Songwriter George David Weiss, responsible for ‘What A Wonderful World’, ‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight’ and Can’t Help Falling In Love’, dies at 89.
Weiss started as a songwriter in the '40s and wrote songs for Elvis, Tom Jones, The Stylistics, Mel Torme and Tennessee Ernie Ford.He also wrote for many film soundtracks and musicals, including the Sammy Davis Jr. Broadway vehicle Mr Wonderful.
Weiss adapted Solomon Linda's version of the Zulu song 'Mbube' as 'The Lion Sleeps Tonight', which was a hit for The Tokens.
He wrote 'Can't Help Falling In Love' for Elvis and 'What A Wonderful World' for Louis Armstrong.
He also wrote the lyrics for the jazz standard 'Lullaby of Birdland', which was a hit for Ella Fitzgerald.
In his later life he was the president of the Songwriters Guild Of America.
