![]() ![]() “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” has been featured in a number of movies, perhaps most notably the pair of Ace Ventura films (starring comedian Jim Carrey) released in 19. The official release date of The Tokens’ rendition is 1 January 1961. And the label behind the recording is RCA Records. The Tokens are said to have initially been embarrassed with the song and in fact tried to prevent it from being released. However, it up as the B-side to a now-obscure track called “Tina”, and they even went on to name their debut album “The Lion Sleeps Tonight”. (1993) and ‘N Sync (1997).Ī British group called Tight Fit also dropped a pretty-successful rendition back in 1982. However, it was The Tokens, a doo-wop group from Brooklyn, New York, who arguably released the most-renowned version, as their take on the tune topped the US Billboard Hot 100 (a feat it replicated in New Zealand) in addition to peaking at number 11 on the UK Singles Chart and also charting in Australia, Belgium and Germany. Amongst some of the big names which standout are Miriam Makeba (1960), R.E.M. This song has been covered by many artists throughout the decades. Thus The Tokens were actually the first in a long line of artists to actually sing “The Lion Sleeps Tonight”, as that phrase was added by George Weiss himself (1921-2010).Īnd the other co-writers credited on The Tokens’ version are also the producers of their rendition, Luigi Creatore and Hugo Peretti. And that word was actually uyimbube, which translate to “you are a lion”. The pop group Tight Fit had a number one hit in the UK with the song in 1982. ![]() It went on to earn millions in royalties from cover versions and film licensing. It was another writer, American George David Weiss, who later came out with the English lyrics. He did so specifically for The Tokens’ cover of “Mbubu”, which by this time had come to be known as “Wimoweh” due to a mispronunciation of the word which originally made up the song’s chorus. In 1961, a version adapted into English with the title 'The Lion Sleeps Tonight' became a number-one hit in the United States as by the doo-wop group the Tokens. That’s when a South African musician by the name of Solomon Linda (1909-1962) first wrote and recorded it, though back then it was entitled “Mbubu” and recited entirely in the Zulu language. The origin of this song dates back to 1939. If you're discussing how the original artist basically made no money from his own song and died in poverty, your pretentious factor moves up to an 8, but we commend you for giving props to Solomon Linda.Release Date of “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” If you were to drop this quote at a dinner party, would you get an in-unison "awww" or would everyone roll their eyes and never invite you back? Here it is, on a scale of 1-10. And finally, remember Marcel the monkey from Friends? He was a fan of this jam.And here's The Weaver's version of the song, " Wimoweh," recorded in 1952.Because we think it's important to give credit where credit is due, here's Solomon Linda's " Mbube," recorded in 1939 with his group, The Evening Birds.You might be re-labeled as "the boring cousin who kept interrupting The Lion King," but she'll probably thank you someday.ĭon't hold us to that. So next time your little cousin has a Disney movie night, give her a history lesson on where the song came from. ![]() Most people assume the song originated with the movie and are unaware of its rich history. And…no, that's probably it, just The Lion King. So where does that leave us? Well, the line is a reference to the original Zulu song, where the word "uyimbube" is used-it translates to "you're a lion." The producers liked their sound, had "Wimoweh" rewritten with English lyrics, and called it "The Lion Sleeps Tonight." In 1961, a group named The Tokens were looking for a record label, and they auditioned with "Wimoweh". Pete Seeger got a hold of it and recorded it under the title "Wimoweh" with his group, The Weavers, giving no credit to Linda or The Evening Birds. The word mbube means "lion" in Zulu, and The Evening Birds had the idea for the song while they were chasing away lions from their families' cattle.Īround 1948, Gallo Record Company, where "Mbube" was recorded, sent the track to the U.S. In 1939, South African singer Solomon Linda recorded the song "Mbube" with his group, The Evening Birds. To really understand this line, we have to know the history behind the song. This line is from the song "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" by The Tokens from the album The Lion Sleeps Tonight (1961). Life Nature Dreams The Tokens The Lion Sleeps Tonight Power Experience Strength Music Context ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |