THE TOKENS - THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT REACTION

[@mosaiceyes2020]

I love how you recognize the big difference is between the music I grew up with and the music right now. I wish others your age and younger could see it hear it, see it, and feel it through your eyes and ears. It really was a special magical era for music.

[@janetf23]

If Anita Darian is not on stage with them, you can safely assume that they are lip-syncing, but still a classic, and I've never met anyone that didn't like it. ☺️

[@DTavona]

The female soprano was uncredited, but her name was Anita Darian, and she worked in a variety of music genres. She studied opera at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia and the Juilliard School in New York, and sadly passed in 2015. You notice she's not on stage with them.

[@dlmullins9054]

That lady singing behind the set is amazing! The lead singer is too. Thank you!

[@ninline2000]

I enjoyed this so much. I remember we'd sit on the bus and sing this song when I was in the 6th grade. The bus driver couldn't stop laughing.

[@MrCaptainobvious77]

Listen to the live version from a few years ago. I believe it may have been a reunion. The lead singer was still hitting every note. Yes, at that age! Proof that if you look after your voice, it will thank you later on!

[@cshubs]

A South African named Solomon Popoli Linda originated this song in 1939. Check out Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Fela Kuti. Their music is incredible.

[@jameswilson8433]

Absolutely, I'd throw in Hugh Masekela and King Sunny Ade.

[@switchflow5405]

Link to Solomon Linda's "Mbube" kzbin.info/www/bejne/o6PVgodqjNCVhKc

[@GinnyRobertsonLLC]

I've seen Ladysmith Black Mambazo twice in concert. They are phenomenal.

[@RoverT65536]

... and Salif Keita, and Yousou N'Dour.

[@dlmullins9054]

I think he was a Zulu tribesman if i am not mistaken.

[@tomroit739]

You should watch the 2016 video of the Tokens singing this song in their older years. Awesome!

[@stlmopoet]

I have never tired of this song.

[@tigernation7818]

Yo that's the first thing I noticed about that song was how powerful that woman voice was in the background like wow wow and wow

[@jameswilson8433]

Variations on a theme: Wimoweh by the Weavers. kzbin.info/www/bejne/bWi5hoyGi7Knjbs Wimoweh by Bert Kaempfert. kzbin.info/www/bejne/m4HCdJhpg6hsfJo Also, Paul Simon's Under African Skies. kzbin.info/www/bejne/l2TRd5d4npuah6c It's an old song.

[@freckled100]

Not just another pretty face, but oh, that voice! This was very big when I was young. After hearing it about 50k times, one got tired of it.

[@roxannekean6025]

"Mbube" (Zulu for "lion") was written by Solomon Linda,[5] a South African Zulu singer, who worked for the Gallo Record Company in Johannesburg as a cleaner and record packer. He spent his weekends performing with the Evening Birds, a musical ensemble, and it was at Gallo Records, under the direction of producer Griffiths Motsieloa, that Linda and his fellow musicians recorded several songs, including "Mbube", which incorporated a call-response pattern common among many Sub-Saharan African ethnic groups, including the Zulu.lion (from Wikipedia) Was written in 1939 and has been covered by many groups. The Tokens version is considered the best.

[@waynecox3958]

Best of the best. The Tokens.

[@michaelkogut7661]

Classic song

[@jimmypadgett1106]

He's singing nearly all the way thru the song in full falsetto. Nobody else can do that partly the Bee Gees and Frankie Valli but then theyre only partly falsetto this is great as great gets.

[@bangmon1000]

Even though many of the videos from this time the bands are lip-synching, I still like watching them. That way I can see how the band members look like and how they moved. What is funny is when you catch band who are annoyed or making it obvious that they are lip-synching. One video is The Box Tops "The Letter" I do recommend that you watch it and keep an eye on the keyboard player. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fnq6imuLrrxsmNk

[@ronnywestberry9503]

My favorite version was done by African lady Mariam Makeeba She sang it in the original language which includes clicks and guttural sounds

[@TheDivayenta]

Zulu!

[@annnorway9042]

You have to watch some of the performances from Paul Simon's Graceland concert in Zimbabwe, 1987, with Ladysmith Black Mombasa and Miriam Makeba withe beautiful songs like Under African Skies, Homeless, Diamonds On the Soles Of Her Shoes, and the title track Graceland.

[@KajunMoo70]

Not a true live version but the link I’ve shared below is. The group’s members are much older but they sound fantastic. Hope you can react to this version! kzbin.info/www/bejne/fHjPZoWbjtqhpbs

[@davidwillis9894]

They do have a video of them in later years that sing this song and it’s really good. They even got the woman singing

[@helgar791]

You've made an old Brooklyn boy like me very happy playing this group, one that I grew up with, and that comes from Brooklyn. These guys were closely aligned with the original Jay and The Americans before Jay Black replaced Jay Traynor. The singer here, now Dr. Jay Siegel replaced Neil Sedaka, who went on to have a great career writing and performing songs. All from Brooklyn. My favorite from The Tokens is "Tonight I Fell In Love", but this was wonderful too, although the "writers" stole "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" from a South African whose family had to sue to get some royalties. No reflection on The Tokens who knew nothing about it. However, this can be considered the first "World Music" song. They also did a great version of a song called "Portrait Of My Love" that has been covered many times. Listen to Jay and The Americans doing "Let's Lock The Door", "Only In America" and "Come A Little Bit Closer", my personal favorite. The switch which changes the drum is just a lever that changes it from a tom into "traps" or a "snare" drum.

[@bangmon1000]

I forgot about Jay and The Americans. "This Magic Moment" and "Come A Little Bit Closer" were the songs I remember hearing on the oldies station.

[@helgar791]

@@bangmon1000 I saw Jay and The Americans three times back in those days. Great songs, but I prefer the original "This Magic Moment" from The Drifters and Ben E. King. I saw them do that as well.

[@bangmon1000]

@@helgar791 I believe that I have also heard those versions. I'm a person who likes to listen to different versions of a song. I discover groups I have never heard of that way. I also noticed that in older music that there seemed to be a lot of versions of the same song. Maybe it's because I'm seeing things in retrospect that I noticed.

[@helgar791]

@@bangmon1000 Yes, you're correct. Back in my day and before many artists covered many songs, so you'll see many different versions of the same song.

[@karenj3611]

You want to hear harmonies, check out " You take my breath away " studio version by Queen. All of the harmonies in this song were done by Freddie alone by layering multiple tracks. It's a masterpiece

[@patrickbuckley344]

I play drums a little- I call it the Snare Handle-, that is my own word! As you know the Snare is on the bottom of the drum- and slack- it sounds almost like a Tom tom drum, tighten the Snare- and as you know you have the Snare sound!

[@jamesmaxwell9600]

You might like "Doo Wah Diddy" by Manfred Mann. 1964 I think. 60s songs were great. It was all so new and raw.

[@jeannejorgensen1230]

Always loved this song. What a strange looking group of guys! Lol

[@davidhumiston6500]

There's a great classic.. The Temptations " My Girl "

[@markmeister2444]

Jay Sega the lead singer just recently died and Jay could still hit the high notes live and sounded great doing it.

[@robert-ef8qv]

RIP ❤️😢🙏

[@Hamchunk1968]

I don't think so. Phil Margo, the baritone, died in mid Nov 2021. I think Jay is still alive.

[@titusauriliuschariotmakert2490]

the woman was married to the drummer. check out the live version on the do wop special, the female singer is live.

[@danwilliams9299]

Somtimes they were told to lip synk.so you could hear the studio version.didnt mean they couldnt do it if they wanted to. It was tv bk then. Not always,but a lot! Still an awesome song well known by most my age-65! Great music and talent is what we had!

[@anniegoodrich262]

Check out the Netflix documentary, The Lion's Share. A reporter tries to help the original writer fight for fair compensation. I loved this song when it came out but that documentary caused me to rethink that.

[@patsloyan9755]

I can hear my mother’s voice again singin, “ I’m Ringin Wet?!!!! SMH. I laughed with all the different song lyrics she had gotten wrong. 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@garrymoore2161]

They are Still performing this. At least they did in 2017.

[@marymargaretmoore9034]

Had this on a '45. Pretty obvious they're lip-syncing here.

[@j20tower]

They don’t make em like that anymore. Lead singer Jay Sega can still hit the note. When they perform I’ve seen a number of different females who hit that big note. There are videos where you can see them all. This is 1961 and I was 11 years old when it first came out. 60 years ago and we still listen to it shows how great the 60’s music was. How many songs today will we be listening to in 60 years. Well, I’ll be long gone lol. Thanks for playing it. You do play some good music classics.

[@beeseewill2407]

I've seen them on PBS live.Though much older they sound the same.

[@pbasswil]

You must know they're miming to a tape of the studio version of the song. And the high soprano was a classical singer brought in just for the session, not a member of the group.

[@mtsula]

I feel sorry for the African people who first made the song but did not profit from it.

[@Bekka_Noyb]

there's a Netflix doc series that covered this... www.netflix.com/title/80191050

[@bkvike]

They would have had they done it this well.

[@angelika_munkastrap4634]

Wow NEVER seen if live before. Thanks for using this version so i could enjoy it too

[@SciTrekMan]

Check out this version from decades after the original: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fHjPZoWbjtqhpbs

[@bruiser]

If you to want to hear a great vocalist, someone who has an octave range that's hard to believe, check out Roy Orbison. Some of his Top 40 hits were "Crying", "In Dreams", "Only The Lonely", "Running Scared", "Oh, Pretty Woman"...

[@dinaghikas7933]

For some good Zulu music from the 80s, check out the band Juluka. They were a mixed race band, singing in Zulu, during apartheid. 'Wangizonda', 'Kancane Kancane' or 'Ibhola Lethu' are really good.

[@garymerrit3436]

The song Till by them is amazing

[@davidhumiston6500]

Check out Chi-lites " Oh Girl "

[@EarthWalker2023]

Ahh a classic amazing song

[@melaniewells9934]

I love I only have eyes for you by The Platters

[@DavidB-2268]

The Kingston Trio did an earlier version, without the English lyrics, called Wimoweh

[@angelika_munkastrap4634]

The fact that they never showed a woman singing that bit live actually made me finally wonder for the first time, if that's NOT a woman but maybe instead a theremin

[@GinnyRobertsonLLC]

My 10 year old self has this on a 45. Look that up youngsters. :0

[@stephaniethurmer5370]

If you want octave please listen to Annie Haslam from Renaissance. Your mind will be blown. If you want specific songs let me know please. Another nice reaction. Thank you.

[@lynnieiapichino1121]

☮️💙

[@donaldriddle230]

You have jumped in so now watch the same group same song but just a few years ago live. You will be impressed.

[@unclesamjones]

Get blind sided by Paul Butterfiled's "In My Own Dream" or Andrea Bocelli's "Fall On Me" or Iris Dement "Our Town"

[@triciasomogyi5431]

❤️❤️❤️❤️👍

[@bobbyscott5162]

The Best version of this song is by Robert John recorded in the early 1970's and went to number 1. His version is what you heard in the Lion King and Jim Carey's Pet Detective.

[@FarAwayEyes69]

They forgot to plug their guitars in ! What the hell ! PEACE !

[@peterversionone]

You saying “maybe you noticed they were lip-syncing”, back then, they kept kayfabe alive

[@brianorzel1873]

This sounds exactly like the studio version. They had to have been lip-synching.

[@r0kus]

The horn kicking in about 2/3 of the way thru is also a dead giveaway, since no one is playing horn on stage. It looked momentarily like the lead singer was embarrassed when that happened.

[@michaelkogut7661]

Gojira Pray live from Red Rocks

[@slimpickins9124]

A sing a-long tune, love it! Not a lot of kraraoke on this one ...heh.

[@bonya4585]

This was not in “The Lion King”. This was released in 1961.

[@douglasgonzalez7561]

If I’m not mistaken, they were a 1 hit wonder. I could be mistaken. (You’re following will blow me up if I’m wrong)

[@mocrg]

In fact they weren't. This was their first hit. Tonight I Fell In Love. A great Doo wop song! kzbin.info/www/bejne/jYPIaGhpp9ubpsU

[@sorrystaunton]

If you wanted an incredible live performance by them (with an orchestra) you should watch their live PBS performance.....it’s on KZbin and it’s incredible!!! Their lead singer is 70 plus and hits ALL the same notes... This was lip syncing.

[@acorrado5529]

Yes!! That is my favorite version too. They all got better with age!

[@michaeloliver3507]

JUST HAVE TO SAY THAT "LIP SINGING" IS NOT THE CORRECT TERM: lip-sync /ˈlip ˌsiNGk/ verb gerund or present participle: lip-syncing (of an actor or singer) move the lips silently in synchronization with a prerecorded soundtrack.

[@charlesklein1224]

It doset make a differenc if you pause, u tube will pause witn comercials about 2 or three times anyway.

[@brenthowell8883]

Please react to The Flamingos I Only Have Eyes For You.

[@Steve52344]

This performance is of course lip-synced (for TV) and filmed years after the hit recording. There were no hairstyles like that in 1961. I went to high school with these guys.

[@leemcintyre9490]

Yeah they were Definitely Lip syncing! Still a KITCHY COOL song Though!

[@johnwjr7]

I was here. Don't forget about a 4th Impact reaction. "This Is Me" kzbin.info/www/bejne/iWqxYnmJYpVrhrs.

[@tammyross1486]

Why on earth won't you play the beat country artist, Merle Haggard! All his hundreds of hits were written put to music sang and made the charts by him and him alone. Your missing out pal.

[@sherylhenley1931]

Why don't you google a description of the part you don't know the name of???

[@charlesklein1224]

Lipp synced, no mucle movement of the throat.

[@charlesklein1224]

Lipp syncd no throat movement.

[@cpbricef]

Looks like they're lip-syncing it!

[@suzanneprock7286]

The woman had an awesome voice, they're definitely lip syncing.

[@snowbird9660]

I hate live performances so it was nice that they are lip syncing their song.

[@charlesklein1224]

Hes lip syncing, just look at his throat very little tightness.

[@irical100]

this song has a problematic history

[@joonzville]

Sorry, but acts on American Bandstand lip-synced their songs. The band is there but not actually performing. It’s still a cool song.

[@joonzville]

@Folker Winkelmann I grew up watching Bandstand. There may have been some performer in the 30+ years of the program who *didn’t* lip sync their song, but I never saw or heard of one.

[@mrsmith4787]

worst job of lip syncing ive ever seen. Anita Darian isnt there and if you listen to the song, theres no lead or rhythm guitar or bass. not sure what the instrument was that played the break, might have been a flute but there was nothing on that stage that could have played that break. another clue to realizing something has been lip synced is if the song fades. no band does that in real life. the song is perfection, dick clark having them on bandstand and producing it this way is far from perfection.

[@christinerobinson9372]

This is lip-synched.