Robert John was a singer and songwriter best known for his 1979 hit, “Sad Eyes,” and his version of “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” from 1971.
- Died: February 24, 2025 (Who else died on February 24?)
- Details of death: Died at the age of 79.
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Robert John’s legacy
Born Robert John Pedrick, John was just 12 years old when his first charting song, “White Bucks and Saddle Shoes,” performed under the name Bobby Pedrick, Jr., made the Billboard Top 100 in 1958 – but it was a false start to his career. He returned a decade later, this time for the long term. “If You Don’t Want My Love” was released in 1968 under his new stage name. The song broke the top 50 and set the stage for a successful career in the 1970s and early ‘80s.
One of John’s biggest hits was his 1972 cover of “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.” Originally written as “Mbube” in 1939 by South African singer Solomon Linda and popularized in the U.S. by The Tokens in 1961, John’s version went to No. 3 on the charts and has since become one of the most enduring versions of the classic.
His 1979 hit, “Sad Eyes,” was even bigger. The doo-wop-inspired ballad went to No. 1 on the charts, and was a hit overseas, too, reaching Billboard’s Top 10 in Australia.
John later had minor hits with covers of throwback songs like “Sherry” and “Hey There Lonely Girl.” He largely retired from music after the early 1980s, but he performed at a sold-out ‘70s nostalgia concert in 1995 alongside the likes of Three Dog Night, Rupert Holmes, and Alan O’Day. All told, John released four albums between 1968 and 1980 before retiring.
Tributes to Robert John
Full obituary: Billboard
