On This Day – 18 December
Posted on: Wed 18 Dec 2019
In 1961, The Tokens earned a #1 hit with “The Lion Sleeps Tonight”. Topping the Billboard pop chart, it was an instant classic that went on to become one of the most successful pop songs of all time.
Originally recorded as “Mbube” in 1938 by a group of Zulu singers called Solomon Linda and the Evening Birds, the original has long been forgotten, with its composers receiving a fraction of the enormous profits.
Breakfast producer Zak Stuart joins Tom Mann and Zoe Kounadis to elaborate on this event in history.
Produced by Zak Stuart
Image sourced: Ladybel (CC BY-SA 4.0)
