What is the meaning behind the song, The Lion Sleeps Tonight?

I love this song but have never figured out what it is saying, who or what is the Lion? Poppy

Jody2010-12-27T08:57:55Z

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n the liner notes to one of his recordings, Seeger explained his interpretation of the song, which he believed to be traditional, as an instance of a "sleeping-king" folk motif about Shaka, Warrior King of the Zulus, along the lines of the mythical European sleeping king in the mountain: Shaka the Lion, who heroically resisted the armies of the European colonizers, is supposed not to be dead but only sleeping and will one day awaken and return to lead his oppressed people to freedom. University of Texas folklorist, Veit Erlmann, however, argues that the song's meaning is more literal and refers to an incident in Linda's own youth when he actually killed a lion cub.[

dowd2016-10-03T04:20:02Z

The Lion Sleeps Tonight Lyrics

Anonymous2015-08-06T15:23:43Z

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RE:
What is the meaning behind the song, The Lion Sleeps Tonight?
I love this song but have never figured out what it is saying, who or what is the Lion? Poppy

Tom2010-12-27T12:20:38Z

One of the all time greatest songs of the Rock and Roll era. And the Tokens didn't even want to record it. I would love to hear the original versions from the 1930s. From what I understand it was an African folk song about lion hunting. When this came out by the Tokens we 9th graders used to play it at lunch time, along with the Twist and Duke of Earl and other great hits of 1961. That old high school has been torn down now, but the memories live on.

Lisette2010-12-27T09:00:31Z

It is traditional, as an instance of a "sleeping-king" folk motif about Shaka, Warrior King of the Zulus, along the lines of the mythical European sleeping king in the mountain: Shaka the Lion, who heroically resisted the armies of the European colonizers, is supposed not to be dead but only sleeping and will one day awaken and return to lead his oppressed people to freedom. University of Texas folklorist, Veit Erlmann, however, argues that the song's meaning is more literal and refers to an incident in Linda's own youth when he actually killed a lion cub

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