What a fun song this is – if you’ve got the pipes.  And if there are several of you singing.  This song has become part of our pop culture even though it was first recorded in Zulu by one Solomon Linda in 1931 under the title “Mbube”.  Disney Studios was sued by the descendants of Solomon Linda for their use of the song in the movie The Lion King.  I wonder why they didn’t sue “The Tokens” when they recorded it with English words in 1961…. 

The allure of the song is best described, according to wikipedia, by journalist Rian Malan:  “Mbube wasn’t the most remarkable tune, but there was something terribly compelling about the underlying chant, a dense meshing of low male voices above which Solomon yodeled and howled for two exhilarating minutes, occasionally making it up as he went along.  The third take was the great one, but it achieved immortality only in its dying seconds, when Solly took a deep breath, opened his mouth and improvised the melody that the world associates with these words – In the jungle,  the mighty jungle, the lion sleeps tonight.” 

Fascinating stuff there.  Work this more modern version into your playlist.  You’ll find it in the Pop/Rock list.  Your audience will love you for it.