Biography
Solomon Linda earned enduring fame chiefly through composing "Mbube," whose title translates to "The Lion" and ranks among South Africa's most commercially triumphant compositions. He captured the earliest take with The Evening Birds in 1939, yet worldwide recognition followed once Pete Seeger and The Weavers retitled it "Wimoweh" for their 1948 rendition. George David Weiss supplied fresh lyrics that propelled the track to the top of the pop charts as "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" courtesy of The Tokens in 1961, with additional hit singles arriving from Robert John in 1972 and Tight Fit in 1982. Under any of its three principal titles, more than 150 artists have committed the number to disc, among them Jimmy Dorsey, The Kingston Trio, The Spinners, The Tremeloes, Glen Campbell, Brian Eno, They Might Be Giants, Miriam Makeba, R.E.M., Chet Atkins, The Nylons, and Manu Dibango. Soundtracks for Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and Disney's The Lion King both incorporated the melody. Although Linda accepted a single pound in cash for the original session, he never shared in later proceeds; a detailed May 25, 2000 Rolling Stone feature observed that his widow could not afford a headstone, while meaningful royalty payments reached his estate only in subsequent years.
His first exposure to outside styles occurred at Gordon Memorial School in the South African village of Msinga, where he encountered Black American vocalist Orpheus McAdoo and The Virginia Jubilee Singers. After relocating to Johannesburg in the mid-'30s, Linda joined weekend a cappella sessions that, within two years, matured into the polished ensemble Solomon Linda And The Evening Birds. His soprano lead guided the group into pioneering status within isicathamiya, a vigorous vocal tradition marked by layered bass lines and dynamic stage movement.
A 1938 talent scout discovery led the Evening Birds and producer Griffith Motsieloa to Eric Gallo's studio, where several numbers were cut. During the second date, "Mbube" required four takes; the resulting 10" 78 rpm pressings were exported to England and sold over 100,000 copies by 1948 through word-of-mouth momentum. Folklorist Alan Lomax brought the recording to Pete Seeger, who altered Linda's refrain from "Uyimbube, Uyimbube" to "Wimoweh," then tracked an uplifting arrangement with The Weavers under the direction of Gordon Jenkins. Seeger forwarded a $1,000 check to Linda and has repeatedly acknowledged him as the sole songwriter.
Despite elevating Linda's local profile across South Africa, the song yielded scant further payment beyond Seeger's gesture. After collapsing onstage in 1959, Linda received a kidney-disease diagnosis; relatives have long attributed the illness to witchcraft. Extended hospital stays preceded his death on October 8, 1962, and a full eighteen years elapsed before a marker was installed at the gravesite.
His first exposure to outside styles occurred at Gordon Memorial School in the South African village of Msinga, where he encountered Black American vocalist Orpheus McAdoo and The Virginia Jubilee Singers. After relocating to Johannesburg in the mid-'30s, Linda joined weekend a cappella sessions that, within two years, matured into the polished ensemble Solomon Linda And The Evening Birds. His soprano lead guided the group into pioneering status within isicathamiya, a vigorous vocal tradition marked by layered bass lines and dynamic stage movement.
A 1938 talent scout discovery led the Evening Birds and producer Griffith Motsieloa to Eric Gallo's studio, where several numbers were cut. During the second date, "Mbube" required four takes; the resulting 10" 78 rpm pressings were exported to England and sold over 100,000 copies by 1948 through word-of-mouth momentum. Folklorist Alan Lomax brought the recording to Pete Seeger, who altered Linda's refrain from "Uyimbube, Uyimbube" to "Wimoweh," then tracked an uplifting arrangement with The Weavers under the direction of Gordon Jenkins. Seeger forwarded a $1,000 check to Linda and has repeatedly acknowledged him as the sole songwriter.
Despite elevating Linda's local profile across South Africa, the song yielded scant further payment beyond Seeger's gesture. After collapsing onstage in 1959, Linda received a kidney-disease diagnosis; relatives have long attributed the illness to witchcraft. Extended hospital stays preceded his death on October 8, 1962, and a full eighteen years elapsed before a marker was installed at the gravesite.