Lyrics for The Tokens' "The Lion Sleeps Tonight"

After listening to just 10 minutes of radio it is pretty clear that songs and music are about anything and everything. “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” by The Tokens is not only entertaining and catchy, but illuminates the presence of animals in songs and music.

A-wimoweh

The song starts with the iconic line “a-wimoweh.” This the pronunciation of an African word meaning "he is a lion." That changes the entire song. Is the person the lyrics refer to an actual lion sleeping in a jungle, or a man sleeping in New York City? The singer goes on to say that the lion is sleeping in the village as well as in the jungle. Here the dual meaning of “he is a lion” really comes into focus. If a-wimoweh is referring to both a human and a physical lion, it makes sense that one is sleeping in a village and one in the jungle.

Man and lion

That said, it is probable to say that The Tokens are not just jamming to a catchy beat or putting in rhyming and rhythmic words. Perhaps they are delving into a deeper meaning; that lion and man are not as different as expected. Both are powerful in their ecosystems and environment. Both have moments of vulnerability like during sleep, for example. The Tokens’ lyrics are often written off as simple or even “just a song about a lion,” but looking closely and reading the lyrics as if they were a story easily reveals the depth and meaning.

Full lyrics

We-de-de-de
De-de-de-de-de
De-we-um-um-a-way
We-de-de-de
De-de-de-de-de
We-um-um-a-way
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
In the jungle
The mighty jungle
The lion sleeps tonight
In the jungle
The quiet jungle
The lion sleeps tonight
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
Near the village
The peaceful village
The lion sleeps tonight
Near the village
The quiet village
The lion sleeps tonight
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
Hush, my darling
Don't fear my darling
The lion sleeps tonight
Hush, my darling
Don't fear my darling
The lion sleeps tonight
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
We-de-de-de
De-de-de-de-de
De-we-um-um-a-way
We-de-de-de
De-de-de-de-de
We-um-um-a-way

It is highly likely to encounter songs about the weather, reading and animals when passing by any elementary school classroom. For that reason, songs about animals are sometimes considered childish or simple. However, when focusing on the lyrics and doing research as to word meaning, there is much to learn and enjoy from a song about animals.