Issued by Gallo as a 78-rpm phonograph record in 1939, and marketed to black audiences, "Mbube" became a hit and Linda a star throughout South Africa. In the jungle, the mighty jungle, the lion sleeps tonight. The third take was the best, achieving immortality when Solly took a deep breath, opened his mouth, and improvised the melody that the world now associates with these words: "Mbube" wasn't the most remarkable tune, but there was something compelling about the underlying chant, a dense meshing of low male voices above which Solomon yodelled and howled for two exhilarating minutes, improvising occasionally. He spent his weekends performing with the Evening Birds, a musical ensemble, and it was at Gallo Records, under the direction of producer Griffiths Motsieloa, that Linda and his fellow musicians recorded several songs, including "Mbube", which incorporated a call-response pattern common among many Sub-Saharan African ethnic groups, including the Zulu. "Mbube" ( Zulu for "lion") was written by Solomon Linda, a South African Zulu singer, who worked for the Gallo Record Company in Johannesburg as a cleaner and record packer. Problems playing this file? See media help. This song is written and composed in the key of F♯ major. The pop group Tight Fit had a number one hit in the UK with the song in 1982. It went on to earn millions in royalties from cover versions and film licensing. In 1961, a version adapted into English with the title "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" by the doo-wop group the Tokens became a number-one hit in the United States. Artists who recorded various versions of the song included Henri Salvador, Jimmy Dorsey, Yma Sumac, Noro Morales, Miriam Makeba, and the Kingston Trio. It was recorded as " Wimoweh" by the Weavers in November 1951, and published by Folkways Music Publishers in December 1951. The song was adapted and covered internationally by many pop and folk revival artists in the 1950s and 1960s. The Lion Sleeps Tonight (Wimoweh) (Audio) on YouTube
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