Our modern day version of “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” takes its roots from South Africa. The earliest versions of the song have been handed down from generation to generation. Solomon Linda took the song, “Mbube” which means lion, and recorded his version in 1939. This South African release was highly successful as over time the record sold over one hundred thousand copies. It made it’s way to the US and revisions soon followed, most notably the translation and addition of English words. Recorded