Tokens, Memories and Getting Served a Little Humble Pie...
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I had one of those nights in which it seemed a single song could flood me with a blast from the past, and put a tear in my eye at the same time. My wife's grandfather has recently been put in a home due to an onset of dementia, and the inability of his wife to care for him if he were to fall again. While this may be sad to some, I really have had little connection to him, and while I've always been polite, he hasn't had much to due with my wife for most of her life. My father-in-law (his son) is a bit of a black sheep to say the least. My point is, there isn't an emotional relationship with him more than wanting him to be comfortable in his final days, and to hopefully bring him a little brightness in his dull days by bringing the kids around and getting him hamburgers and such.
Anyway, as further proof to the impending inevitable end we all must face, a string of old bands that were once pretty well known and now are remembered for "that song" are often invited to town to play. It's a free event, and as far as civics go, it's pretty run of the mill fair. But it's a place to take the kids to play, and enjoy a moldy oldy or two, and maybe enjoy a picnic as well.
Tonight it was The Tokens, who are better remembered for "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" than they are for being the spring board for Neil Sedaka's career (though he left a couple years before the song was a hit, and before tehy were known as The Tokens). I started reading up on the song briefly and found out it was actually originally called "Mbube"(which is Zulu for Lion) and written by Solomon Linda. The history of the song is extremely interesting, and far off my point of the post. The history lesson is best suited for the Professorial posts of mogger Baudolino.
One of my first memories of this song is actually seeing it on the show Sha Na Na, of which my father was watching in a darkened den, one night when I was very small. I remember him letting me watch the show with him (though I was at the very least 1 and at most 5 - we're talking '77 to '81 here). Thanks to YouTube I found what may have (sadly) been my introduction to the song. A cornball of a skit that just might have the record for most stereotype in a single frame at one moment on television.
The funny thing is, that the television show Sha Na Na could be a candidate for Mike the Knife's Toxic Tuesday, and certainly the Token's were just adding their twist on a product that had been laid before them by other more respected artists before them, but in memories, it's not always superlative. For a moment I was wisked back to a time, maybe 10 years before my dad would die, where we were just being entertained. I'd possibly found him in the den because I'd been awoken by a dream, and we just sat and watched, a strange kind of bonding where the parenting guard was let down. However un-important at the moment, I was let into his world.
And sometimes on nights like tonight as I help out a person who's mind is in this moment now, and another time in the next, it feels good to remember the safety and securty of the now that was then. Getting old isn't always a pretty thing, and sometimes it's humbling to both care giver and care recipient, but it's those moments that are in the now that can sometimes make you feel alive.
If you can stomach it, here's what I believe to be the sketch from Sha Na Na that introduced me to the song.
Comments (8)
And here I was, looking for a topic for this week's Toxic Tuesday - and contra beats me to the punch (although in his MMN identity). Poignant post, and jaw-droppingly messed-up cover/skit of "Wimoweh" - as it was sometimes known in versions by other artists. Having recently dodged the proverbial bullet, I don't much feel like facing my own mortality these days, let alone that of others - but death is a fact of life, ain't it?
Nice piece! The song, like many tunes in the "folk era", was part of a race to establish publishing rights (and an income stream) from what were really public domain tunes. Follow the money..
The wiki on Lion gives an idea of the very twisted history of the tune. There was a book and a movie..
Mike - Toxify us with some Sha Na Na or The Tokens if you like. I'm a big fan of Toxic Tuesday.
Cody - I didn't even touch on Disney and public domain, and copyright. Like I said, my point was a different one. I am quite a follower of copyright in the ae of the internet, and find it a very interesting topic. But I was long winded enough with that post, so I digressed (sort of). I read some of the history last night, but didn't get through all of it, beacuse I would have gone down the worm hole of the internet. Plus I relly do think it would be a great post for Baudolino (hint hint).
I'm not sayin' you should and he shoudn't...It is your post after all. You have rights!
Fact is, no one should get paid from that tune..publishing wise..if someone does it should be Mr. Linda. It is a huge story..for another time.
Cbw: I'm sure I did a long post on the growth of the isiKhunzi (derived from the "coon" minstrel shows) vocal tradition in 1930s Transvaal, but as MOG doesn't recognise Solomon Linda and his original Evening Birds, it might be a trifle hard to locate.
It does appear that Mr Linda's heirs now receive a good few thousand a year in royalties. he wasn't the first performer in the style; that honour goes to Reuben T Caluza's Ohlange Choir. Indeed, Nimrod Makhanya's Bantu Glee Singers, The fear No Harm Choir, the Durban Crocodiles and the African Zulu Male voice choir were all recorded before Solomon Linda, who seems to have taken the leadership of the Evening Birds from Edwin Mkhize.
Anyway, here from 1939 is "Mbube".
In the mid-seventies, it was cut in Jamaica by Ras Michael and the Sons of Negus - http://mog.com/Baudolino/blog/1479312.
Incidentally, my grandfather, who died in 1960 aged 85 and who led the (unaccompanied) church choir in his Scottish village, lived in Transvaal from about 1895 until about 1919, and thus may well have been exposed to Zulu vocal groups.
Finally, these are the Mahotella Queens, from 1993
It's funny...we were just talking about Sha Na Na the other night. Recently reminded that they performed at Woodstock. When we think of the counterculture that is Woodstock, one never thinks of Sha Na Na.
I do remember watching that show too. A quick Wikipedia search showed it was on from 1977 to 1982...I can't believe it ran as long as that.
Here's hoping that your wife's grandfather has a peaceful time of things.
CB--it's actually kind of nice to notice that writing this blog was a way for you to sort out your perspective. sometimes writing works better than talking. good post.