WIMOWEH: The Jay Siegel Story 

*Jay still has one of the most amazing trained voices that I have ever heard.* thanks for the little glimpse into his personal life. Stay healthy, Jay.

I was a teenager when this came out. What a fantastic voice, Jay made it all happen, and still does. I have to commend the group, no one made it alone, it was a group effort.

Thank you Solomon Linda and the Evening Birds.

Jay is the "Lion That Sleeps Tonight." I believe that each and every time he sings that song, for him, it's like the thrill of the first time. I never get tired of listening to it and I believe the Tokens never get tired of performing it.

Believe it or not, of all the songs out there, The Lion Sleeps Tonight is my 'feel good' song. It always makes me feel better when I hear it. I remember when I was a kid, my father would act silly, singing to it on the radio to get us kids laughing.

I love this guy's positive attitude. That must be why he can still sing the way he does.

The song-"The Lion Sleeps Tonight" is like Love at First Sight. Only one time listening is enough to fall in love with this song. Thanks Jay for this song. love from India.💓

The Lion Sleeps Tonight, one of the best songs ever written and performed. Jay’s voice, phenomenal!

What can I say But A Wim O Weh? Lol, whenever I karaoke, this song always, always, ALWAYS without fail, gets a crowd in a fun loving happy atmosphere. Honestly, no singing group needs anymore than ONE song like this to carry them through life! Who can be cranky if the lion is asleep? ;-)

I watched this whole thing to see if he would say something about Solomon Linda the one who did the original song in South Africa back in 1938 and who died with about $20 to his worth in poverty. I hope he acknowledges the Linda family during his concert. From now on I will always listen to Mbuba.

Definitely one of the BEST male falsettos in music history. He's still good looking too.

Well Jay, I guess you're 78 this year, 2018, 9 years older than me. Love you man, and one of the best things is married over 50 years!! And have taken good care of that God given voice!! Thank you.

Thank you for such a beautiful song of my childhood, I always saw you look like a lion in your eyes Jay Siegel !

Class!! Best song ever!!! The Lion Sleeps Tonight "Wimoweh" who can listen to that song and not immediately feel better!!

Such a unique voice with amazing control from falsetto through to baritone

Great guy & great singer too! Amazing that he can still hit those notes singing in his 70's.

Wow. What a trip down memory lane. Tears of joy!

a great song by Solomon Linda

Every day at school I spent my lunch money on the juke box playing this song!

He seems like a geniuine down to earth kind of guy. May God continue to bless you.

Solomon Linda & The evening birds..... Mbube.....1938

I like many have always loved Wimoweh, I was especially just blown away by Anita Darian and 50 years later her voice in this is still eye opening. (She sang the high part). Sadly she passed in 2015 but I will never forget her talent in the Lion sleeps tonight...

Still a beautiful voice! One of my fav songs.

Originally it's called "MBUBE" not "wimowe, in Zulu language "MBUBE"means lion... It's a Zulu kingdom song ...we sing this type of song , it's a form of praise like type of genre we call it (amahubo AkwaZulu)... Zulu warrior(amabutho in Zulu language) would recite this song to (ilembe or isilo ) meaning king .... We don't don't say "the lion sleep"..we say MBUBE , referring to ilembe or isilo of the Zulu natal ... after MBUBE we say " wayithinta imbube " meaning u have touched the lion/king

Jay lives in my neighborhood. Or more accurately, I live in Jay's neighborhood. I remember when and where I was the first time I heard The Lion Sleeps Tonight.

I have not heard of this gentleman or his group but I have certainly known of the song for decades, as sung by many others. I think the song is far more important that the singer or singers and I think poor Solomon Linda deserves recognition at all costs. May he rest in peace and rise in glory.

Great times with brilliant voices and songs. Thanks Jay.

FABULOUS!!! Jay is just one of a kind, one in a billion! I love and still cherish the years I was with him! Basically 12. The 1st 2 years I got to be his replacement. Boy was that tough and mainly because I smoked in those days. I could not wait till he came back! October 5th, 1987. Yes a date I can never forget! Then we were 4. Myself, Bill Reid, Bobby Love and Jay! We really sounded good with the four of us. Then I left to pursue a bunch of dates with my other group, Billy & The Essentials. Bobby leaves, Bill calls me up, "are you ready to come back?" How could I say no? Ya know you get addicted to the Standing Ovations! But, two many airplanes took their toll on me and a number of other changes I couldn't live with so then I had to leave! A missed prescribed drug from an intern was the cincher and I missed the plane! Anxiety attacks followed it was time to say so long! Still to this day, Jay and I talk, "Once In Awhile". In our last conversation...the things he said made my life worthwhile! "I'll Always Love You" One of my favorite songs of all time! God Bless You Jay Siegel.....

Our chorus had the privilege of meeting Jay at our rehearsal tonight. We actually sang The Lion Sleeps Tonight for him, which is one of our newest songs. 🎶🎶

What a great song. What a great rendition. Thanks for having a little faith and for sticking your necks out in the beginning to make this happen.

Jay Siegel, what a voice. Really underrated singer... always in my top!!

Best clip I've seen in ages, and I'm old enough to be his grandson.

Great people with amazing voices. So humble too!

Siegel had one of the greatest voices in rock and roll.

My aunt loved this song, I was born legally deaf and I was three years old when this song came out, it was also when I got my first set of hearing aids, the very first song I remember hearing was my aunt singing Angel Baby to me she never called me by my name, I was either Baby Doll or Angel Baby the Lion Sleeps Tonight was the second song I remember hearing, I think she played the record so many times she wore it out 😂😂😂😂

That little song they used to sing on the beach was called 'Awimbawe' by an African zulu singer.

Sad he doesnt mention Solomon Linda but when I listen to this song in deep depression something makes me brighten a bitt

....and he never mentioned that he stole the original origin of the music that says a lot in character of who he is. Respect to Solomon Linda and his family may they finally get Justice.

Did you know that the word "Wimoweh" is a misinterpretation of the refrain's "uyimbube" from the original song "Mbube"

Amazing how a bigger than life man can bring so much to the table!

The Tokens were amazing. The best songs ever!

Cool video-thanks for interviewing Jay!

Jay what a great man..love this song...thanks Jay..

As old as the song is it's still one of favorites of all time

Love that song, an old favourite.

Well jay, you certainly are getting more hansome as ever...my son just told me I’ve just listen to the lion sleeps tonight 29 times. Non stop....

I love you Jay Segal and The Tokens!

Cool story ! Seems like a real down to earth guy. Refreshing to see his passion and ability to relate to his audience.

What an amazing voice!!

Love the licence plate 😸 Great group and a positive vibe 👌

I'm half Zulu myself and witnessing a mourning song of one of our tribal warriors turned into a happy song well that's kinda weird in some way😕😂,and it was no wimoweh it was mbube from the old dialect of bubhesi (lion) and the melody of the i'mbubee is actually a loud depicted mourning of the dead by family members at a funeral I'm Zulu tradition but then if America find it mood uplifting then well only umxobothi is what is in short of😅

When I first heard that song, it was 1961, I remember exactly where I was Folsom Lake Ca. On a transistor radio. It sounds as good then as it does now.

Love his voice and history!!

Love this.....LEGENDS .....FOR SURE

The Tokens version of the Lion Sleeps Tonight is absolutely fantastic! The vocal harmonies are phenomenal. Much better than the original.

Jay you have a beautiful voice. I would warm up before the concert with this song, one of the only songs I can sing properly.

Great story. Love it. Thank you.

I honestly thought that Harry Bellefonte done this song. I'm 63 and this song still brings a smile to my face.

Music from an era long gone

I love Jay Siegel. And I also like Neil Sedaka.

One of my favorite songs since I was a kid. I listened to it riding the Merry-go-round & of course on a record. The best song of that era. Still love it today!!! PS: So nice to hear you have been married for so many years. 🙏Many more to come.🙏

Jay you are the best singer of the world

He seems like a really great guy!

Wow he seems nice here. I was given some bad news health wise & was thrilled to finally get to see the tokens live. (They saved me temporarily with a pacemaker ) Jay wouldn't even shake my hand & was rude as hell. He lost a long time fan that night. The other member apologized for his behavior & said he was normally nice. We all have our bad days & I would like to believe this side of him rather than the jerk that blew me off & was so rude that night. I'm impressed he has been married for 50 years. Wonder why he was so awful that night if he truly "loves his job"....Hmmmmm Maybe he had a bad night back then or Maybe it's because there was a camera there this time. Would have liked to hear about the African original as well.

Still looking and sounding great ( 2017)

One of the underrated singer

If you love your work,, you'll never "work". My thirty years in education passed in the blink of an eye. I loved where I worked and the kids and teachers I worked with. ( most of them lol )

Wow! Great guy. Very thankful I came across this video and get to know Jay and the tokens background and what they are still doing (I hope in 2019). Very glad he was able to find something he could love to do for the rest of his life for 'work'. Great when you make a living not having it as a 'have to', but rather a 'get to' (do this)! Of course, this song is not only a great song but a great and ENDURING song - because it is an ENDEARING song! I could listen to their version of 'Wimoweh' 'The Lion Sleeps Tonight' five times a day and not tire of it. We boys listened to it 'The Tokens' version of 'Wimoweh' 'The Lion Sleeps Tonight'(as well as other great music as children every night). Our multi-talented father put together a 'Hi Fidelity' Stereo system before many probably even knew they existed or knew they could have one. Not sure if you could buy them in a store at the time. But we listened to all sorts of great music from various genres. In looking for this song last night I also found a cute animated version of it with a hippo and a dog singing 'Wimoweh' (i.e. the Jay and the Tokens version was used in the animated version). Cute. [The Tokens - A cute animated version of Pat & Stanley (a Hippo and dog) singing 'The Lion Sleeps Tonight': ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-mrOWDPkYyP0.html ] Then another version of this song, but covered by a girl (Anne Reburn) who arranged it in a very clever way I thought: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-9RnhVDTks3g.html Great video. Thank you.

What a really nice guy!!! God bless!!

As a singer myself, I wish the record company had credited Anita Darian for her gorgeous head voice on Lion.

It's so sad to see all this selfish rich people still living from this beautiful song without even know the story about it or the name of who wrote it... Rest in peace Solomon Popoli Linda the lion went to sleep in 1962.

JAY ... I hope you are well. So Iwas born on October 31, 1951 and lived on Brighton 11th Street in Brighton Beach!! I've traveled alot and lived in Danmark quite a while. But Brighton Beach remains in my heart and 'In the Jungle' was the first song I never forgot, loved it so much and danced to it. Some years ago in a Budhist Monastery where I was giving acupuncture treatments to the Monks, I met a white man, an older white Monk who made brooms and swept the grounds. So after a month he asked me, "where are you from"? And I said Brooklyn! He got unusually excited and said, "I am from Brooklyn too ... I haven't met anyone from Brooklyn Now for over fifty years! .. I'm from Sheapshead Bay" And I said Brighton Beach. He almost had a stroke!! It took him awhile to catch his breath! Stay Well Jay .. keep on singing!

jay, i am from devon, pa and married a greensboro, nc guy that went to wharton. we had 4 kids and he would always sing this song to them. cancer took him 16 years ago and our kids were 15,13,11 and 8.... you have no idea what it means to them ! my husband was born 5-4-52 and i was 6-19-63( my mom had dear friend in texas so i always knew what june teenth meant)

In Honor of Cedric the martyr lion whose life was taken away by an American dentist, we call out to all who have been moved by this occurrence and also the music that celebrates the King Lions of Africa, let us all move to stopping the killing of animals for game. May Wimoweh/The Lion Sleeps Tonight play night and day until this person is brought before the world court of opinion to end this practice. Good night sweep prince Cedric, may you rest in peace.

Fascinating history! Loved seeing it

I worked for Pete Seeger for 50 years.. and he told me you called him sometimes.. about this song..

It actually started in South Africa in 1938.

this guy is so awesome!

AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Only one person came close, Brian Wilson.

Most of us first heard "The Kingston Trio" do a highly modified version of this on their 1958 album, "From the Hungry i". I'm betting these guys first heard it there as well.

Einmalig, eine Bereicherung für die Musikwelt ... gut so!

Beautifully done!

I absolutely loved that song in Australia here

He wont even mention where they got the song from?!?! Wimoweh is serious a slap in the black mans face

Finally got curious as to what is singing the lead and high back-up on The Lion Sleeps Tonight song. Made me smile.

I’d love to live my life not hating mondays and waiting for fridays

And to say "it was too weird" is so insulting. Especially considering all the fame and money derived from the Zulu language song. Why call it "weird" and turn around and sing it?

Great clip.

dude, he can still sing !

Marvellous!

***** Truly Fabulos Tokens, keep rockin' !!! #lovealways

amazing ....still got it old mate

I didn't hear one mention of Solomon Linda or wanting to know the origins of the original song and its artist, I have to wonder if Jay Siegel ever did pay credit and or praise for the song that helped bring him such huge success. If Jay Siegel hasn't heard of Solomon Linda and his family that lived in poverty whilst Jay was making millions alone with studio heads and anyone else that basked in the money that this song from Solomon Linda created, Then hears the opportunity to make shit right. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-qng3wUZ_ZM0.html

You know what I'm 9 years old and we have a play and that's are first song and my favorite song who ever does not love the song your crazy

Magical voice

Watching the video, I waited for the point where he would mention Solomon Linda. Never once did he give credit to Solomon Linda, the Zulu musician of South Africa, the originator of the song in the 1930s. Making it look like he came by the tune himself.

Wimoweh became a great material for meme as well btw he was 72 at that time and he’s voice is so good and active...

Thanks for this video :)

awesome!!!!!

What a nice documentary! :)