The Tokens - The Lion Sleeps Tonight

JASMINE RECORDS

£10.49

Cat. no: JASCD1113
Format: CD
Barcode: 604988111323
Release Date: 2nd July 2021
Genre: Easy Listening

The Tokens name is of course synonymous with their biggest hit, the chart-topping, multi-million selling ‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight’, a song which has continually reinvented itself over the decades.

The Brooklyn DooWoppers had cut their first 45 five years earlier, whilst still at school, but broke up shortly afterwards (Neil Sedaka was, famously, a foundermember and he both wrote and sang on their first record). After re-emerging in 1959 as the short-lived Darrell & The Oxfords, they reverted to their original name and in early 1961, cut their first million-seller, ‘Tonight I Fell In Love’.

During 1961 and 1962 they also charted with ‘Sincerely’, ‘B’Wa Nina’ and ‘La Bomba’, and the albums “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” and “We Sing Folk”. This collection presents all The Tokens (together with their satellite identities) 45s issued between 1956-1962, plus the strongest sides from their first two LPs.

This is the first time that this body of work has been thus compiled; many of these sides are surprisingly difficult to find elsewhere, while a couple of the real collectors’ rarities have never previously appeared on CD.

Tracks: I Love My Baby / While I Dream / Picture In My Wallet (Darrell & The Oxfords) / Roses Are Red (Darrell & The Oxfords) / Can’t You Tell (Darrell & The Oxfords) / But Your Mother She Said No (Darrell & The Oxfords) / Tonight I Fell In Love / I’ll Always Love You / When I?Go To Sleep At Night / Dry Your Eyes / Sincerely / When Summer Is Through / The Lion?Sleeps Tonight / Tina / The Wreck Of The John B. / Michael / Children Go Where I Send Thee / Big Boat / Hindi Lullabye / The Riddle / B’wa Nina / Weeping River / La Bomba / A Token Of Love / The Fly Swatter (D.D.T. & The Repellents) / Bee Side (D.D.T. & The Repellents) / I’ll Do My Crying Tomorrow / Dream Angel Goodnight / A Bird Flies Out Of Sight / Wishing / Monkey Vendor / A Boy Without A Girl / The Mountain Boy / A Tale Of Two Lovers