Mango groove - The Lion Sleeps Tonight

[11pote]

I'm writing a music exam tomorrow and wonder if someone could help me. I need to be able to look at and analyse the different styles of this song and i'm struggling to put a name to some of the South African ones. The Ladysmith Black Mamazo one is clearly isicathamiya and i can recognise the pop and marabi and stuff but would this be kwela?

[hermansteytler]

You've got to have Africa in your DNA, in your blood pulsing through your veins to enyoy this so much! OK Harry Belafonté gave birth to this song but we can really SING it!

[Afrikitty]

@hermansteytler Well, you need to explain what you mean when you say that Harry Belafonte "gave birth" to this song. Because, actually, he did NOT in any way have anything to do with birthing this song. It was written by an African man, Solomon Linda in 1939 (if my memory serves me correctly) of Johannesburg. The song was stolen from him and a man named Pete Seeger took it to the USA and changed the name from Mbube to Whimowe.

It does have a long history, but the linda family were recompensed!

[gerriehugosa]

@Afrikitty The Linda family got very little compensation. Solomon I believe died penniless. Disney owes them millions if you just calculate the royalties from the movieThe Lion King. It is just another example of the arrogance of "Big Business" in the USA.

[Afrikitty]

@hermansteytler Well, you need to explain what you mean when you say that Harry Belafonte "gave birth" to this song. Because, actually, he did NOT in any way have anything to do with birthing this song. It was written by an African man, Solomon Linda in 1939 (if my memory serves me correctly) of Johannesburg. The song was stolen from him and a man named Pete Seeger took it to the USA and changed the name from Mbube to Whimowe.

It does have a long history, but the linda family were recompensed!

[Scriptorsilentum]

Mango Groove has reconciled me to SuidAfrika being a multi-racial nation. Thank God for The Groove!

[SKGxMERKSModz]

My favourite!

[EganRoegner64]

Dowwnload the audio from this vid at soundnabber doht cohm.

[harkeb]

Claire Johnson IS South African. Thanks Mango Groove for giving tribute to another south african who didnt get the deserved recognition.

[Finnbiffen]

sweeet, sweeeet :D

[Skidonti]

The Tokens version is my childhood, sorry mates. Not a bad version at all though. They did something a little different with it.

[gavinspowart]

The tune isactually South African.

It was originally called "Mbube" and was written by Solomon Linde, in Johannesburg, and recorded by Gallotone Africa, in the late 1950's

[CheckinGagaiNagain]

@gavinspowart

NO:)

The Tokens - The Lion Sleeps Tonight

[gavinspowart]

No, It was Solomon Linda, in Johannesburg, and MBUBE means LION in Zulu.

Check out the following URL.

I got the date wrong, it wasn't 1950's, but 1939, and his descendants have finally managed to get royalties!!!

[gavinspowart]

Sorry, left out the URL for MBUBE/LION SLEEPS TONIGHT. Google Mbube, and you will find a website with all the information

[CheckinGagaiNagain]

@gavinspowart

Mbube" (Zulu for "lion") was first recorded by its writer, Solomon Linda, and his group, the Evening Birds, in 1939.

that's the infO fOr Mtube.

The Tokens - The Lion Sleeps Tonight did it in the 1950's

[tuckingfwit]

@CheckinGagaiNagain Stop being such a retard. Gavin is correct. The Tokens' The Lion Sleeps Tonight was based on, and basically a rip off of, Soloman Linda's - from South Africa - Mbube. The words were changed obviously into English. Furthermore, originally the Lindas were given no royalties or credit for this rip off but this has probably changed.

[CheckinGagaiNagain]

@tuckingfwit

YOU TOO KIND..!

[aggplanta]

I really love Mango Groove. This version is great. BTW. I'm not from SA, as everyone else seems to be that like MG. I'm only a poor soul from up north, in Sweden.

[antiazazel]

Yes everyone, there are indeed things that move the south african heart and soul:)

[mus786lim]

LOL

[picsorkartmen]

The Lion Sleeps Tonight

[violet45C]

There is that penny whistle again... what instrument is more beautiful than that?

[DD5975]

And what Band more wonderful!

[piketamer]

i love this version,? 5 stars.

[automan042004]

Wow, I'm taken aback to my younger days....

[tedchao]

I love this song though it is revised a lot from tradition African way!