The Lion Sleeps Tonight

The song begins with "Mbube", written by the South African singer Solomon Linda. Born in rural Natal, Linda was a migrant worker and beer-hall singer who led an a cappella group, the Evening Birds, and worked as a packer at Eric Gallo's record-pressing plant in Johannesburg. At their second session in Gallo's studio, in 1939, the Evening Birds recorded "Mbube" in three takes without rehearsal.