![]() The Tokens' version of the song features a drum roll that serves as a very good hook and a high soprano counter point by opera singer, Anita Darian. In all of this, the original South African writer, Solomon Linda, got no credit (and no money) - until a law suit was finally settled in 2006. In 1994 it would be featured in the Disney film, "The Lion King" and again in the Broadway play in 1997. Covers: 1952: Weavers with Gordon Jenkins hit US as Wimoweh, the only word. The song would be revived in 1972 by Robert John and rise to #3. Reissued on Rounder compilation Mbube Roots, with plenty of Zulu singing groups. The record reached #1 on December 18 and stayed there until the end of the year. The group was glad to get the RCA recording contract but really didn't want "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" to be released - they were embarrassed by its sound. The 1961 lineup was Medress, Jay Siegel, and Phil and Mitch Margo. They sang traditional folk songs from around the world, as well as blues, gospel music, children's songs, labor songs, and American ballads, and sold millions of records at the height of their popularity. The Tokens, headed by Hank Medress, had begun in 1955 at Lincoln High School in the Bronx as the Linc-Tones (and included Neil Sedaka at the time). The Weavers were an American folk music quartet based in the Greenwich Village area of New York City. ![]() RCA producers gave the song a new name and English lyrics. The Tokens performed it in their audition for RCA and copied their version from a former recording by The Weavers of "Wimoweh." The Weavers got their version from a 1939 recording of a South African folk tune. "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" has a long history. 1994: The movie The Lion King is released and is followed by a stage show and many record releases, from which it is estimated that Linda's estate should have received 15 million dollars by the year 2000, instead the actual amount was about $20,000."We weren't embarrassed anymore." - Jay Siegel (after the record hit #1) In the lawsuit Solomon Linda (who died in 1962) is finally considered, and it is decided that his estate should get 10% of "The Lion"'s publishing royalties. The Tokens' publisher wants to cut TRO out of the profits. ![]() 1989: The initial copyright for "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" is ready to expire. 1961: TRO allows The Tokens' publisher to use the song in exchange for 50% of the publishing royalties of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight." 1952: Gallo trades US copyright of "Mbube" to the Weavers' publisher The Richmond Organization (TRO) (Howie Richmond and Al Brackman) for the right to distribute "Wimoweh" in South Africa. How did it change hands from that point? - 1939: Linda is paid one pound and Gallo Records owns the recording. In 1939, before entering the studio, Solomon Linda "owned" the song. Mbube - by Solomon Linda and The Evening Birds, 1938 - Form: Intro, Bass, AABBAABB'AA'B''B''A'A''CBcoda - Voices: piano, guitar, banjo, SAT and 3 Bass singers - Timbre: generally raspy to some degree in all voices - Rhythm: duple, but complex timing - Other: complex variations in each iteration Wimoweh - by The Weavers - Form: band (Intro AABBCCBB'AA)//vocalists (Intro AABBAA'CCBBcoda) - Voices: horns, drums, strings, bass//piano bass, banjo, guitar? (chordal backing), horns - Timbre: moves from horns to strings to piano to folk to brass with chorus - Rhythm: short-long-short-short ("a-wii-mo-we") - Other: sung in vocables and not Zulu language, melody different from original, dynamics drop in middle, soprano yodelling, C melody is repeated The Lion Sleeps Tonight - by The Tokens (1961) - Form: CCIntroIntroCC'AA'CC'AA'DDCC'B'A'CC - Voices: vocals, drums, bass, soprano, 5-man vocals, saxophone - Timbre: tiny drumstick sound, voices tend towards bel canto, soprano is clearer, female soprano is operatic - Rhythm: keeps Weavers' rhythm - Other: lyrics (English, orientalist) added, 'exotic' drum timbres (rimshots, dull thud), vocables (E-dee-dee-dee beginning: a-we-ma-we), saxophone adds a new melody, yodelling Wimoweh Lyrics: A wimoweh, wimoweh, wimoweh / Wimoweh-a-wimoweh-a-wimoweh-a-wimoweh-a / Wimoweh-a-wimoweh-a-wimoweh-a-wimoweh-a / Wimoweh-a-wimoweh-a-wimoweh-a.
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