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"The Lion Sleeps Tonight"
Single by the Tokens
from the album The Lion Sleeps Tonight
A-side
"Tina"
Released
1961
Recorded
1961
Genre
Rhythm and blues
doo-wop
folk[1]
Length
2:41
Label
RCA Victor
Songwriter(s)
Solomon Linda
Hugo Peretti
Luigi Creatore
George David Weiss
Albert Stanton
Audio
The Lion Sleeps Tonight (Wimoweh) (Audio) on YouTube
"The Lion Sleeps Tonight" is a song originally written and first recorded in 1939 by Solomon Linda[2] under the title "Mbube",[3] through South African Gallo Record Company. Lyrics of Linda's original version were written in Zulu, while those of the English one were later written by George David Weiss.
The song has been adapted and covered internationally by many pop and folk artists. It was recorded as "Wimoweh" by The Weavers in November 1951, and published by "Folkways Music Publishers", a branch of the then-Folkways Records, in December of the same year.[4] Artists who have recorded various versions of the song include also R.E.M., NSYNC, Henri Salvador, Karl Denver, Jimmy Dorsey, Yma Sumac, Noro Morales, Miriam Makeba, and The Kingston Trio.[5]
In 1961, a version adapted into English with the title "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" by the doo-wop group The Tokens became a number-one hit in the United States. It went on to earn millions in royalties from cover versions and film licensing. The pop group Tight Fit made a cover of the song in 1982, reaching number one hit in the UK. This song is written and composed in the key of F major.
^Stanley, Bob (2022). "Revival: Trad Jazz and Folk". Let's Do It - The Birth of Pop Music: A History. New York: Pegasus Books. p. 477.
^Malan, Rian (2000). "In the Jungle". Longform.org. Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 14 February 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
^"Seeking justice for Lion Sleeps Tonight composer". BBC News. 29 December 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
^Library of Congress. Copyright Office. (1952). Catalog of Copyright Entries 1952 Published Music Jan-Dec 3D Ser Vol 6 Pt 5A. United States Copyright Office. U.S. Govt. Print. Off.
^William and Mary Libraries Special Collections Research Center (17 May 1952). Cash Box. Cash Box Pub. Co.
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