The origins of the Nylons date back to 1978 when four experienced Toronto stage actors, Connors, Cooper, Morrison, and Simpson, used to get together in the back of a delicatessen to sing doo-wop together. They took their ensemble to parties and friend's houses and constant comments from people convinced them to take their unique a cappella act into the clubs. An acquaintence met at a party was about to open a new cabaret and invited them to debut there. They played there for six weeks, garnering rave critical and audience reviews. In 1979 Simpson retired from the group and Cole was brought on board. They very quickly established themselves as one of the area's classiest and most original ensembles and caught the attention of Attic Records. Their first album eventually went platinum in Canada (100,000 copies), and there followed four more releases on Attic that all sold at least gold in Canada (50,000 copies). They received the equivalent of a Dutch Grammy award and a gold disc for the One Size Fits All album and the Best Singer Award at 1986's Tokyo Music Festival. In 1987 Disney used their song That Kind Of Man in their feature The Tin Man, and their version of Up The Ladder To The Roof was used in the movie Made In Heaven. They also scored a second appearance on the Taft Broadcasting television show Throb after writing the theme song and a previous appearance on the program. In February 1991 founding member Connors left the group and in March of that year died of viral pneumonia. A new deal in 1991 with Scotti Brothers in the US and BMG in Canada saw the release of three more albums, and constant touring on either side of the border. Over the years various member changes have led to today's lineup of Morrison, Robinson, Mosbaugh, and Cassius. In 1997 they signed with Shoreline Records in the US, a label primarily devoted to vocal groups, and released the Fabric Of Life. Today they continue to tour the world to audience and critical acclaim.
Singles
1982 The Lion Sleeps Tonight (Attic) 1983 Silhouettes (Attic) 1983 That Kind Of Man (Attic) 1984 Take Me To Your Heart (Attic) 1984 Perpetual Emotion (Attic) 1984 Stepping Stone (Attic) 1984 Combat Zone (Attic) 1987 Kiss Him Goodbye (Attic) 1987 Happy Together (Attic) 1987 Chain Gang (Attic) 1989 Wild Fire (Attic) 1989 Drift Away (Attic) 1991 Call My Name (Attic) 1991 One Fine Day (Attic) 1992 Don't Look Any Further (Scotti Brothers)
Albums
1982 The Nylons (Attic) 1982 One Size Fits All (Attic) 1984 Seamless (Attic) 1987 Happy Together (Attic) 1989 Rockapella (Attic) 1991 Four On The Floor (Attic) 1992 Live To Love (BMG) 1993 Illustrious: A Collection Of Classic Hits (Attic) 1994 Harmony - The Christmas Songs (BMG) 1994 Because... (BMG) 1996 Run For Cover (BMG) 1997 Fabric Of Life (Shoreline) 1997 Perfect Fit (Windham Hill) [re-release of 1993's Illustrious]
Marc Connors (baritone; RIP 1991) Paul Cooper (tenor) Claude Morrison (tenor) Dennis Simpson (bass) Ralph Cole (bass; replaced Simpson 1979) Arnold Robinson (bass; replaced Cole 1981) Micah Barnes (tenor; replaced Cooper 1991) Billy Newton-Davis (baritone; replaced Connors 1992) Garth Mosbaugh (tenor; replaced Barnes 1994) Gavin Hope (baritone; replaced Newton-Davis 1994) Mark Cassius (baritone; replaced Hope 1997)
The Lion Sleeps Tonight
The Nylons Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The lion sleeps tonight
In the jungle the mighty jungle
The lion sleeps tonight
Near the village the peaceful village
The lion sleeps tonight
Near the village the peaceful village The lion sleeps tonight
Hush my darling don't cry my darling
The lion sleeps tonight
Hush my darling don't fear my darling
The lion sleeps tonight
The Nylons' rendition of The Lion Sleeps Tonight takes us into the African jungle where we witness the mighty lion sleeping. The lyrics, "In the jungle, the mighty jungle, the lion sleeps tonight," repeat twice, emphasizing the tranquil environment of the jungle. Later on, the song transitions to a peaceful village where the lion continues to sleep. The calm that exists in the village is equivalent to that in the jungle despite the proximity to the lion. The words, "Near the village, the peaceful village, the lion sleeps tonight," repeat twice giving significance to the lion's slumber despite the proximity to humans.
The final verse speaks to a loved one, "Hush my darling, don't cry my darling, the lion sleeps tonight. Hush my darling, don't fear my darling, the lion sleeps tonight." There's comfort in these words, signifying that the lion's peaceful sleep has a positive effect on life around it. As the song ends, we are reminded of the tranquillity that can exist in this world and that we should enjoy those moments.
Line by Line Meaning
In the jungle the mighty jungle
In the dense forest, where life thrives, the largest and most powerful animal species known as the lion lives.
The lion sleeps tonight
The lion is sound asleep at the moment.
Near the village the peaceful village
In close proximity to the community, where people come together to live in harmony and peacefully coexist with nature.
Hush my darling don't cry my darling
Don't weep, my beloved, let us be serene and composed.
The lion sleeps tonight
The lion is sound asleep at the moment.
Hush my darling don't fear my darling
Do not be afraid, my love, for there is no danger looming around.
The lion sleeps tonight
The lion is sound asleep at the moment.
Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid, RALEIGH MUSIC PUBLISHING
Written by: George David Weiss, Hugo E Peretti, Luigi Creatore, Solomon Linda
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@waynethompson61
The amazing Marc Connors on lead vocal. Such a sweet voice.
@Papabogs1020
just pure talent.. no freaking autotune... wow!!
@wangson
These guys were amazingly talented singers! All of them were remarkable but man - that bass!
@ericwilson1553
They were simply the best acapella group! I miss them. No one can top them.
@aswitzertwiz
I thought that for a long time... but check out Pentatonix. They have almost made me forget how great the Nylons were in the 90's.
@f.dustinpeace8899
Alan Switzer I've heard the Pentatonix and they aren't bad, but they lack the power and dynamic range of the Nylons, or Rockapella.
@f.dustinpeace8899
F. Dustin Peace And now I've listened to some of their more recent work. They got better, of course.
@jarodmorris611
+F. Dustin Peace You need to listen to the Pentatonix more then. They too are amazing.
@f.dustinpeace8899
Sorry, nope, Pentatonix are good, but they're too 'pop' for me. I'm following Home Free, now.
@christinaw.2471
i saw the Nylons in concert back in the 80's... still the best band i have ever seen, the harmonies were tight.. beautiful voices, the lion sleeps tonight my favourite.