Despite the early classical and jazz success, Coleman decided to build a career in popular music. His first collaborator was Joseph Allen McCarthy, but his most successful early partnership, albeit a turbulent one, was with Carolyn Leigh. The pair wrote many pop hits, including "Witchcraft" and "The Best Is Yet to Come". One of his instrumentals, "Playboy's Theme," became the signature music of the regular syndicated late night TV show "Playboy After Dark" in the 1960s. This included specials presented by the editor/publisher Hugh M. Hefner of "Playboy" magazine, and remains synonymous with the Chicago magazine and its creator, Hefner.