11/11/2022 0 Comments Wimoweh tokens![]() Signed to the label, The Tokens recorded their version of Linda’s song under the title The Lion Sleeps Tonight at their second RCA date in May 1960. Producers Hugo Peretti and Luigi Creatore liked what they heard, and helped The Tokens obtain an audition for RCA Records, at which they performed their version of Wimoweh. Signed to Warwick Records, they recorded one of their own songs, Tonight I Fell In Love, which made it into the US Top 20. ![]() “We were embarrassed by it, and tried to convince them not to release it.” Margo’s 12-year-old brother Mitch was then hauled in to sing harmony, and by Christmas 1959 The Tokens were ready to go. In the autumn of that year, he got together with Hank Medress and Jay Siegel from Daryl & The Oxfords, a local group whose membership had formerly included Neil Sedaka. They’d been together since 1959, when pianist Phil Margo returned to Brighton Beach, Brooklyn from a stint in the Catskills. That is until The Tokens came into the picture. The Weavers later fashioned a hit revamp in 1952 under the title Wimoweh. South African singer Solomon Linda had written and recorded it back in 1939 with his group The Evening Birds. Originally known as Mbube, the basic tune had been around for years. Yet none of them had created the original melody. Those who had their name down for a piece of the action were Hugo Peretti, Albert Stanton, Luigi Creatore, Paul Campbell, George Weiss and Roy Ilene (aka Milt Gabler). Rarely had a song boasted so many writers’ credits. After displacing The Marvelettes’ Please Mr Postman – Tamla’s first US pole-position pop hit – they topped the listings for three weeks with The Lion Sleeps Tonight. But Brooklyn doo woppers The Tokens outpaced them all. Even Count Basie was bubbling under with Basie Twist. Bonds’ Dear Lady Twist, Danny & The Juniors’ Twistin’ All Night Long and Ernie Freeman’s to-the-point The Twist could also be found among the best-sellers. UK / 7" vinyl - £10.00, USD 11.30, € 11.THE WHOLE WORLD HAD GONE TWIST CRAZY, AGAIN – Chubby Checker was at Number 3 in the US charts with The Twist, ahead of his own Let’s Twist Again and Twistin’ USA, while Bill Black’s Twist-Her, Joey Dee & The Starliters’ Peppermint Twist, Gary U.S. See the padlock symbol shown by most browsers when you checkout.
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