View source for The Lion Sleeps Tonight

{{short description|1939 song by Solomon Linda}}
{{about||the TV episode|The Lion Sleeps Tonight (Dexter){{!}}The Lion Sleeps Tonight (''Dexter'')}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2016}}
{{Infobox song
| name          = The Lion Sleeps Tonight
| cover         = The Lion Sleeps Tonight by The Tokens single cover.jpg
| type          = single
| artist        = [[the Tokens]]
| album         = The Lion Sleeps Tonight
| A-side        = Tina
| released      = October 1961<ref>{{cite journal |title=Special Merit Singles |journal=Billboard |date=October 23, 1961 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vyAEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA32&dq=billboard+the+tokens+the+lion+sleeps+tonight+spotlight+singles&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwid-dGckJSOAxX0MVkFHUFJMwgQ6AF6BAgFEAM#v=onepage&q=billboard%20the%20tokens%20the%20lion%20sleeps%20tonight%20spotlight%20singles&f=false}}</ref>
| recorded      = 1961
| genre         = *[[Rhythm and blues]]
*[[doo-wop]]
*[[Folk music|folk]]<ref name="Stanley 2022">{{cite book|first= Bob |last= Stanley |year= 2022 |title= Let's Do It - The Birth of Pop Music: A History|chapter= Revival: Trad Jazz and Folk|publisher= Pegasus Books|location= New York|page= 477}}</ref>
| length        = 2:41
| label         = [[RCA Victor]]
| writer        = *[[Solomon Linda]]
*[[Hugo Peretti]]
*[[Luigi Creatore]]
*[[George David Weiss]]
*Albert Stanton
| year          = 1961
| misc          = {{External music video|header=Audio|1={{YouTube|OQlByoPdG6c|The Lion Sleeps Tonight (Wimoweh) (Audio)}}
}}
}}
"'''The Lion Sleeps Tonight'''" is a song originally written and first recorded in 1939 by [[Solomon Linda]]<ref name="In the Jungle">{{Cite news|last=Malan|first=Rian|author-link=Rian Malan|title=In the Jungle|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200214102148/http://reprints.longform.org/in-the-jungle|url=http://reprints.longform.org/in-the-jungle|archive-date=14 Feb 2020|website=[[Longform.org]]|publisher=[[Rolling Stone]]|year=2000|access-date=5 Mar 2022|df=dmy-all}}</ref> under the title "'''Mbube'''",<ref>{{Cite news|date=2020-12-29|title=Seeking justice for Lion Sleeps Tonight composer|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-55333535|access-date=2021-01-04}}</ref> 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. It earned millions in [[royalties]] from cover versions and film licensing.  Lyrics of Linda's original version were written in [[Zulu language|Zulu]], while those from the Tokens' adaptation were written by [[George David Weiss]].

The song has been adapted and [[cover version|covered]] internationally by many [[Pop music|pop]] and [[Folk music|folk]] artists. It was first recorded in the United States by [[the Weavers]] in November 1951, and published under the title "'''Wimoweh'''" by a branch of [[Folkways Records]] in December of the same year.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Library of Congress. Copyright Office.|url=http://archive.org/details/catalogofcopyri365libr|title=Catalog of Copyright Entries 1952 Published Music Jan-Dec 3D Ser Vol 6 Pt 5A|date=1952|publisher=U.S. Govt. Print. Off.|others=United States Copyright Office|language=English}}</ref>  The pop group [[Tight Fit]] made a cover of the song in 1982, reaching [[List of UK Singles Chart number ones of the 1980s|number one hit in the UK]].  Other artists who have recorded various versions of the song include [[R.E.M.]], [[NSYNC]], [[Henri Salvador]], [[Karl Denver]], [[Jimmy Dorsey]], [[Yma Sumac]], [[Noro Morales]], [[Roy Zimmerman (satirist)|Roy Zimmerman]], [[Miriam Makeba]], and [[The Kingston Trio]].<ref>{{Cite book|url=http://archive.org/details/cashbox13unse_32|title=Cash Box|date=1952-05-17|publisher=Cash Box Pub. Co.|last=William and Mary Libraries Special Collections Research Center}}</ref>  The song is in the [[Key (music)|key]] of [[F major]].

==History==
{{Listen
| type = music
| filename = The Lion Sleeps Tonight by The Tokens.ogg
| title = "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" (The Tokens)
}}
The original song title was "Mbube" (the [[Zulu language|Zulu]] word for "lion") and was written and first recorded in 1939 by [[Solomon Linda]],<ref name="FRITH">Frith, Simon, [https://books.google.com/books?id=bxsUdjSnGZcC ''Popular Music: critical concepts in media and cultural studies, Volume 4''], London: Routledge, 2004. {{ISBN|978-0-415-33270-5}}. [https://books.google.com/books?id=bxsUdjSnGZcC&pg=PA271 p. 271]</ref> a [[South Africa]]n [[Zulu people|Zulu]] singer, who worked for the [[Gallo Record Company]] in [[Johannesburg]] as a cleaner and record packer. He spent his weekends performing with his musical ensemble, "The Evening Birds", and it was at this [[record label]], under the direction of producer "Griffiths Motsieloa", that Linda and his fellow musicians recorded several songs, including "Mbube", which incorporated a [[Call and response (music)|call and response]] pattern common among many [[Sub-Saharan Africa]]n [[ethnic group]]s, including the Zulu.

According to journalist [[Rian Malan]]: "'Mbube' wasn't the most remarkable tune, but there was something terribly compelling about the underlying chant, a dense meshing of low male voices above which Solomon yodeled and howled for two exhilarating minutes, occasionally making it up as he went along. The third take was the great one, but it achieved immortality only in its dying seconds, when Solly took a deep breath, opened his mouth and improvised the melody..."

Issued as a 78-rpm [[phonograph record]]<ref>{{cite web|last=Cad|first=Saint|title=Top 10 Famous Songs With Unknown Originals|date=31 July 2012|url=http://listverse.com/2012/07/31/top-10-famous-songs-with-unknown-originals/ |publisher=listverse.com|access-date=21 June 2013}}</ref> and marketed to black audiences, "Mbube" became a hit and Linda a star throughout South Africa. By 1948, the song had sold over 100,000 copies in Africa and among black South African immigrants in Great Britain. Linda's song also gave the name to a style of African [[a cappella]] music that evolved into ''[[Isicathamiya]]'' (also called ''[[Mbube (genre)|Mbube music]]''), popularized by the group [[Ladysmith Black Mambazo]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Frith |first=Simon | author-link = Simon Frith|title=Popular music: critical concepts in media and cultural studies, Volume 4 |location=London |publisher=Routledge |year=2004 |isbn=978-0-415-33270-5}}</ref>

In 1949 [[Alan Lomax]], then working as folk music director for [[Decca Records]], brought Solomon Linda's 78-rpm recording to the attention of his friend [[Pete Seeger]], leader of the [[folk music|folk]] group [[The Weavers]]. In November 1951, after having performed the song for at least a year in their concerts, The Weavers recorded an adapted version with brass, string orchestra and chorus and released it as a 78-rpm single titled "Wimoweh", a mishearing of the original song's chorus of "''Uyimbube''" ("You are a lion" in Zulu). Their version contained the chanting chorus "Wimoweh" and Linda's improvised line. The Weavers credited the song as "[[Oral tradition]]", with arrangement by "Paul Campbell", later found to be a pseudonym used by The Weavers in order to claim royalties.<ref name=hutcheon>David Hutcheon, "The Story Behind the Song: The Lion Sleeps Tonight", ''[[Mojo (magazine)|Mojo '60s]]'', #9, 2017, pp. 18-19</ref> It reached ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]''{{'}}s top ten and became a staple of The Weavers' live repertoire, achieving further exposure on their best-selling ''[[The Weavers at Carnegie Hall]]'' [[LP record|LP album]], recorded in 1955 and released in 1957.

[[Exotica]] singer [[Yma Sumac]] covered the song, for which [[Juilliard School]]-trained songwriter [[George David Weiss]] brought in [[soprano]] [[Anita Darian]] to let her perform before, during and after the [[soprano saxophone]] solo in such version, issued in 1952 on [[Capitol Records]].<ref name=pc18>{{cite web |url=https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc19768/m1/ |title=Show 18&nbsp;— ''Blowin' in the Wind: Pop discovers folk music''. [Part 1&#93; |work=[[Pop Chronicles]] |publisher=[[University of North Texas|UNT]] Digital Library |date=18 May 1969 |access-date=24 September 2010}}</ref> The song was recorded extensively by other folk revival groups such as [[the Kingston Trio]], who released it in 1958.

[[Miriam Makeba]] also covered the song in 1960, with the original title "Mbube" and giving writing credits to "J. Linda".<ref name=hutcheon /> In 1961, two [[RCA Records]] producers, [[Hugo Peretti]] and [[Luigi Creatore]], hired Weiss to arrange a [[Doo-wop]] and [[Rhythm and blues]] cover of "Wimoweh" for the B-side of a 45-rpm single called "Tina", sung by group [[The Tokens]]. Weiss wrote the English lines "In the jungle, the mighty jungle, The lion sleeps tonight..." and "Hush, my darling, don't fear, my darling...".<ref>{{citation |last=Laing |first=Dave |date=2010-08-24 |title=George David Weiss obituary |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2010/aug/24/george-david-weiss |access-date=2024-05-21 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" was issued by RCA in that year, and it rocketed to number one on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]]. Weiss' "Abilene Music, Inc." was the publisher of this arrangement, and listed "Albert Stanton" (a pseudonym for "Al Brackman", the business partner of [[Pete Seeger]]'s music publisher, [[Howie Richmond]]) as one of the song's writers or arrangers.<ref>{{citation |last=Malan |first=Rian |page=74 |title=The Lion Sleeps Tonight |date=2013-02-01 |publisher=Grove Press UK |isbn=978-1-61185-994-2 |language=en}}</ref>

== Copyright issues ==
Social historian Ronald D. Cohen writes: "[[Howie Richmond]] copyrighted many songs originally in the public domain but now slightly revised to satisfy Decca and also to reap profits."<ref>{{cite book |first=Ronald D. |last=Cohen |title=Rainbow Quest: the Folk Music Revival and American Society |url=https://archive.org/details/rainbowquestfolk00cohe |url-access=registration |location=Amherst |publisher=[[University of Massachusetts Press]] |year=2002 |page=[https://archive.org/details/rainbowquestfolk00cohe/page/71 71]}}</ref> Howie Richmond's claim of author's copyright could secure both the songwriter's royalties and his company's publishing share of the song earnings.<ref name="In the Jungle" />

Although [[Solomon Linda]] was listed as a performer on the record itself, [[The Weavers]] thought they had recorded a [[Oral tradition|traditional]] Zulu song. Their managers, the publisher, and their attorneys knew otherwise because they had been contacted by — and had reached an agreement with — Eric Gallo of [[Gallo Record Company]] in [[South Africa]]. The Americans maintained, however, that South African copyrights were not valid because South Africa was not a signatory to U.S. copyright law.<ref name="In the Jungle" /> In the 1950s, after Linda's authorship was made clear, [[Pete Seeger]] sent $1000 to the South African artist. The folk singer also said he instructed ''TRO/Folkways'' to henceforth pay his share of authors' earnings to Linda. Seeger apparently trusted his publisher's word of honor and either saw no need, or was unable, to make sure these instructions were carried out.<ref name="In the Jungle" />

In 2000, South African journalist [[Rian Malan]] wrote a feature article for ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' in which he recounted Linda's story and estimated that the song had earned $15 million for its use in the [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]] 1994 movie ''[[The Lion King]]'' alone. The piece prompted filmmaker [[François Verster]] to create the [[Emmy Award|Emmy]]-winning documentary ''[[A Lion's Trail]]'', released in 2002, which tells Linda's story while incidentally exposing the workings of the multi-million dollar corporate music publishing industry.<ref>"National Television Academy Presents 27th Annual News & Documentary Emmy Awards" (press release), 25 September 2006.</ref>

In July 2004, as a result of the publicity generated by Malan's article and the subsequent documentary, the song became the subject of a lawsuit between Linda's estate and Disney, claiming that the latter owed $1.6 million in royalties for the use of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" in the film and [[The Lion King (musical)|musical stage]] productions of ''The Lion King''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.3rdearmusic.com/forum/forumaug04/mbube_mmouse.html |title=3rd Ear Music Forum - Mbube - Mickey Mouse Under House Arrest in SAfrica? |website=3rdearmusic.com |access-date=29 March 2014}}</ref> At the same time, the ''Richmond Organization'' began to pay $3,000 annually to Linda's estate. In February 2006, the South African singer's descendants reached a legal settlement with ''Abilene Music Publishers'', who held the worldwide rights and had licensed the song to Disney, to place the earnings of the song in a trust.<ref>{{cite news |title=Penniless singer's family sue Disney for Lion King royalties |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/1475434/Penniless-singers-family-sue-Disney-for-Lion-King-royalties.html |first=David |last=Blair |date=30 October 2004 |newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |access-date=1 July 2017 }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |title=It's a Lawsuit, a Mighty Lawsuit |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,995466,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070515085439/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,995466,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=15 May 2007 |date=25 October 2004 |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |access-date=14 February 2007}}</ref>

In 2012, "Mbube" fell into the public domain, owing to the [[copyright law of South Africa]], while "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" is still in copyright. The copyright issues were also treated in the 2019 movie ''[[ReMastered: The Lion's Share]]''.<ref>https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9046576/ {{User-generated source|certain=yes|date=March 2022}}</ref>

==Selected list of recorded versions==
{{Infobox song
| name          = Mbube
| cover         = Mbube (Singer GE 829).jpg
| alt           = 
| type          = single
| artist        = [[Solomon Linda|Solomon Linda's Original Evening Birds]]
| B-side        = Ngi Hambiki
| released      = 1939
| recorded      = c. 1939
| studio        = Gallo Recording Studios
| venue         = 
| genre         = *[[Isicathamiya]]
*[[Mbube (genre)|mbube]]
| length        = 2:44
| label         = [[Gallo Record Company]]
| writer        = *[[Solomon Linda]]
| prev_title    = 
| prev_year     = 
| next_title    = 
| next_year     = 
| misc          = {{External music video|header=Audio|1={{YouTube|mrrQT4WkbNE|Mbube (Audio)}}}}
{{Audio sample
 | type = single
 | file = 
}}
}}

The song has been recorded by numerous artists, and is a standard that has become a part of popular culture.

==="Mbube"===
* 1939 [[Solomon Linda]] and the Evening Birds
* 1939 Solomon Linda and the Evening Birds (take 2) featured in the first [[Cry, the Beloved Country (1951 film)|film adaptation]] of ''[[Cry, the Beloved Country]]''<ref>{{Citation|title=Solomon Linda, Evening Birds - Mbube (take 2, rare)| date=23 August 2021 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qng3wUZ_ZM0 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/qng3wUZ_ZM0| archive-date=2021-12-12 |url-status=live|language=en|access-date=2021-09-01}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|title=Earliest Wimoweh Mbube Lion Sleeps Tonight ? '51| date=14 September 2009 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60uIgNea_OU |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/60uIgNea_OU| archive-date=2021-12-12 |url-status=live|language=en|access-date=2021-09-01}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
* 1960 [[Miriam Makeba]], on the ''[[Miriam Makeba (album)|Miriam Makeba]]'' album 
* 1988 [[Ladysmith Black Mambazo]], during opening sequence of movie ''[[Coming to America#Production|Coming to America]]'', but not on the soundtrack album
* 1991 [[Dolly Rathebe]] & the Elite Swingsters, on the ''Woza!'' album 
* 1994 Ladysmith Black Mambazo, as "Mbube (The Lion Sleeps Tonight)", on the ''Gift of the Tortoise'' album 
* 1996 [[Soweto String Quartet]], as "Imbube", on the ''Renaissance'' album
* 2005 [[Soweto Gospel Choir]], as "Imbube", on the ''Blessed'' album
* 2006 Ladysmith Black Mambazo, on the ''Long Walk to Freedom'' album
* 2007 CH2 and Soweto String Quartet, as "Imbube", on the ''Pap & Paella'' album
* 2010 [[Angélique Kidjo]], on the ''Õÿö'' album
* 2019 [[Lebo M]], on the soundtrack album of the animated remake of ''[[The Lion King (2019 film)|The Lion King]]'' film 
* 2020 [[Mahotella Queens]] featuring "Bokkie ULT" & "Cuebur", as "Mbube 2020"<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-55333535|title=Seeking justice for Lion Sleeps Tonight composer|work=BBC News|date=29 December 2020}}</ref>

==="Wimoweh"===
* 1952: [[The Weavers]], US No. 6
* 1952: [[Jimmy Dorsey]]
* 1952: [[Yma Sumac]]
* 1957: [[The Weavers]], live version 
* 1957: [[The Georgetown Chimes]], on the ''Under the Tree with the Georgetown Chimes'' album
* 1959: [[Bill Hayes (actor)|Bill Hayes]] (on Kapp Records)
* 1959: [[The Kingston Trio]]
* 1961: [[Karl Denver]], UK No. 4<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/9792/karl-denver/ |title=Karl Denver |work=The Official Charts Company }}</ref>
* 1962: [[Bert Kaempfert]], on the [[A Swingin' Safari (album)|A Swingin' Safari]] album, (on [[Polydor Records]]); made mostly as an instrumental save for the "Wimoweh" chorus.
* 1962: [[Hugh Masekela]], on the ''[[Trumpet Africaine]]'' album 
* 1964: [[Glen Campbell]], on ''[[The Astounding 12-String Guitar of Glen Campbell]]'' album
* 1964: [[Chet Atkins]]
* 1971: [[Rumplestiltskin]], on the ''Black Magician'' album 
* 1975: [[Bamses Venner]]
* 1993: [[Nanci Griffith]] featuring [[Odetta]], on the ''[[Other Voices, Other Rooms (Nanci Griffith album)|Other Voices, Other Rooms]]'' album 
* 1994: [[Roger Whittaker]], on the ''Roger Whittaker Live!'' album 
* 1994: [[Manu Dibango]] featuring [[Ladysmith Black Mambazo]], on the ''Waka Afrika'' album 
* 1998: [[Pete Seeger]], on the ''For Kids And Just Plain Folks'' album 
* 1999: [[Desmond Dekker]], on the ''Halfway To Paradise'' album
* 2024: [[Edward Norton]] on the soundtrack to the 2024 film ''[[A Complete Unknown]]''<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pelly |first=Jenn |date=2025-01-16 |title=Timothée Chalamet: A Complete Unknown (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/timothee-chalamet-a-complete-unknown-original-motion-picture-soundtrack/ |access-date=2025-03-05 |website=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]] |language=en-US}}</ref>

==="The Lion Sleeps Tonight"===
{{Infobox song
| name       = The Lion Sleeps Tonight
| cover      = The_Lion_Sleeps_Tonight_-_Robert_John.jpg
| alt        =
| caption    = 
| type       = single
| artist     = [[Robert John]]
| album      = Robert John
| released   = December 1971
| B-side     = "Janet"
| format     =
| recorded   =
| studio     =
| venue      =
| genre      = 
* [[Pop music|Pop]]
* [[Adult contemporary music|adult contemporary]]<ref name= "Breihan 2020">{{cite web|first= Tom |last= Breihan |title= The Number Ones: Robert John's "Sad Eyes"|website= [[Stereogum]] |date= February 19, 2020 |url= https://www.stereogum.com/2073765/the-number-ones-robert-johns-sad-eyes/columns/the-number-ones/|quote= In 1972, John recorded an adult-contempo cover of the Tokens’ “The Lion Sleeps Tonight”...|accessdate= July 12, 2023}}</ref>
| length     = 
| label      = [[Atlantic Records|Atlantic]]
| writer     =
*[[Hugo Peretti]]
*[[Luigi Creatore]]
*[[George David Weiss]]
*Albert Stanton
*[[Solomon Linda]]
| producer   = Hank Medress and Dave Appell
| prev_title = When the Party Is Over
| prev_year  = 1970
| next_title = [[Hushabye]]
| next_year  = 1972
}}
{{Infobox song
| name       = The Lion Sleeps Tonight
| cover      = The Lion Sleeps Tonight by Tight Fit.jpg
| alt        =
| caption    = 
| type       = single
| artist     = [[Tight Fit]]
| album      = [[Tight Fit (album)|Tight Fit]]
| B-side     = Rhythm, Movement And Throbbing
| released   = January 1982
| format     =
| recorded   = 1981
| studio     =
| venue      =
| genre      = [[Pop music|Pop]]
| length     = 3:18
| label      = [[Jive Records|Jive]]
| writer     =
*[[Hugo Peretti]]
*[[Luigi Creatore]]
*[[George David Weiss]]
*Albert Stanton
*[[Solomon Linda]]
| producer   = [[Tim Friese-Greene]]<ref name="500 Number One Hits">{{cite book
| first= Jo
| last= Rice
| year= 1982
| title= The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits
| edition= 1st
| publisher= Guinness Superlatives Ltd 
| location= Enfield, Middlesex
| page= 222
| isbn= 0-85112-250-7}}</ref>
| prev_title = Back to the Sixties Part II
| prev_year  = 1981
| next_title = [[Fantasy Island (The Millionaires song)|Fantasy Island]]
| next_year  = 1982
| misc = {{external music video|type=single|{{youTube|hRv4cdZxTdQ|"The Lion Sleeps Tonight"}}}}
}}
* 1961: [[The Tokens]], US No. 1, UK No. 11, [[CHUM Chart|Canada]] No. 1<ref>{{cite web|url=http://chumtribute.com/61-12-11-chart.jpg| title=CHUM Hit Parade - December 11, 1961}}</ref>
* 1962: [[Henri Salvador]], FR No. 1, as "Le lion est mort ce soir", a [[French language|French]] version whose title means "The Lion Died Tonight" 
* 1965: [[The New Christy Minstrels]]
* 1965: The Shangaans, on the ''Jungle Drums'' album 
* 1966: The Townsmen, Canada No. 70<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.8245.pdf| title=RPM Top 100 Singles - October 10, 1966}}</ref>
* 1967: The Hounds
* 1968: [[The Tremeloes]], on the ''Silence Is Golden'' album 
* 1971: [[Eric Donaldson]]
* 1972: [[Robert John]], US No. 3, [[Music recording sales certification|gold record]] / Canada No. 15<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.7602.pdf| title=RPM Top 100 Singles - March 11, 1972}}</ref>
* 1972: [[David Newman (composer)|Dave Newman]], UK No. 34
* 1974: [[Ras Michael]] and the Sons of Negus, as "Rise Jah Jah Children (The Lion Sleeps)"
* 1975: [[Brian Eno]], on the ''Working Backwards: 1983-1973'' and ''Eno Box II: Vocal'' albums
* 1976: [[Dove (band)|Dove]]<ref name="McFarlane">{{cite book | last1 = McFarlane | first1 = Ian | authorlink1 = Ian McFarlane | title = [[Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop]] | chapter = Encyclopedia entry for 'Dove' | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20040803181404/http://www.whammo.com.au:80/encyclopedia.asp?articleid=291 | chapter-url = http://www.whammo.com.au/encyclopedia.asp?articleid=291 | year = 1999 | publisher = [[Allen & Unwin]] | location = [[St Leonards, New South Wales|St Leonards, NSW]] | archive-date = 3 August 2004 | isbn = 1-86508-072-1 }}</ref>
* 1979: [[The Stylistics]]
* 1980: [[Passengers (Italian band)|Passengers]]
* 1982: [[Tight Fit]], UK No. 1, on the ''[[Tight Fit (album)|Tight Fit]]'' album:<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">{{cite book
| first= David
| last= Roberts
| year= 2006
| title= [[British Hit Singles & Albums]]
| edition= 19th
| publisher= [[Guinness World Records Limited]] 
| location= London
| isbn= 1-904994-10-5
| page= 406}}</ref> the record sold over a million copies in the UK<ref name="guardian nov2012">{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2012/nov/04/uk-million-selling-singles-full-list |title=UK's million-selling singles: the full list |first= Ami |last=Sedghi |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |date=4 November 2012 |access-date=4 November 2012 }}</ref> 
* 1982: [[The Nylons]], Canada No. 91<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.0655.pdf| title=RPM Top 100 Singles - April 5, 1986}}</ref>
* 1982: [[Maria Conchita Alonso]]
* 1990: [[Ladysmith Black Mambazo]] featuring [[The Mint Juleps]], on the [[Spike Lee & Company: Do It a Cappella]] PBS documentary and album
* 1991: P.J. Powers featuring Hotline, on ''The Best Of'' compilation album 
* 1991: [[Big Daddy (band)|Big Daddy]], mashed up with "[[Welcome to the Jungle]]"
* 1992: Talisman, on the ''A Capella'' album 
* 1992: [[They Might Be Giants]] featuring [[Laura Cantrell]], interpolated into "[[The Guitar (The Lion Sleeps Tonight)]]"
* 1993: [[Pow woW]], FR No. 1, cover of Salvador's version
* 1993: [[R.E.M.]], B-side of "[[The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite]]" and on ''[[The Automatic Box]]'' (Disc 3) album 
* 1993: The Nylons, re-issue on ''The Best Of'' compilation album 
* 1993: [[Streetnix]], on the ''Listen'' album 
* 1994: [[Dennis Marcellino]]
* 1994: [[Tonic Sol-Fa]]
* 1995: [[Lebo M]], in the ''[[Rhythm of the Pride Lands]]'' album, an LP with songs inspired by the music of ''[[The Lion King]]'' film
* 1997: [[Barbados (band)|Barbados]]
* 1997: [['N Sync]], B-side of "[[For the Girl Who Has Everything (song)|For the Girl Who Has Everything]]"
* 1998: Undertones (not [[The Undertones]]), on the ''8 Degrees and Rising'' album 
* 2001: [[Baha Men]] featuring [[Imani Coppola]], sampled the chorus in the song "[[You All Dat]]" on the ''[[Who Let the Dogs Out (Baha Men album)|Who Let the Dogs Out]]'' album 
* 2001: [[Rockapella]]
* 2002: [[Mango Groove]], on the ''Eat a Mango'' album 
* 2003: ''[[Pat & Stan]]'' characters in their debut appearance in [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]]'s shorts and the sketch of the same name{{Citation needed|date=April 2025}}
* 2004: [[Daniel Küblböck]]
* 2005: [[The Mavericks]]
* 2006: ''[[VeggieTales]]'' characters, on the ''Bob and Larry Sing the 70s'' album 
* 2009: [[Melo-M]], on the ''Around the World'' album 
* 2010: [[Gerard Joling]] featuring Cool Down Café, on the ''Goud'' album 
* 2014: [[Billy Joel]] and [[Jimmy Fallon]], on ''[[The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon]]'' album<ref>{{cite web|access-date=2021-05-15|date=21 March 2014|title=Jimmy Fallon and Billy Joel Sing "The Lion Sleeps Tonight"|url=https://time.com/33613/icymi-billy-joel-and-jimmy-fallon-sing-the-lion-sleeps-tonight/|website=Time Magazine}}</ref>
* 2015: [[Justin Fletcher]], as Gail Force character on ''[[Gigglebiz]]'' children tv show 
* 2016: Tight Fit, "Rainforest Radio Edit" re-issue on the ''Together'' album (on [[Almighty Records]])<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.almightyrecords.com/product/ALMYCD102/|title=Tight Fit — Together — Almighty Records|website=Almightyrecords.com|access-date=21 March 2018}}</ref>
* 2019: [[Billy Eichner]] and [[Seth Rogen]], on ''[[The Lion King (2019 film)|The Lion King]]'' remake film and soundtrack album 
* 2019: [[Wiese (music producer)|Wiese]]
* 2024: Voiceplay featuring J. None, [[A cappella]] version<ref>{{cite web|access-date=2024-01-25|title=Voiceplay ft. J. None sing "The Lion Sleeps Tonight"|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZh3D1ndNKY|website=Youtube|date=19 January 2024 }}</ref> with a very creative setting and animal digital representation
* 2024: The Fun Foundation released a version called "Nature's Symphony" on their debut album "Key Concepts, Pt.1"<ref>{{cite web|access-date=2024-07-11|title=The Fun Foundation - Nature's Symphony|url=https://open.spotify.com/intl-es/track/2RqCBKwQgX1xh0tvym6ENq?si=c2a53a9102ab4e2b|website=Spotify}}</ref>

== Charted singles ==
=== The Tokens ===
{{stack begin | clear=false | float=center}}
{{col-begin|width=105%}}
{{col-2}}

====Weekly charts====
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Chart (1961–1962)
!Peak<br />position
|-
|Australia Kent Music Report
| style="text-align:center;"|15
|-
{{single chart|Flanders|6|artist=The Tokens|song=The Lion Sleeps Tonight|access-date=15 June 2018}}
|-
{{single chart|Wallonia|13|artist=The Tokens|song=The Lion Sleeps Tonight|access-date=15 June 2018}}
|-
|Canada CHUM Chart
| style="text-align:center;"|1
|-
|New Zealand ''Lever''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.flavourofnz.co.nz/index.php?qpageID=Lever+hit+parades&qyear=1962&qmonth=Mar&qweek=15-Mar-1962#n_view_location|title=flavour of new zealand - Lever hit parades|website=Flavourofnz.co.nz|access-date=1 May 2019|archive-date=6 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406041334/http://www.flavourofnz.co.nz/index.php?qpageID=Lever+hit+parades&qyear=1962&qmonth=Mar&qweek=15-Mar-1962#n_view_location|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|1
|-
{{single chart|UKsinglesbyname|11|artist=Tokens|access-date=15 June 2018}}
|-
{{single chart|Billboardhot100|1|artist=The Tokens|access-date=15 June 2018}}
|-
{{single chart|Billboardrandbhiphop|7|artist=The Tokens|access-date=15 June 2018}}
|-
|US ''[[Cashbox (magazine)|Cash Box]]'' Top 100 
| style="text-align:center;"|1
|-
{{single chart|West Germany|23|artist=The Tokens|song=The Lion Sleeps Tonight|year=1962|songid=24079|access-date=15 June 2018}}
|}
{{col-2}}

====Year-end charts====
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!align="left"|Chart (1962)
! style="text-align:center;"|Rank
|-
|US ''Cash Box'' <ref>[http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/70s_files/1962YESP.html] {{dead link|date=May 2019}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|10
|-
|}
{{col-end}}

==== Certifications ====
{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" by The Tokens}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|award=Gold|type=single|artist=The Tokens|title=The Lion Sleeps|relyear=1961|certyear=1962}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true}}

=== Robert John ===
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}

====Weekly charts====
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Chart (1971–1972)
!Peak<br />position
|-
|Australia ([[Kent Music Report]])<ref>{{cite book|first= David |last= Kent |author-link= David Kent (historian) |title= [[Kent Music Report|Australian Chart Book 1970-1992]] |publisher= Australian Chart Book |location= [[St Ives, New South Wales|St Ives]], N.S.W. |year= 1993 |isbn= 0-646-11917-6}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|31
|-
{{single chart|Canadatopsingles|15|artist=Robert John|song=Lion Sleeps Tonight|chartid=7602|year=1972|access-date=25 November 2020}}
|-
{{single chart|Canadaadultcontemporary|17|artist=Robert John|song=Lion Sleeps Tonight|chartid=5318|year=1972|access-date=25 November 2020}}
|-
|South Africa ([[Springbok Radio|Springbok]])<ref>{{cite web|title=SA Charts 1965–March 1989|url=http://www.rock.co.za/files/springbok_top_20_(J).html|access-date=5 September 2018}}</ref>
|align="center"|15
|-
{{single chart|Billboardhot100|3|artist=Robert John|access-date=25 November 2020}}
|-
{{single chart|Billboardadultcontemporary|6|artist=Robert John|access-date=25 November 2020}}
|-
|US ''[[Cashbox (magazine)|Cash Box]]'' Top 100<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/70s_files/19720318.html|title=Cash Box Top 100 3/18/72|website=Tropicalglen.com|access-date=21 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161023135349/http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/70s_files/19720318.html|archive-date=23 October 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|2
|-
{{single chart|West Germany|40|artist=Robert John|song=The Lion Sleeps Tonight|year=1972|songid=99958|access-date=25 November 2020}}
|}
{{col-2}}

====Year-end charts====
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!align="left"|Chart (1972)
! style="text-align:center;"|Rank
|-
|Australia 
| style="text-align:center;"|172
|-
|Canada 
| style="text-align:center;"|45
|-
|US ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' [[Billboard Hot 100|Hot 100]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.musicoutfitters.com/topsongs/1972.htm |title=Top 100 Hits of 1972/Top 100 Songs of 1972 |website=Musicoutfitters.com |access-date=1 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170427223218/http://musicoutfitters.com/topsongs/1972.htm |archive-date=27 April 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|21
|-
|US ''Cash Box'' <ref>{{cite web|url=https://tropicalglen.com/Archives/70s_files/1972YESP.html|title=Cash Box YE Pop Singles - 1972|website=Tropicalglen.com|access-date=1 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180928150812/http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/70s_files/1972YESP.html|archive-date=28 September 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|10
|}
{{col-end}}

==== Certifications ====
{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" by Robert John}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|award=Gold|type=single|artist=Robert John|title=The Lion Sleeps Tonight|relyear=1972|certyear=1972}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true}}

=== Tight Fit ===
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}

==== Weekly charts ====
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Chart (1982)
!Peak<br />position
|-
|Australia ([[Kent Music Report]])<ref name=aus>{{cite book|last=Kent|first=David|author-link=David Kent (historian)|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|edition=illustrated|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=St Ives, N.S.W.|year=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6|page=310}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|11
|-
{{single chart|Austria|8|artist=Tight Fit|song=The Lion Sleeps Tonight|access-date=25 November 2020}}
|-
{{single chart|Flanders|1|artist=Tight Fit|song=The Lion Sleeps Tonight|access-date=25 November 2020}}
|-
{{single chart|Denmark|1|artist=Tight Fit|song=The Lion Sleeps Tonight|access-date=25 November 2020}}
|-
{{single chart|Ireland2|1|song=Lion Sleeps Tonight|access-date=25 November 2020}}
|-
{{single chart|Dutch40|1|year=1982|week=17|access-date=9 November 2021}}
|-
{{single chart|Dutch100|1|artist=Tight Fit|song=The Lion Sleeps Tonight|access-date=25 November 2020}}
|-
{{single chart|New Zealand|3|artist=Tight Fit|song=The Lion Sleeps Tonight|access-date=25 November 2020}}
|-
{{single chart|Sweden|17|artist=Tight Fit|song=The Lion Sleeps Tonight|access-date=25 November 2020}}
|-
{{single chart|Switzerland|8|artist=Tight Fit|song=The Lion Sleeps Tonight|access-date=25 November 2020}}
|-
{{single chart|UK|1|artist=Tight Fit|song=The Lion Sleeps Tonight|date=19820228|access-date=25 November 2020}}
|-
{{single chart|West Germany|3|artist=Tight Fit|song=The Lion Sleeps Tonight|songid=831|access-date=25 November 2020}}
|}

{|class="wikitable"
|-
!Chart (2023)
!Peak<br />position
|-
{{single chart|Hungarysingle|36|year=2023|week=12|access-date=30 March 2023}}
|-
|}
{{col-2}}

==== Year-end charts ====
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Chart (1982)
!Position
|-
|Australia (Kent Music Report)<ref name="aus82">{{cite web|title= National Top 100 Singles for 1982 |publisher= [[Kent Music Report]] |via= [[Imgur]] |issue= 445 |date= 3 January 1983 |access-date= 22 January 2023 |url= https://i.imgur.com/iP7HHqt.jpg}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|82
|-
|Belgium (Ultratop Flanders)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ultratop.be/nl/annual.asp?year=1982|title=Jaaroverzichten 1982|publisher=Ultratop|access-date=9 November 2021}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|11
|-
|Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.top40.nl/bijzondere-lijsten/top-100-jaaroverzichten/1982|title=Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1982|publisher=Dutch Top 40|access-date=9 November 2021}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|11
|-
|Netherlands (Single Top 100)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://dutchcharts.nl/jaaroverzichten.asp?year=1982&cat=s|title=Jaaroverzichten – Single 1982|website=dutchcharts.nl|access-date=9 November 2021}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|11
|-
|West Germany (Official German Charts)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/single-jahr/for-date-1982|title=Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts|language=German|work=[[GfK Entertainment]]|publisher=offiziellecharts.de|access-date=9 November 2021}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|46
|}
{{col-end}}

==== Certifications ====
{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" by Tight Fit}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|award=Gold|type=single|id=7091-1121-1|artist=Tight Fit|title=The Lion Sleeps Tonight|relyear=1982|certyear=1982}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true}}

=== R.E.M. ===
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}

==== Weekly charts ====
{|class="wikitable"
|-
!Chart (1993)
!Peak<br />position
|-
|Iceland ([[Íslenski listinn|Íslenski Listinn Topp 40]])<ref>{{cite news|url=https://timarit.is/page/2610829#page/n1/mode/2up|title=Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (2.–8. apríl)|newspaper=[[DV (newspaper)|Dagblaðið Vísir]]|language=is|page=29|date=1 April 1993|access-date=24 January 2021}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|2
|}
{{col-2}}

==== Year-end charts ====
{|class="wikitable"
|-
!Chart (1993)
!Rank
|-
|Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)<ref>{{cite news|url=https://timarit.is/page/2621535?iabr=on#page/n15/mode/2up|title=Árslistinn 1993|newspaper=[[DV (newspaper)|Dagblaðið Vísir]]|language=is|page=17|date=4 January 1994|access-date=24 January 2021}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|47
|}
{{col-end}}
{{stack end}}

==See also==
*[[Township music]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.richardsilverstein.com/tikun_olam/2006/03/26/solomon-linda-songwriter-who-penned-the-lion-finally-gets-his-just-desserts/ "Solomon Linda, Songwriter Who Penned 'The Lion,' Finally Gets His Just Desserts"]
* Sample of [https://www.amazon.com/gp/music/wma-pop-up/B000001I1S001015 "Mbube"] performed by Solomon Linda's Original Evening Birds (WMA Stream).
* [https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5300359 "Family of 'Lion Sleeps Tonight' Writer to Get Millions"]: ''[[All Things Considered]]'', NPR
* [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/1475434/Penniless-singers-family-sue-Disney-for-Lion-King-royalties.html "Penniless singer's family sue Disney for Lion King royalties"]: ''[[Daily Telegraph]]''
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/documentaries/2010/07/100715_greatest_hits_pt2.shtml ''The Lion Sleeps Tonight'']. [[BBC World Service]] documentary by Paul Gambaccini first broadcast 16 July 2010, [https://web.archive.org/web/20101126214856/http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/worldservice/docarchive/docarchive_20100716-1346a.mp3 archived]
* [https://www.youtube.com/user/FLORENCOM/videos 200+ recordings of Mbube/Wimoweh/The Lion Sleeps Tonight on FLORENCOM's YouTube tribute channel]
* [https://afropop.org/audio-programs/the-money-show "The Money Show"] 6 May 2021 episode of ''[[Afropop Worldwide]]'', which includes a history of "Mbube"/"The Lion Sleeps Tonight"
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1e8EIiOwHZQ Video comparing "Mbube" and "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" on VYIMBVBE's YouTube tribute channel]
*[https://performingsongwriter.com/lion-sleeps-tonight/ The Story of Solomon Linda and the Lion Sleeps Tonight]
*

{{Miriam Makeba}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lion Sleeps Tonight, The}}
[[Category:1961 songs]]
[[Category:1961 singles]]
[[Category:1972 singles]]
[[Category:1982 singles]]
[[Category:The Tokens songs]]
[[Category:Henri Salvador songs]]
[[Category:Robert John songs]]
[[Category:Tight Fit songs]]
[[Category:Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles]]
[[Category:Cashbox number-one singles]]
[[Category:Doo-wop songs]]
[[Category:European Hot 100 Singles number-one singles]]
[[Category:Dutch Top 40 number-one singles]]
[[Category:UK singles chart number-one singles]]
[[Category:Song recordings produced by Hugo & Luigi]]
[[Category:Song recordings produced by Tim Friese-Greene]]
[[Category:Songs written by Hugo Peretti]]
[[Category:Songs written by Luigi Creatore]]
[[Category:Songs written by George David Weiss]]
[[Category:South African songs]]
[[Category:RCA Victor singles]]
[[Category:Atlantic Records singles]]
[[Category:Jive Records singles]]
[[Category:Internet memes introduced in 2018]]
[[Category:Songs about lions]]
[[Category:Songs about sleep]]
[[Category:Yodeling songs]]