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08 Oct 03 - 10:46 PM (#1032151) Subject: Origins: Link to article on 'Mbube/Wimoweh' From: Stewie A link to Rian Malan's extensive article on the Mbube/Wimoweh/Lion Sleeps Tonight ... saga was posted to the old-time music newsgroup. I cannot find mention of it in forum searcj so here it is. My apologies if it has been linked previously: CLICK HERE Seeger seems to be treated somewhat ungraciously - I would be interested to hear the comments of Frankham and those who have some first-hand knowledge of this. --Stewie. |
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08 Oct 03 - 11:10 PM (#1032159) Subject: RE: Origins: Link to article on 'Mbube/Wimoweh' From: Q (Frank Staplin) George Seto (16 Aug 01) referred to the Malan article (2000) in thread 23813. Apparently, of the major American groups, only the Kingston Trio mentioned Solomon Linda in credits. Lion Sleeps |
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09 Oct 03 - 12:11 AM (#1032194) Subject: RE: Origins: Link to article on 'Mbube/Wimoweh' From: michaelr I read that article in Rolling Stone. Fascinating stuff! Pete Seeger does not really come off as a bad guy in it; in fact, he expended some effort to get Linda his due. Cheers, Michael |
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09 Oct 03 - 10:26 PM (#1032812) Subject: RE: Origins: Link to article on 'Mbube/Wimoweh' From: EBarnacle1 A couple of years ago, the New York Times Style column in the Sunday Magazine showed a converted farmhouse that the guy who won the lawsuit had. It was a real mansion. They then mentioned that he was the author of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight." I shot off a letter to the editors about the above lawsuit and related subjects which was not printed. |
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10 Oct 03 - 11:16 AM (#1033147) Subject: RE: Origins: Link to article on 'Mbube/Wimoweh' From: Peter T. Anyone know if anything has happened since 2000? yours, Peter T. |
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11 Oct 03 - 10:24 AM (#1033681) Subject: RE: Origins: Link to article on 'Mbube/Wimoweh' From: M.Ted I had some correspondence with the guy who wrote the Rolling Stone article a while back, and he told me that a documentary is in the works--for those who don't know, the song was not stolen from Linda, per se, he signed it away for a pittance, without realizing the consequences. The song as we know it is only a part of the original recording. Not that I've ever heard it. From the first time I read Seeger's account of how they found the song, I've wanted to hear it, though--I think it has finally been compiled on a CD somewhere--anybody got any more details? |
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11 Oct 03 - 10:32 AM (#1033685) Subject: RE: Origins: Link to article on 'Mbube/Wimoweh' From: Peter T. I have it on a record called Township Jive to Jazz, which is one of the great records, full of terrific 50's music -- great weird versions of jive songs. A treasure. Tin whistle songs, mandolins, BUY IT!!! As the article relates, the song goes along ("Wimoweh" or whatever) and then in the last ten seconds, Solomon does the falsetto tune. It is worth saying that Pete Seeger gave it a lot of oomph, bringing the tune out. yours, Peter T. |
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11 Oct 03 - 12:16 PM (#1033718) Subject: RE: Origins: Link to article on 'Mbube/Wimoweh' From: M.Ted Sorry, I have it on tape--someone gave it to me a while back and I forgot it til after I posted-just listened to it and it is way cool--I timed it out(wacko that I am) the falsetto part comes out once,2:22 seconds into the tune--And Seeger did add a lot--the Solomon Linda version would have never made it to Top 40 radio |
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03 Jul 04 - 12:48 PM (#1218938) Subject: RE: Origins: Link to article on 'Mbube/Wimoweh' From: sapper82 Just been mentioned on BBC Radio 4 news that the heirs of Solomon Linda are suing Disney for royalties on their use of the song! Well done and good luck to them!!!!!! |
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03 Jul 04 - 04:24 PM (#1218999) Subject: RE: Origins: Link to article on 'Mbube/Wimoweh' From: M.Ted I am not sure how well they will fare, but my best wishes to them, as well--the Disney folks deserve as much punitive litigation as anyone can muster- |
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03 Jul 04 - 04:28 PM (#1219001) Subject: RE: Origins: Link to article on 'Mbube/Wimoweh' From: Q (Frank Staplin) "A South African court has seized Disney's South African trademarks pending legal action over ownership of the copyright to one of the most famous songs to come out of Africa." A separate court case .... is seeking damages of $2.4 million for non-payment of royalties to Solomon Linda's estate. From a brief report in the Calgary Herald, July 3, 2004 |
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03 Jul 04 - 06:22 PM (#1219038) Subject: RE: Origins: Link to article on 'Mbube/Wimoweh' From: Jim McLean The karl Denver Trio recorded Wimoweh in 1961. |
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04 Jul 04 - 06:14 PM (#1219441) Subject: RE: Origins: Link to article on 'Mbube/Wimoweh' From: Bill Hahn//\\ According to David Bernz (part of the group Work O The Weavers)Pete Seeger has always sent royalties to the Linda estate and/or family. The recording of The Lion Sleeps Tonight was copyrighted by the people who added, as David B. states, those 10 words which include the lion sleeps tonight. They then kept the royalties---and, as he points out in his statement on stage during performance---besides ripping off the song the lines are totally innacurate since there are no jungles in S Africa, the lion is a plains animal, and is also nocturnal in hunting. Good thing that Linda will, hopefully, get his due and also nice the Pete Seeger saw to it all those years. Bill Hahn |
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04 Jul 04 - 08:14 PM (#1219485) Subject: RE: Origins: Link to article on 'Mbube/Wimoweh' From: RangerSteve The original, Mbube, by Solomon Linda and his Original Evening Birds is available on one of the Secret Museum CD's in the Shanachie/Yazoo catalog. There are about 5 volumes, and I'm not sure which one has this song. |
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23 Mar 06 - 06:37 PM (#1701371) Subject: Solomon Linda family lawsuit resolved From: Allan C. From CNN.com (March 22, 2006): JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (AP) -- Three impoverished South African women, whose father wrote "The Lion Sleeps Tonight," have won a six-year battle for royalties in a landmark case that could affect musicians worldwide. No one is saying how many millions will go to the daughters of the late composer Solomon Linda, who died in poverty from a curable kidney disease in 1962 at age 53. But the family's settlement with New York-based Abilene Music, which gives Linda's heirs 25 percent of past and future royalties, has broad implications. Linda composed his now-famous song in 1939 in one of the squalid hostels that housed black migrant workers in Johannesburg. According to family lore, he wrote the song in a matter of minutes and was inspired by his childhood tasks of chasing prowling lions from the cattle he herded. It was sung, in true Zulu tradition, a cappella. Linda's innovation was to add his falsetto voice, an overlay of haunting "eeeeeees," to the baritone and bass main line. To this day, this style is called Mbube in South Africa. The rest of the article can be found here. |
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23 Mar 06 - 06:46 PM (#1701380) Subject: RE: Origins: Link to article on 'Mbube/Wimoweh' From: dick greenhaus The original is on a CD called Mbube Roots. $12.98+S&H from CAMSCO. |