Very few songs can and will ever be able to claim the notoriety this song holds. It’s an expression that I think holds quite true even now - life has an odd way of being rather circular, at times.įrom iconic open to iconic closing (heyyyyyy circularity, wow), it is absolutely among the finest work seen in any film, let alone Disney specifically. I think what I like so much about this song, personally, is that it alludes to so much of the struggles that everyone faces in life, as well as so many of the joys. An absolutely outstanding lead into one of Disney’s most lasting films. Oh, also - the heavens quite literally open up just for some accent lighting - gotta make sure the people know their king has the love of those who have gone before, so naturally, everyone gets real low and bows to this kid because hot damn you don’t see that every day. The more muted stance during the buildup to the presentation is met with a shattering call, as Twillie launches into the chorus once more, this time not only backed by the choir, but also by the calls of the animals, approving of their future king. This final choral repetition, though, is absolutely stunning. One of the things that accentuates this song to me is the use of scenery - the panning shot over Pride Rock with the triumphant choral backing and the outstanding lead vocals is one hell of a scene - instant goosebumps every time.įrom here, we see Simba baptized with pomegranate juice and dust, before being put in the hands of Rafiki for his presentation - the same way Mufasa was presented before him, and the same way his cubs will be presented, all over a much quieter chant, as if they hold in anticipation for something grand (hint hint). It’s rather prophetic, but I think that’s the beauty of it (and one of the strongest points of the song).
#LION KING LYRICS CIRCLE OF LIFE MOVIE#
Again, this is quite central to the movie itself, thinking about the journey Simba must undertake to reclaim his ‘rightful’ spot in the rotation, as king. It’s challenging, with both trials and triumphs. The road to one’s place in the world is not smoothly paved like a freshly-done driveway. It is here that, lurking beneath the chorus’s ever increasing chants, the drums and other instruments begin to kick in, simple beats that leave you wanting more, yet near perfect in their supplementation of the existing tune.Īt this point, Carmen Twillie enters, driving the song as it reaches a more frantic pace with every beat - verses that strike rather reminiscent of later challenges and struggles faced by Simba, intertwined with lines that could make for rather decent life lessons.įinally, though, we reach the climax, and oh, what a climax it is.Ĭentral to the theme of the movie is circularity - the way Simba is presented in the style utilized by generations before him, references to taking the places of ones forefathers. Through a call-and-response sort of format, we are introduced to this song via gradually increasing pace and strength - the way a lion approaches, you could say. The first couplet is repeated once more, with a final repetition specifically of the word ‘ingonyama’, which, according to and Google Translate, means ‘lion’. There are very few songs with such a strong connection to their respective film’s image in popular culture, a testament to this song’s lasting strength. Even if the lyrics, loosely Zulu for “Here is a lion” / “Oh yes, it’s a lion”, are not particularly stunning in English, nor the language particularly conducive to a direct translation to the words above, every single person who has seen the movie and many who have not will know exactly what is to come when the vocals, led by South African artist and producer Lebo M., set in.
There's more to see than can ever be seen, Elton John also preformed a version of his own which appears on The Lion King Original Motion Picture Soundtrack along with the original movie version.Ī lion and a leopard come to this open place. The song also appears in The Lion King musical where it is performed by Tsidii Le Loka and has a slightly different opening chant. Can You Feel The Love Tonight (End Title)Ĭircle of Life is a song written by Elton John and Tim Rice and performed by Carmen Twillie for The Lion King.
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