Bill O’Boyle: Can't wait to hear those sweet notes again

Mar. 26—Back in the day, riding around in cars and singing to the radio was what we did.

Some of us were good at it, others not so much. A few could really carry a tune, like Charles Wayne Bevan, who today remains as good as ever. The rest of us, well, let's just say we found other ways to make a living.

So I fired up the Way Back machine and arrived back in 1969 and the radio on my car was blaring — or was it my 8-track tape player? Anyway, song after song came on and we were singing — at least we called it singing.

Now there were songs that were easy to sing too and others that tested our untrained vocal chords. There was one song though that no matter how bad we sounded singing along, we could never resist trying.

That song was "The Lion Sleeps Tonight." The Tokens sang the song and the lead singer was and still is Jay Siegel. What a voice and oh how we tried to sing along with Jay and match that falsetto. The song is iconic to this day. And whenever I hear it, look out — I'm gonna be singing along with Jay Siegel.

When I returned and put the Way Back Machine in the garage, I resumed my daily routine. So I was sitting at my desk and the phone rang.

"Hey Bill, it's Jay Siegel, can we talk now?"

"Weeheeheehee dee heeheeheehee weeoh aweem away!"

Thee Jay Siegel? Oh wow. Of course we can talk.

To say this was a thrill would be a gross understatement.

What followed was 15 minutes of absolute fun as I listened to Jay, now 81, talk about his life in music, his high school pal Neil Sedaka — an original member of the Linc-Tones, which later became the Tokens — and his friendship with Carole King, who grew up in Brooklyn and went to high school at the same time Jay and Neil did. Carole is a year younger, please note that.

Anyone who knows me also knows of my love of Carole King and her music, so I don't want to offend her, just in case my phone rings and Carole is on the other end.

Back to my chat with Jay Siegel. The first thing I learned was that "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" is a song originally written and recorded by Solomon Linda under the title "Mbube" for the South African Gallo Record Company in 1939. Linda's original was written in Zulu, while the English version's lyrics were written by George David Weiss

"In the jungle, the mighty jungle

The lion sleeps tonight

In the jungle the quiet jungle

The lion sleeps tonight."

We talked about the craziness that was the 1960s and how he grew up in Brooklyn and attended Lincoln High School with Sedaka and how they were friends with Carole King and on and on and on. I was mesmerized.

"The Lion Sleeps Tonight" was released by the Tokens in November of 1961. It has transcended generations, most recently having renewed success among children through the Disney movie "The Lion King."

Over the years, the song went to Number 1 in 36 countries! It has been featured in numerous TV commercials and movies.

And it was Number 1 in my car and the cars of many other kids back in the day and even in 2022.

Jay told me that every audience waits for "the song." And he said if ever he would not sing it, he would have to run from the stage. But he always does perform the song, still impeccably at 81, hitting all those high notes.

"Weeheeheehee dee heeheeheehee weeoh aweem away!"

Everybody, and I do mean everybody, knows the song — and they love it and they try to sing along.

When Jay and the Tokens perform at the Kirby Center ion April 23, the audience, me included, will stand up and sing along with Jay. Just like we did back in the day and just like we still try to do in 2022.

Jay talked about the popularity of the song and how four kids from Brooklyn traveled the world to perform. He said it was "surreal" to see huge crowds greet them at airports and later at the concerts and how they sang along to the song.

Jay Siegel appreciates his success. He appreciates the fans. He said when he looks out into the audience and sees people smiling and dancing and singing along, he gets energized. It's what he enjoys the most about his career.

It was great to speak to Jay and to hear about his career and to feel his sincerity when he talks about the satisfaction he and the Tokens and other performers get when they are before a crowd of people having fun.

That's what it's about — and it's been missing during the pandemic.

"If the audience is having a good time, we're having an even better time," Jay said.

Can't wait to see and hear Jay sing "the song" in Wilkes-Barre — and to sing along.

Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle, or email at boboyle@timesleader.com.