The Lion King Wiki
Register
The Lion King Wiki
No edit summary
(26 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown)
Line 16: Line 16:
 
{{Dialogue1|Simba|Hey, Uncle Scar, will I like the surprise?|Scar|Simba, it's to ''die'' for.|[[Scar]] and [[Simba]], shortly before the [[Stampede (event)|stampede]]|The Lion King}}
 
{{Dialogue1|Simba|Hey, Uncle Scar, will I like the surprise?|Scar|Simba, it's to ''die'' for.|[[Scar]] and [[Simba]], shortly before the [[Stampede (event)|stampede]]|The Lion King}}
 
'''"...To Die For"''' is a musical piece composed by [[Hans Zimmer]] for ''[[The Lion King]]''. It was released on May 31, 1994, as part of the film's [[The Lion King (1994 soundtrack)|soundtrack]].
 
'''"...To Die For"''' is a musical piece composed by [[Hans Zimmer]] for ''[[The Lion King]]''. It was released on May 31, 1994, as part of the film's [[The Lion King (1994 soundtrack)|soundtrack]].
  +
 
==Conception and development==
  +
[[Hans Zimmer]] composed the score of the 1994 film ''[[The Lion King]]'' as well as its [[The Lion King (1994 soundtrack)|original]] and [[The Lion King: Special Edition|special edition soundtracks]]. "...To Die For" was written to represent the [[Stampede (event)|stampede]] and its aftermath, most notably the death of [[Mufasa]].<ref name="The Lion King">{{Cite film|The Lion King}}</ref>
  +
  +
Zimmer composed the film's score linearly and so did not write "...To Die For" until he reached Mufasa's death.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.slashfilm.com/hans-zimmer-interview-the-lion-king/|title=Hans Zimmer On Returning to ‘The Lion King’, the Most Important Element of This New Score, and More <nowiki>[Interview]</nowiki>|accessdate=October 7, 2019|author=Ben Pearson|date=July 17, 2019|work=/Film}}</ref> At this point, his experience became far more personal due to his own father's death when he was a child, which prompted him to compose a "serious requiem" to represent the sequence.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.classicfm.com/composers/zimmer/hans-lion-king-remake-new-soundtrack-interview/|title=Hans Zimmer on The Lion King score: ‘The death of a father needs a serious requiem’|accessdate=October 7, 2019|author=Maddy Shaw Roberts|date=July 19, 2019|work=Classic FM|publisher=Global}}</ref> He wrote the transition between the stampede and Mufasa's fatal fall intentionally, as he believed that "the audience is already thinking ahead, bracing for the tragedy to come."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-04-12-fi-57758-story.html|title=Composer Hans Zimmer Is Scoring With Other Media Ventures|accessdate=October 7, 2019|author=James Bates|date=April 12, 1996|work=Los Angeles Times|publisher=Los Angeles Times Communications, LLC}}</ref>
  +
 
Zimmer's influences stemmed largely from his German background, particularly the music of Mozart. He consulted with [[Lebo M]] on how to meld African and German cultures for the piece. "I'm a German, so I'm going to write with a German accent, just the way we're speaking now," Zimmer said. "And let me go and take this into Africa and give it to Africa, and let them just respond with their culture, and see what happens where the two cultures collide, if another new thing can come out of it."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/returning-lion-king-composer-hans-zimmer-was-warned-dont-mess-this-up/|title=RETURNING LION KING COMPOSER HANS ZIMMER WAS WARNED: DON'T MESS THIS UP|accessdate=October 7, 2019|author=Rotten Tomatoes Staff|date=July 19, 2019|work=Rotten Tomatoes|publisher=Fandango Media, LLC}}</ref>
   
 
==Use==
 
==Use==
 
===In the soundtracks===
 
===In the soundtracks===
  +
[[File:Special Edition.png|thumb|left|''The Lion King: Special Edition'' soundtrack]]
"...To Die For" was released on May 31, 1994, as part of the [[The Lion King (1994 soundtrack)|soundtrack]] of ''[[The Lion King]]''. It is one of four scores from the soundtrack, in addition to "[[This Land]]", "[[Under the Stars]]", and "[[King of Pride Rock]]".
 
  +
"...To Die For" was released on May 31, 1994, as part of the [[The Lion King (1994 soundtrack)|soundtrack]] of ''[[The Lion King]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-lion-king-original-motion-picture-soundtrack/1445732923|title=The Lion King (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)|accessdate=October 8, 2019|work=iTunes|publisher=Apple Inc}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.soundtrack.net/album/the-lion-king-1994/|title=The Lion King|accessdate=October 8, 2019|work=Soundtrack.Net|publisher=Autotelics, LLC}}</ref>
   
Shortly after the release of the film's soundtrack, the [[The Lion King (Complete Score)|complete score]] was unofficially released. "...To Die For" was split into two uncut tracks titled "[[Stampede (Complete Score)|Stampede]]" and "[[Mufasa's Death]]".
+
Shortly after the release of the film's soundtrack, the [[The Lion King (Complete Score)|complete score]] was unofficially released. "...To Die For" was split into two uncut tracks titled "[[Stampede (Complete Score)|Stampede]]" and "[[Mufasa's Death]]".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.hans-zimmer.com/index.php?rub=disco&id=534|title=The Lion King (Complete Score)|accessdate=October 8, 2019|work=Hans-Zimmer.com}}</ref>
   
The [[The Lion King (stage musical)|stage musical version]] of ''The Lion King'' uses a much more vocal-heavy rendition of the score titled "[[The Stampede]]". It was released in 1997 as part of the [[The Lion King (Original Broadway Cast Recording)|original cast recording]].
+
The [[The Lion King (stage musical)|stage musical version]] of ''The Lion King'' uses a much more vocal-heavy rendition of the score titled "[[The Stampede]]".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-lion-king-original-broadway-cast-recording/1440721415|title=The Lion King (Original Broadway Cast Recording)|accessdate=October 8, 2019|work=iTunes|publisher=Apple Inc}}</ref> It was released in 1997 as part of the [[The Lion King (Original Broadway Cast Recording)|original cast recording]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Various-The-Lion-King-Original-Broadway-Cast-Recording/master/680296|title=The Lion King - Original Broadway Cast Recording|accessdate=October 8, 2019|work=Discogs|publisher=Zink Media, Inc}}</ref>
   
"...To Die For" was rereleased on September 30, 2003, as part of the film's [[The Lion King: Special Edition|special edition soundtrack]].
+
"...To Die For" was rereleased on September 30, 2003, as part of the film's [[The Lion King: Special Edition|special edition soundtrack]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-lion-king-special-edition/1440669121|title=The Lion King: Special Edition|accessdate=October 11, 2019|work=iTunes|publisher=Apple Inc}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.soundtrack.net/album/the-lion-king/|title=The Lion King|accessdate=October 8, 2019|work=Soundtrack.Net|publisher=Autotelics, LLC}}</ref>
   
On June 24, 2014, ''[[The Legacy Collection: The Lion King]]'' was released, with "...To Die For" having been split into two uncut tracks: "[[Stampede (Legacy Collection)|Stampede]]" and "[[Mufasa Dies]]".
+
On June 24, 2014, ''[[The Legacy Collection: The Lion King]]'' was released, with "...To Die For" having been split into two uncut tracks: "[[Stampede (Legacy Collection)|Stampede]]" and "[[Mufasa Dies]]".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/walt-disney-records-the-legacy-collection-the-lion-king/1442812767|title=Walt Disney Records the Legacy Collection: The Lion King|accessdate=October 8, 2019|work=iTunes|publisher=Apple Inc}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.soundtrack.net/album/the-legacy-collection-the-lion-king/|title=The Legacy Collection: The Lion King|accessdate=October 8, 2019|work=Soundtrack.Net|publisher=Autotelics, LLC}}</ref>
   
"...To Die For" was reimagined for the [[The Lion King (2019 film)|2019 remake]] of ''The Lion King''. It was released under the title "[[Stampede (2019 soundtrack)|Stampede]]" on July 11, 2019, as part of the film's [[The Lion King (2019 soundtrack)|soundtrack]].
+
"...To Die For" was reimagined for the [[The Lion King (2019 film)|2019 remake]] of ''The Lion King''. It was released under the title "[[Stampede (2019 soundtrack)|Stampede]]" on July 11, 2019, as part of the film's [[The Lion King (2019 soundtrack)|soundtrack]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-lion-king-original-motion-picture-soundtrack/1472083270|title=The Lion King (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)|accessdate=October 8, 2019|work=iTunes|publisher=Apple Inc}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.soundtrack.net/album/the-lion-king-2019/|title=The Lion King|accessdate=October 8, 2019|work=Soundtrack.Net|publisher=Autotelics, LLC}}</ref>
   
 
===In the film===
 
===In the film===
Line 38: Line 46:
 
A reimagined version of "...To Die For" is heard in the [[The Lion King (2019 film)|2019 remake]] of ''[[The Lion King]]''. It plays during the [[Stampede (event)|stampede]] and its aftermath, including the [[Shenzi's clan|hyena]] chase.
 
A reimagined version of "...To Die For" is heard in the [[The Lion King (2019 film)|2019 remake]] of ''[[The Lion King]]''. It plays during the [[Stampede (event)|stampede]] and its aftermath, including the [[Shenzi's clan|hyena]] chase.
   
The [[The Lion King (stage musical)|stage musical version]] of ''The Lion King'' breaks "...To Die For" into three separate cues: "Stampede - Part 1", "Stampede - Part 2", and "Eulogy". The score is heard in the same sequence of events as its film counterpart. However, unlike the film, the stage musical follows up the score with a song titled "[[Rafiki Mourns]]".
+
The [[The Lion King (stage musical)|stage musical version]] of ''The Lion King'' breaks "...To Die For" into three separate cues: "Stampede - Part 1", "Stampede - Part 2", and "Eulogy".<ref name="cues">[[File:The lion king conductors score Page 001.png|50px]]</ref> The score is heard in the same sequence of events as its film counterpart. However, unlike the film, the stage musical follows up the score with a song titled "[[Rafiki Mourns]]".<ref name="cues" />
   
 
A remixed version of "...To Die For" is heard in the 1994 video game ''[[The Lion King (video game)|The Lion King]]''. It plays during the stampede level.
 
A remixed version of "...To Die For" is heard in the 1994 video game ''[[The Lion King (video game)|The Lion King]]''. It plays during the stampede level.
   
 
==Behind the scenes==
 
==Behind the scenes==
 
* "...To Die For" is named for [[Scar|Scar's]] line of dialogue, "Simba, it's to ''die'' for."<ref name="The Lion King" />
===General===
 
* "...To Die For" is named for [[Scar|Scar's]] line of dialogue, "Simba, it's to ''die'' for."<ref>{{Cite film|The Lion King}}</ref>
 
   
 
* In a story reel for ''[[The Lion King II: Simba's Pride]]'', "...To Die For" serves as background music for [[Zira|Zira's]] suicide.<ref>{{Youtube|video=dtFnuvKbdH8|text=Zira's Death|channel=channel/UCtV7OM1psnnxzZszyF_oTbg|channelname=TessaNala}}</ref>
 
* In a story reel for ''[[The Lion King II: Simba's Pride]]'', "...To Die For" serves as background music for [[Zira|Zira's]] suicide.<ref>{{Youtube|video=dtFnuvKbdH8|text=Zira's Death|channel=channel/UCtV7OM1psnnxzZszyF_oTbg|channelname=TessaNala}}</ref>
 
===In development===
 
* For "...To Die For", [[Hans Zimmer]] drew influence from his German roots, particularly the music of [[Wikipedia:Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart|Mozart]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/returning-lion-king-composer-hans-zimmer-was-warned-dont-mess-this-up/|title=RETURNING LION KING COMPOSER HANS ZIMMER WAS WARNED: DON'T MESS THIS UP|accessdate=October 7, 2019|author=Rotten Tomatoes Staff|date=July 19, 2019|work=Rotten Tomatoes|publisher=Fandango Media, LLC}}</ref>
 
   
 
==References==
 
==References==
{{Reflist}}
+
{{Reflist|2}}
 
{{Clear}}
 
{{Clear}}
 
{{The Lion King (1994 soundtrack)}}
 
{{The Lion King (1994 soundtrack)}}

Revision as of 06:03, 2 February 2020

Standing in the Spotlight
"Everywhere you look, I'm standing in the spotlight!"
...To Die For is a featured article, which means it has been identified as one of the best articles produced by the The Lion King Wiki community.


Template:Out of universe

...To Die For
The-lion-king-soundtrack
Attribution information
Composer

Hans Zimmer

Mixer

Jay Rifkin

Release information
Released

May 31, 1994

Track

7

Length

4:17

Albums

   The Lion King (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
   The Lion King: Special Edition

Appearances

The Lion King

Samples
Versions

   Anonymous Audio File Icon Clip ArtThe Lion King 
   Anonymous Audio File Icon Clip ArtThe Lion King (Genesis) 
   Anonymous Audio File Icon Clip ArtThe Lion King (SNES) 

Simba: Hey, Uncle Scar, will I like the surprise?
Scar: Simba, it's to die for.
Scar and Simba, shortly before the stampede[src]

"...To Die For" is a musical piece composed by Hans Zimmer for The Lion King. It was released on May 31, 1994, as part of the film's soundtrack.

Conception and development

Hans Zimmer composed the score of the 1994 film The Lion King as well as its original and special edition soundtracks. "...To Die For" was written to represent the stampede and its aftermath, most notably the death of Mufasa.[1]

Zimmer composed the film's score linearly and so did not write "...To Die For" until he reached Mufasa's death.[2] At this point, his experience became far more personal due to his own father's death when he was a child, which prompted him to compose a "serious requiem" to represent the sequence.[3] He wrote the transition between the stampede and Mufasa's fatal fall intentionally, as he believed that "the audience is already thinking ahead, bracing for the tragedy to come."[4]

Zimmer's influences stemmed largely from his German background, particularly the music of Mozart. He consulted with Lebo M on how to meld African and German cultures for the piece. "I'm a German, so I'm going to write with a German accent, just the way we're speaking now," Zimmer said. "And let me go and take this into Africa and give it to Africa, and let them just respond with their culture, and see what happens where the two cultures collide, if another new thing can come out of it."[5]

Use

In the soundtracks

Special Edition

The Lion King: Special Edition soundtrack

"...To Die For" was released on May 31, 1994, as part of the soundtrack of The Lion King.[6][7]

Shortly after the release of the film's soundtrack, the complete score was unofficially released. "...To Die For" was split into two uncut tracks titled "Stampede" and "Mufasa's Death".[8]

The stage musical version of The Lion King uses a much more vocal-heavy rendition of the score titled "The Stampede".[9] It was released in 1997 as part of the original cast recording.[10]

"...To Die For" was rereleased on September 30, 2003, as part of the film's special edition soundtrack.[11][12]

On June 24, 2014, The Legacy Collection: The Lion King was released, with "...To Die For" having been split into two uncut tracks: "Stampede" and "Mufasa Dies".[13][14]

"...To Die For" was reimagined for the 2019 remake of The Lion King. It was released under the title "Stampede" on July 11, 2019, as part of the film's soundtrack.[15][16]

In the film

Lion-king-disneyscreencaps

Simba flees a wildebeest stampede, during which "...To Die For" is heard

"...To Die For" is heard in The Lion King as a representation of the stampede, during which Scar baits Mufasa into rescuing his son, Simba. The score starts when Simba notices a herd of wildebeests stampeding into the gorge. It carries through his flight from the wildebeests and into Mufasa's successful rescue attempt. After Mufasa falls to his death, the score changes tone, moving into the mournful themes heard as Simba discovers and grieves over his father's body. It plays through his tearful confrontation with Scar and ends on the flute notes heard as he flees the Pride Lands.

In other media

A reimagined version of "...To Die For" is heard in the 2019 remake of The Lion King. It plays during the stampede and its aftermath, including the hyena chase.

The stage musical version of The Lion King breaks "...To Die For" into three separate cues: "Stampede - Part 1", "Stampede - Part 2", and "Eulogy".[17] The score is heard in the same sequence of events as its film counterpart. However, unlike the film, the stage musical follows up the score with a song titled "Rafiki Mourns".[17]

A remixed version of "...To Die For" is heard in the 1994 video game The Lion King. It plays during the stampede level.

Behind the scenes

  • "...To Die For" is named for Scar's line of dialogue, "Simba, it's to die for."[1]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Revealed in Disney's The Lion King (1994). Written by Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts, and Linda Woolverton, and directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff. Distributed by Buena Vista Pictures Distribution.
  2. Ben Pearson (July 17, 2019). Hans Zimmer On Returning to ‘The Lion King’, the Most Important Element of This New Score, and More [Interview]. /Film. Retrieved on October 7, 2019.
  3. Maddy Shaw Roberts (July 19, 2019). Hans Zimmer on The Lion King score: ‘The death of a father needs a serious requiem’. Classic FM. Global. Retrieved on October 7, 2019.
  4. James Bates (April 12, 1996). Composer Hans Zimmer Is Scoring With Other Media Ventures. Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times Communications, LLC. Retrieved on October 7, 2019.
  5. Rotten Tomatoes Staff (July 19, 2019). RETURNING LION KING COMPOSER HANS ZIMMER WAS WARNED: DON'T MESS THIS UP. Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media, LLC. Retrieved on October 7, 2019.
  6. The Lion King (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack). iTunes. Apple Inc. Retrieved on October 8, 2019.
  7. The Lion King. Soundtrack.Net. Autotelics, LLC. Retrieved on October 8, 2019.
  8. The Lion King (Complete Score). Hans-Zimmer.com. Retrieved on October 8, 2019.
  9. The Lion King (Original Broadway Cast Recording). iTunes. Apple Inc. Retrieved on October 8, 2019.
  10. The Lion King - Original Broadway Cast Recording. Discogs. Zink Media, Inc. Retrieved on October 8, 2019.
  11. The Lion King: Special Edition. iTunes. Apple Inc. Retrieved on October 11, 2019.
  12. The Lion King. Soundtrack.Net. Autotelics, LLC. Retrieved on October 8, 2019.
  13. Walt Disney Records the Legacy Collection: The Lion King. iTunes. Apple Inc. Retrieved on October 8, 2019.
  14. The Legacy Collection: The Lion King. Soundtrack.Net. Autotelics, LLC. Retrieved on October 8, 2019.
  15. The Lion King (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack). iTunes. Apple Inc. Retrieved on October 8, 2019.
  16. The Lion King. Soundtrack.Net. Autotelics, LLC. Retrieved on October 8, 2019.
  17. 17.0 17.1 The lion king conductors score Page 001
  18. YouTube favicon Zira's Death on the TessaNala YouTube channel


The Lion King (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Circle of Life    I Just Can't Wait to Be King    Be Prepared    Hakuna Matata    Can You Feel the Love Tonight    This Land    ...To Die For    Under the Stars    King of Pride Rock    Circle of Life    I Just Can't Wait to Be King    Can You Feel the Love Tonight
The Lion King: Special Edition
Circle of Life    I Just Can't Wait to Be King    Be Prepared    Hakuna Matata    Can You Feel the Love Tonight    The Morning Report    This Land    ...To Die For    Under the Stars    King of Pride Rock    Circle of Life    I Just Can't Wait to Be King    Can You Feel the Love Tonight (End Title)    Can You Feel the Love Tonight (Remix)    The Hyenas