Solomon Linda's Heirs Win Royalties

In Disney's 1994 animated film The Lion King, Timon and Pumbaa sang "The Lion Sleeps Tonight," which originated with "Mbube," a song composed by South African musician Solomon Linda in 1939. Linda's family sued Disney in 2004 for 10 million rand, then about $1.6 million, over unpaid royalties. In 2006, the family settled for an undisclosed lump sum, royalties dating from 1987, and a share of future income through 2017. The agreement also recognized Linda as a co-composer of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight."

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