Solomon Linda's Original Evening Birds - Mbube (ORIGINAL VERSION OF WIMOWEH)

From 1939, the original African folk song that formed the basis for the Tokens' "The Lion Sleeps Tonight"

Category:

Music

Tags:

• doo-wop
• the tokens
• the lion sleeps tonight
• solomon linda

[Chevalier372]

I agree with what Patrick Bateman said in "American Psycho" about the Genesis version of "You Can't Hurry Love" being better than the Supremes' original recording. The same principle applies here. Just like CCR did the best job on "Midnight Special." And as much as I detest Eminem, he is considered by many to be the world's leading rapper (but I don't know how that can be quantified). Perhaps all this has to do with taking songs into the embrace of the Western music tradition.

[thecountofbasie]

@Chevalier372 Personally I think CCR did the best job on "I Put A Spell On You"...but nothing to quibble about...good points...thanks for commenting

[xylfox]

Solomon Linda was betraYed and robbed of  millions dollar.

[thecountofbasie]

@xylfox Might have slipped and hit thumbs down...meant just the opposite...would take it you mean royalties, unless there was something else (nowhere on the Tokens' record does Linda get composer credit, of course)

[caemith]

love! i've been looking for an mp3 of this song for forever (maybe not, but for a long time). all i've found is a listing for the album on vinyl. do you know how i can get an mp3 of this song? thanks!

[thecountofbasie]

@caemith I didn't get it from there, but I searched Amazon for an mp3 download of "Mbube," and there it was...hope it helps

[vancanman2]

With all the fluff on You Tube, it sure is nice to stumble upon something this nice. Thank you for sharing this.

[MrHokeykokey]

Wow! That was amazing! So soulful.

I listened to the Tokens' (excellent) version last night, then wikipedia'd it and read about Solomon Linda, but I never thought his original version would be available on here! This is the sort of thing that the internet was invented for, even 15 years ago I would've probably had no hope of ever hearing this version unless I tracked it down in an old record shop. Thanks for uploading it! B-)

[Aidinovic]

2:20 History is written/sung : )

[Nidh0ggNagar]

To think that this was recorded in 1939. Now it's 2012 and I'm 24 and get chills when I hear this song. I will play this song for my children. Such a simple tune that transcends generations. This is why I love folk music and think they had it right back in the day. Love this thanks for the upload.

[theideaclub]

Another amazing piece of intellectual property that ended up feeding the greedy and not the needy!

[GooglFascists]

This is the version that raises chill bumps on you since

it is straight from Africa. Fantastic!

[theeHeisenberg]

psh yeah I liked "the lion sleeps tonight" aka "mbube" back before it was cool to like it, and DEF before it went all commercial.

- what a hipster would say

[HEARTHEANGELSVOICES]

@TheJenBong - THAT WOULD BE IN THE PAST TENSE !

[TheJenBong]

@HEARTHEANGELSVOICES Don't sell it!

[chadtyler30]

@caemith:

try this site: beemp3.com.

[mrmagicwaffles]

That was just magical.

[HEARTHEANGELSVOICES]

I USED TO HAVE THIS RECORD. I WONDER WHAT IT WOULD BE WORTH TODAY.