"Bonanza" is the musical theme for the NBC western television series Bonanza starring Lorne Greene. It was written for the series by Jay Livingston and Raymond Evans.
In 1961, it became a hit for Al Caiola and His Orchestra, whose instrumental recording (United Artists 302, backed with "Bounty Hunter") reached number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Johnny Cash recorded his own version, with lyrics rewritten by him and his friend Johnny Western, and released it as a single on Columbia Records (Columbia 4-42512, "Bonanza!" with "Pick a Bale o' Cotton" on the opposite side) in July or August 1962. The Billboard magazine evaluated the single upon its release as having a "moderate sales potential", but "Bonanza" only grazed the Hot 100 and entirely missed the Billboard country chart, while "Pick a Bale o' Cotton" didn't make either.
Al Caiola and His Orchestra version
Johnny Cash version