternoon, the theme song for The Mary Tyler Moore Show was essentially finalized. Curtis reflected on the swiftness of the entire process: “By that point, I felt pretty good about it. And it was a one-day deal from start to finish.” From a casual phone call to a room full of captivated listeners, the creation of “Love Is All Around” was a testament to spontaneous inspiration and the perfect alignment of talent and opportunity. The song, in its initially brief form, perfectly encapsulated the spirit of Mary Richards and her journey, becoming an integral part of television history.
