Autumn Leaves.

News from Ferryview

Brr….We have had some early frost here in the village. Beautiful Autumn colours appearing. Time for my vest 🤣

Hope you are all keeping safe and well during these onerous times.

Mr P has been a busy boy in garden and we have enjoyed abundant veggie goodies….cauliflower, tomatoes, broccoli, tomatoes, raspberries, tomatoes, potatoes and did I say tomatoes?!!!😳

After lockdown, please come for lunch….please please..

Tomato Bruschetta

Tomato & Broccoli Tart with homemade tomato bread

Tomato & Raspberry Cobbler

Please come….so many tomatoes so little time ;)

My painted stones look lovely in the autumn sunshine. A nice reminder of places I have visited.

Remembering Solomon Linda. Who died October 1962

(co-composer of The Lion Sleeps Tonight)

Our final look at The Lion Sleeps Tonight - the story in a nutshell!!

On 8th October 1962, the South African singer Solomon Linda died age 53. He was the singer and composer of “Mbube” which developed into “The Lion Sleeps Tonight”. He died without receiving royalties for his composition.

Solomon never learned to read or write but he had a knack for songwriting. In 1939 he composed a song “Mbube” meaning Lion in Zulu and recorded the song with his group “The Evening Birds”. Shortly after recording the song, he sold the rights of the song to Gallo records for 10 shillings and by 1949 the song had sold over 100,000 copies and made Solomon a star in South Africa.

His family tried to bring the case to court on several occasions after his death for alleged infringement of copyright, on the basis that after Mr. Linda’s death, the copyright should have reverted to his heirs. Under the British Commonwealth laws of copyright, 25 years after the death of the author, heirs can re-negotiate any future deals. South Africa during this period was a British Colony. This did not happen.

Mbube was renamed “Wimoweh” and recorded in 1952 by Pete Seeger (from folk group The Weavers). George Weiss (who remastered “Can’t help Falling in Love” for Elvis) created new lyrics and the renamed version was called “The Lion Sleeps Tonight”. As we travel through 60’s there were 150 versions of the song including the 4 million copies sold by The Tokens. Meanwhile, the relatives of the Linda family, including Solomon’s three daughters, were living in poverty in Soweto.

When the music was used in 1994 Disney film “The Lion King” and in the 1997 Broadway Musical, the family, backed by Gallo records, really started their fight for recognition. Finally, in 2004 Solomon’s family’s case was argued that Solomon Linda should be recognised as “Co-Composer”

They reached a settlement that involved many big names including Disney. It was an undisclosed amount, but the Linda family did receive performance income including back payments and a cut of future royalties.

Although on the surface it appears to be a final reward and justice, this story continues to have twist and turns connected to the new 2019 film version of “The Lion King” I hope this story continues to have a happy ending.

Here is the original recording with Solomon Linda singing the falsetto part :

Did the family have a case? I think so.

John Lennon at 80

What a tragic early loss to music......

No doubt, there will be extensive media cover to mark the 80th anniversary of John Lennon’s birth. Had he still been with us he would have been 80 on October 9th. A gifted man and huge loss to the creative world.

Fun Facts about John (allegedly)

· The location of his ashes has never been disclosed

· He wanted to write a book of children’s stories

· He had image issues with weight, eyesight and nose!

· On the road he and George shared a room. Paul & Ringo shared

· He was dyslexic

· Always an artist. As a child he was always drawing or painting

I am sharing with subscribers my arrangement of “Imagine” via Newsletter.

There are several ukulele arrangements online,

so I hope you enjoy mine!

Notable Fun days in October…Pop these in your diary…

· Monday 5th October - Do Something Nice Day

· Wednesday 7th October – World Smile Day 😀

· Wednesday 14th October – Take your parents to lunch day ......Dougie ..Ruth :)

· Wednesday 21st October- National Pumpkin Cheesecake Day.

LOVE pumpkin spice or cake. A result of happy days In Pennsylvania during the fall.

· Monday 26th October – World Opera Day

( First picture one is Manaus Opera House. Amazon River Cruise 2018)