Impromptu
NYC soul group melts crowd’s heart with acapella cover of ‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight’
Johndel Callora
03.18.20

Imagine walking down the street and seeing a group of men singing on the sidewalk.

If you live in a big city, this is probably a pretty familiar scene. In this clip, some musicians were singing a familiar tune that made plenty of people stop to get a closer look.

The people in New York City that day got a great glimpse of some golden harmonies.

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In the video, a group of male singers and an upright bass player gather at Washington Square Park in June 2010.

Since it was uploaded nearly 10 years ago, this video was watched from over more than 10 million times on YouTube!

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Preparing for their performance, the guy in the brown shirt tries to find the right pitch for the song they are about to sing.

When he finally found the correct pitch, you can hear the familiar tune of the song, “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.” The lead singer has a very high vocal range and every yodel he does is on the mark. He is accompanied by some perfect doo-wop bass lines and his other companions harmonizing from different octaves. In all, their take on the song has original feel that no one has ever heard before.

Considering that it was done outdoors, their voices really sounded like they were produced fresh from the recording studio!

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These buskers are famous in NYC for their golden harmonies and peculiar arrangements that made every song they cover their own.

The fact that they never use audio effects or additional playback to enhance their music makes their performance even more special!

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The group, Acapella Soul, is surely one of today’s most popular acapella doo-wop music groups.

Each member has more than 10-20 years of experience! When they get together, they kept the genre alive by performing timeless classics like “Stand by Me,” and so many more.

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Each singer takes turns singing and harmonizing, but all of them sound equally great.

It’s clear that these guys are musical veterans, and they know how to inject passion and soul in every performance. Through their talents, their name has skyrocketed around the US and probably to other parts of the world as well.

The group started by busking in the streets and subways.

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As they slowly make their way to fame, they have been performing at weddings and birthday parties.

They’ve even gotten the chance to perform for various celebrities like Uma Thurman and Richard Gere!

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They are continuing to busk around New York City, showcasing their wonderful talent and putting smiles on the faces of people around them.

As a result of their skills, they’ve even received thank you letters from their fans.

Of course, gratifying letters from the people who invited them to perform on events are raining down on them. On their website, they posted one of the heartfelt messages that they got after they performed to a particular wedding saying:

“Thank you guys so much for performing at our wedding. We had really terrible weather, but you guys entertained everyone and kept spirits high. We got so many compliments on how you were the most unique, interesting and best part of our wedding.”

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Acapella Soul definitely deserves more recognition!

It’s clear they’re doing a great job brightening New Yorkers’ days with their amazing voices. In the process, they’re reviving the spirit of classic doo-wop music.

Congratulations to Acapella Soul on this great performance! Watch the whole thing in the link below:

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