"The Lion Sleeps Tonight" was first recorded by the Tokens. ARTIST: The Tokens TITLE: The Lion Sleeps Tonight Lyrics and Chords Ee-e-e-um-um-a-weh Ee-e-e-um-um-a-weh Wemoweh, wemoweh, wemoweh, wemoweh (4X) / G C G D / / / G C / G D / : In the jungle, the mighty jungle The lion sleeps tonight In the jungle, the quiet jungle The lion sleeps tonight / G C / G D / : {Refrain} Ee-e-e-um-um-a-weh Wemoweh, wemoweh, wemoweh, wemoweh (2X) Ee-e-e-um-um-a-weh Wemoweh, wemoweh, wemoweh, wemoweh (2X) Near the village, the peaceful village The lion sleeps tonight Near the village, the quiet village The lion sleeps tonight {Refrain} Hush my darling, don't fear my darling The lion sleeps tonight Hush my darling, don't fear my darling The lion sleeps tonight {Refrain} http://www.guntheranderson.com/v/data/thelions.htm

Tight fit covered it in the eighties and mimed the whole lot. Sad thing is I believed it but I was only 12. Just shows you how you can be manipulated by the music industry !

1) ""The Lion Sleeps Tonight" began as a 1939 African popular music hit "Mbube" that, in modified versions, also became a hit in the US and UK. "Mbube" (Zulu for "lion") was first recorded by its writer, Solomon Linda, and his group, The Evening Birds, in 1939." "The Weavers' Pete Seeger. In 1952, they recorded their version entitled "Wimoweh" "Pete Seeger had made some his own additions to the melody." "It was published by Folkways. Their 1952 version, arranged by Gordon Jenkins, became a top-twenty hit in the U.S.[...] This version was covered in 1959 by The Kingston Trio." "New lyrics to the song were written by George Weiss, Luigi Creatore, and Hugo Peretti. The Tokens' 1961 cover of this version rose to number one on the Billboard Hot 100" "Since then, "Wimoweh" / "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" has remained popular and frequently covered" This quotes and the whole story of the song can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_lion_sleeps_tonight 2) Comparison of some versions: " Mbube - SOLOMON LINDA’S ORIGINAL EVENING BIRDS (Solomon Linda) South Africa 1939 http://www.fridayfishwrap.com/wimoweh/mbube.mp3 Wimoweh - THE WEAVERS (w/ Pete Seeger) (’Paul Campbell’) USA 1951 Seeger, who transcribed the lyrics from the original African recording, rendered the Zulu chant Uyimbube, uyimbube as “Wimoweh, wimoweh”. http://www.fridayfishwrap.com/wimoweh/wimoweh_weavers.mp3 Wimoweh - YMA SUMAC (’Paul Campbell’) USA 1952 http://www.fridayfishwrap.com/wimoweh/wimoweh_yma.mp3 The Lion Sleeps Tonight - THE TOKENS (George Weiss - Hugo Peretti - Luigi Creatore - Albert Stanton) USA 1961 http://www.fridayfishwrap.com/wimoweh/thelionsleepstonight1.mp3 " Source: http://fridayfishwrap.com/?p=1108

The Tokens in 1961

The lead singer died on June 23rd from lung cancer: http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/Music/06/25/obit.medress.ap/index.html

The Lion Sleeps Tonight 1952 Wimoweh - The Weavers US #6 Pete Seeger 1952 Wimoweh - Jimmy Dorsey 1952 Wimoweh - Yma Sumac 1957 Wimoweh - The Weavers on live Carnegie Hall album 1959 Wimoweh - The Kingston Trio 1961 The Tokens The Lion Sleeps Tonight 1961 Wimoweh - Karl Denver Trio UK #4 (1962 release) 1993 Wimoweh - Nanci Griffith with Odetta, on Other Voices, Other Rooms

The Beach Boys.

A hippo.

Tight Fit

Timon & Pumbaa

The Tokens and then covered by Robert Johns

This song was recorded c. 1972 by Robert John. Sadly, he passed away earlier this year.

Originally the song was sung by The Isley Brothers

the tokens

There is a short story told before singing the song- Can anyone please find it for me? I am putting on a hootenanny-sing along and need it ASAP Thanks,Karl 714-649-0139 or kgb@copper.net

1961 The Tokens US #1, UK #11 1962 Henri Salvador (French language version "Le lion est mort ce soir" lit. "The lion is dead tonight") French #1 1965 The New Christy Minstrels 1971 Eric Donaldson 1972 Robert John US #3 1972 Dave Newman UK #34 1974 Ras Michael and the Sons of Negus (as "Rise Jah Jah Children") 1975 Brian Eno 1975 Bamse (Flemming Jørgensen) (Danish language version "Vimmersvej") 80s Flying Pickets 1981 Roboterwerke ("Futurist" LP) 1982 Tight Fit UK #1, NL #1[3] 1982 The Nylons 1984 Hotline (on "Pop Shop Party Pack Volume 2" and "The Best Of PJ Powers and Hotline") 1989 Sandra Bernhard (recorded October, 1988) 1990 Ladysmith Black Mambazo & the Mint Juleps, on the PBS television special Spike & Co.: Do It a Cappella and on its soundtrack album 1992 name tk Japanese #1 1992 They Might Be Giants with Laura Cantrell as "The Guitar (The Lion Sleeps Tonight)" 1993 Pow woW French #1 (Cover of "Le lion est mort ce soir") 1993 R.E.M. (B-side track on the single release of "The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite", which itself references "The Lion Sleeps Tonight") 1994 Film and 1997 Broadway versions of The Lion King ...Broadway Cast version by Lebo M 1997 *NSYNC 2000 Helmut Lotti and Golden Symphonic Orchestra in "Out of Africa" 2000 Laurie Berkner on "Whaddaya Think of That?" CD 2001 Caribbean group Baha Men sampled the song on their own single, "You All Dat". 2006 VeggieTales covers the song on their CD "Bob and Larry Sing the 70's". 2008 Everlasting Films releases alternate version The Tiger Sleeps Tonight sung by Caroline Marshall as a bonus track to the soundtrack to The Tigers' Second Quest.