Today's New York Times describes the origins and various incarnations of the hit song "The Lion Sleeps Tonight," as the songwriter's heirs struggled to receive fair compensation.In 1930s Johannesburg, musician Solomon Linda formed an innovative singing group named the Original Evening Birds and they recorded "Mbube," a song based on his experiences herding cattle and protecting them from a predatory lion. The recording became a huge hit in South Africa, and inspired versions throughout the world. In 1961, an American songwriter re-worked the lyrics to those we are familiar with today.
By all rights, Mr. Linda should have been a rich man.
Instead, he lived in Soweto with barely a stick of furniture, sleeping on a dirt floor carpeted with cow dung.
Mr. Linda received 10 shillings — about 87 cents today — when he signed over the copyright of "Mbube" in 1952 to Gallo Studios, the company that produced his record.
The publicity surrounding the case also put the Walt Disney Company in a negative light, as the song was used in the 1994 blockbuster "The Lion King" and its various stage versions around the world.
"I was angry before," said Ms. Nsele, who, as a government nurse, is one of the few of Mr. Linda's descendants who is employed. "They didn't ask permission. They just decided to do anything they wanted with my father's song."
"But now it seems we must forgive, because they have come to their senses and realized they have made a mistake," Ms. Nsele said. "The Bible says you must try to forgive."
"Not 'try,' " her 17-year-old daughter Zandile corrected. "It says 'forgive.' "
Apparently the story is not as new as I thought. There is an more comprehensive account of the story here. The story ends on an optimistic note.
Solomon Linda wasn't bitter that his song brought success to others. "He was happy," his daughter Fildah told [Rolling Stone journalist] Malan. "He didn't know he was supposed to get something."
