Solomon Linda

Solomon Popoli Linda was a South African musician and singer. He was a pioneer of a unique style of choral music. His most famous creation was the song "Mbube." This song changed the sound of South African music forever. It helped create a new genre called isicathamiya. This genre is a type of choral music that became very popular. Linda's work eventually reached people all over the world. His melodies traveled from South Africa to the United States. Even though he became famous through his music, his own life was very difficult. His story is one of great talent and great struggle.

Linda's musical style used several clever new techniques. He was a soprano, which means he sang in a very high voice. He introduced the use of a falsetto voice for the main melody. This added a light, female-like texture to the male singing group. He also changed how the lower voices worked. Instead of one singer per part, he used many bass singers. This created a much deeper and richer sound. His group, the Evening Birds, also changed how performers looked. They wore pinstriped suits, bowler hats, and two-tone shoes. This made them look like sophisticated city people.

The Evening Birds consisted of several talented friends. Solomon Linda sang the soprano parts. Gilbert Madondo sang the alto parts. Boy Sibiya sang the tenor parts. The group also included Gideon Mkhize, Samuel Mlangeni, and Owen Sikhakhane as the basses. They performed at weddings and in choir competitions. In 1939, Linda worked as a record packer at the Gallo Record Company. While recording songs there, he improvised "Mbube." The song was an immediate success in South Africa. It sold more than 100,000 copies over a nine-year period.

Linda's career began with traditional music in Natal. He grew up near Pomeroy in the Umzinyathi District. He learned amahubo and izingoma zomshado, which are traditional songs. He later attended the Gordon Memorial mission school. There, he learned about Western hymns and choir contests. In 1931, he moved to Johannesburg to find work. The city was a large gold-mining town with many jobs. He worked at the Mayi Mayi Furniture Shop. Later, he found a job at the Carlton Hotel. These experiences helped shape his urban musical style.

Despite his success, Linda did not earn money from his hits. He sold the rights to "Mbube" to Eric Gallo for only ten shillings. Gallo also paid Linda about $2 for the first few hundred records. A court later decided this deal was unfair. Linda could not read and did not understand royalties. Royalties are payments made to creators when their work is used. When Linda died in 1962 at age 53, his bank account had only $40. His family was very poor and could not afford a tombstone. This was a sad contrast to his musical fame.

"Mbube" eventually traveled to the United States through several steps. An American named Alan Lomax found the records in Africa. He sent them to folk singer Pete Seeger. Seeger transcribed the song but misheard the chorus as "wimoweh." In 1951, The Weavers released a version called "Wimoweh." Later, a group called The Tokens recorded a new version. They worked with George David Weiss to add English lyrics. This version was called "The Lion Sleeps Tonight." It was released in October 1961. It reached number one on the US charts and became a global hit.

The legacy of Linda's music is massive. "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" has been recorded by over 150 artists. It has appeared in more than thirteen different movies. A very famous example is the 1994 Disney film *The Lion King*. That film earned nearly $1 billion and sold many CDs. For a long time, Linda's family received almost no money from these hits. In 2000, journalist Rian Malan wrote about Linda's life. This helped the world rediscover his story. His family eventually won legal battles for credit and money. In 2022, his hometown of Pomeroy was renamed to Solomon Linda to honor him.