Paul Anka recalls Michael Jackson's posthumous impact

Michael Jackson’s death had some aftermath on the life of Paul Anka.

The legendary artist himself, was shocked to find out when it was revealed that he had co-written the King of Pop’s first posthumous hit track.

Anka, recalled this fond story in his latest documentary, Paul Anka: His Way, that premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival.

The project traces the journey of the artist as he composed chart-topping tracks like the now, TikTok anthem, Put Your Head on My Shoulder, as well as Frank Sinatra’s My Way, Tom Jones’ She’s a Lady, Buddy Holly’s It Doesn’t Matter Anymore, and the theme to Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show.

However, Anka was surprised to learn that he had co-written, This Is It, a song that was released after Jackson’s death.

“Michael came up and stayed in my guest house and we went to the studio,” Anka recalled in the documentary, adding, “We wrote and spent time together and we got three or four things down. I got his vocal and piano (recorded).”

“One day I got a call from TMZ. (They said,) ‘We’re told you wrote this song with Michael.’ I said, ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about, I never wrote a song called This Is It. Send it to me.'”

Later on, he realized that the “new” song was actually the completed version of Never Heard, that had been polished.