Disney Settles Lion Song Dispute

(BBC News) – The family of the composer of The Lion Sleeps Tonight have dropped a case against Dis-ney after accepting an undisclosed settlement. The relatives of South African Solomon Linda, who wrote the original Zulu tune, settled with the US owners of the copyright who had loaned it to Disney. The dis-pute over royalties arose when the song was used in The Lion King. Linda, who died in poverty in 1962, composed the song in 1939 and recorded it with The Evening Birds. His family contested that Disney was liable to pay almost £1m for using the song, which was used in The Lion King film and stage musical. Mr Linda sold the copyright to a local firm in 1939, but his lawyers said it should have reverted to his heirs 25 years after his death in 1962. It has been recorded by at least 150 artists around the world, and became one of the most popular tunes in Africa. The settlement involves back payment of royalties to the family and the right to participate in future payments on a worldwide basis.