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"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. In 1961, a version adapted into English by the doo-wop group the Tokens became a number-one hit in the United States.
The Tokens were an American doo-wop band and record production company group from Brooklyn, New York City. [1] The group has had four top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, all in the 1960s, their biggest being the chart-topping 1961 hit single "The Lion Sleeps Tonight", which borrowed heavily from the 1939 song "Mbube" by South African singer Solomon Linda.
Solomon Popoli Linda OIG (1909 [1] – 8 September 1962), also known as Solomon Ntsele ("Linda" was his clan name), [2] was a South African musician, singer and composer best known as the composer of the song "Mbube", which later became the pop music success "The Lion Sleeps Tonight", and gave its name to the Mbube style of isicathamiya a cappella later popularized by Ladysmith Black Mambazo.
Margo was a professional recording artist by the age of 14. Along with brother Phil Margo, he was a member of The Tokens.The vocal group is best known for its hit recording of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight", which rose to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and remained there for three weeks in 1961.
The group chose the name The Chiffons while recording and releasing their first single, "He's So Fine", [2] written by Ronnie Mack, produced by The Tokens of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" fame, and released on the Laurie Records label. "He's So Fine" hit No. 1 in the United States, selling over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. [3]
Lullaby of Birdland" (1952) — under the pseudonym "B. Y. Forster", with music by George Shearing "Mr. Wonderful" (1955) — co-written by Jerry Bock and Lawrence Holofcener "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" (1961) — tune written by Solomon Linda in 1939; lyrics rewritten in 1961 by Weiss, Luigi Creatore, and Hugo Peretti, recorded by The Tokens
Philip Frederick Margo (April 1, 1942 – November 13, 2021) was an American musician and author who was a longtime member of The Tokens, along with his brother Mitch. [1] They are best known for their hit recording of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" which rose to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and remained there for three weeks in 1961.
The publicity also helped Linda's family to find the support to take Disney, which used the song in the movie The Lion King, to court. In February 2006, Abilene Music, which holds the copyright for "Wimoweh/The Lion Sleeps Tonight", settled the case with the Solomon Linda family out of court for an undisclosed sum.