Mbube: Solomon Linda and the Evening Birds
For Solomon Linda, a Zulu musician (Mbube is Zulu for Lion), and the Evening Birds, this was a hit in 1939 reportedly selling over 100,000 78 records. One of those somehow found its way to American ethnomusicologist Alan Lomax, who passed it on to Pete Seeger. Assuming it was an African folk song, Seeger transcribed the chant Uyimbube as Wimoweh and recorded it with his band The Weavers. Another band, The Tokens, renamed the song The Lion Sleeps Tonight, and made it a hit of their own in 1961. Dozens of other American bands have found success with the song, though Solomon Linda never received any credit for his composition during his lifetime, dying in poverty in 1962.
Tags: Mbube, Solomon Linda
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August 2, 2010 at 11:51 am
yousendit link:
https://rcpt.yousendit.com/920446275/42eb58819eb899000dfbf9e3417e80d3
August 2, 2010 at 3:14 pm
I really love Miriam Makeba’s cover of the song. I am also pleased to report that Pete Seeger turned over his share of the profits on the song to Linda. BTW Kat, I was singing up in Harwich yesterday – forgot to tell you
August 3, 2010 at 9:14 am
Mark,
I too love the Miriam Makeba and have played it here in the past.
In a way I’m glad you forgot as I had dinner guests and was busy preparing during a good part of the day. I would have been disappointed I couldn’t go.
August 2, 2010 at 8:49 pm
That is wonderful! And nice to know from Mark above that Seeger forwarded the proceeds to Mr. Linda.
August 3, 2010 at 9:15 am
Ralph,
I love this because it is as Mr. Linda intended. I agree about Pete Seeger’s generosity.
August 6, 2010 at 5:14 pm
Thanks for posting this song. And Pete Seeger is now more than ever one of my heroes.
August 6, 2010 at 9:20 pm
You’re welcome, Ted.
I so agree about Pete Seeger.
August 3, 2010 at 7:51 am
I thought this was a Marion Makeba song.
August 3, 2010 at 9:17 am
Cuidado,
She is one among many who have recorded this song. It is in my multiples of the same song file and there are such diverse singers as Miriam, The Temptations, Brian Poole and the Tremeloes, N’Sync and even a barbershop quartet.