The Tokens first recorded The Lion Sleeps Tonight in 1961, they were all originally from Brooklyn NY and began singing together in 1955. One of the original members was Neil Sedaka, who left the group in 1957. First breaking onto the pop charts in 1961, THE TOKENS got back on the charts in the 1990s and were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall Of Fame in 2004. They continue to distinguish themselves with the second-longest chart span in the history of Rock & Roll. More than 30 years after the debut of their first big hit, "TONIGHT I FELL IN LOVE", they re-emerged on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart in August, 1994, following the re-release of their chart-topping single, "THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT." Making the statistic even more impressive, the South African folk song "Wimoweh," which inspired THE TOKENS’ song that went to #1 worldwide, first charted 42 years earlier. No other song title can claim that longevity.